Replacing Plastic Flourescent Lighting Covers

[deal_lurker]

Hello,

I am trying to replace some old plastic flourescent lighting covers and have purchased some from the hardware store. The new ones are larger than drop down ceiling space where the lighting is, which means I have to cut the plastic. Does anyone here know an easy way of how one can do this well without causing the plastic to crack or shatter?

dl

[pmc]

Table saw? or You can use a utility knife on the smooth side with a few passes and break like when you're cutting drywall.

[l69norm]

Hello,I am trying to replace some old plastic flourescent lighting covers and have purchased some from the hardware store. The new ones are larger than drop down ceiling space where the lighting is, which means I have to cut the plastic. Does anyone here know an easy way of how one can do this well without causing the plastic to crack or shatter?dl

Some stores don't carry all the available sizes. Try Rona or Lowes as they might have your specific size in stock

[deal_lurker]

Some stores don't carry all the available sizes. Try Rona or Lowes as they might have your specific size in stock

Yes.. I bought it at rona... they seemed to have one type sized sheets only. I purchased them a while back thinking it would be an easy task and am finding it very difficult to cut. I tried scoring them with knife before hand... that doesn't work that well. I can't return them now :( ... Don't want to try a saw... I will probably make things worse and break more of them.

I asked at a few hardware stores (Rona / Home Depot)... I find it strange that none of them cut these things... probably because they are so fragile. I checked Lowes also and they said try finding a company with a laser cutter.

I will try to find a company that can cut plastics.... but that might be over-kill.

[Dustbunny]

Any chance you own a Dremel? They make special cutting bits for cutting things like acrylic panels (RotoZip also makes the same bit for their tool). Seems to me there are also specific tools they sell in the same section you buy lucite and acrylic panels in the store that work to score the piece and then you break it the way you do when cutting glass.

[CaptSmethwick]

I've cut these before on my radial arm saw adjusted to its rip position: these can be cut.

If you have a skil-saw, put the plastic sheet on a sheet of plywood and clamp a straight-edge guide on the sheet itself at the appropriate measured distance so that your blade is on your cut line.

Next, put masking tape on the plastic where your saw will ride on it (you don't want scratches) and, finally, adjust your saw so that the blade only protrudes from the base by slightly more than the plastic itself.

What you want to do is to make sure that the plastic is supported below as the blade is pushing down - that will reduce the vibrations that can cause cracking.

Let us know if you're brave enough to try - and, of course, how it works out.

[Owbist]

If you elect to cut with any kind of circular saw be sure to wear eye protection. That stuff can shatter badly. Eyes are valuable!

How many sheets need cutting? With just a few the suggestion of the Stanley knife is good. Clean and comparatively safe.