Anyone have any hints or suggestions on cutting mirror-plex. I just bought a piece of this stuff for my cabin & need to cut it to fit. I was told to cut it with a jig saw on low speed & trim edges with a grinder. does this sound right ? Should i cut from the back side & with what kind of blade in the saw ? Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have.

I learned this from a guy that worked for Cigarette. Make a template out of masonite or 1/4 plywood, then use a router. No chipping, very little cleanup needed on the edges. Just use some fine sandpaper.

where did you get your mirror plex?
How much was it and what size did you get?
Thanks
Jason

I just got done replacing my glass with smoked Lexan. I used a 24 t fine jig saw blade. I traced from the orginal glass and cut it out. No problems!

if your making straight cuts you can use a table saw.or a router with a straight edge. be careful not to scratch the finished surface. boat looks good also!

Thanks for the suggestions so far everyone. any more hints would be appreciated. JAYL13- I got the mirror- plex from LAGER GLASS CO. in Neptune, N.J. it was 26" by 80" for $240 . I dont know if that was pricey or not.

Try taping the edge to be cut. This will help reduce tear-out.

Yes, tape the edges. Your mirror plex may even come with a paper cover already on it, if so leave it during the cutting. After you cut it, you can take an old hacksaw blade or razor blade and drag it along the rough cut edge, shaving the edge until smooth. When finished shaving the edge, you can polish the edge with a buffing wheel and some jewelers rouge.

I've seen people smooth the cut edges of plexi with a small flame from an oxy-acetylene torch. It gives a really nice polished look to it, but I wouldn't recommend it without some practice. Plus, I'm not sure if it would screw up the mirror backing.

Seems like it would be worth trying on some scrap parts once you've cut it out....

Mirrored Plexi is a difficult animal. Cutting, drilling , routing and sanding, if done improperly can cause the expensive material to run and /or craze. Let a professional do it. It will certainly cost more, but less than the second piece of Plexi that you have to buy because you mucked up the first one. Make a template of the size, note cutouts for engine hatch jack, note radiused corners and take to a fabricator. They will give you back a beautiful pice of plexi. All your attachment holes will be predrilled and all your edges will be " flame polished ". You should not have to pay more than $100.00 for the finished product. Good Luck