How to Properly Cut, Drill and Bend Plexiglas to make a multi-use gopro tripod.

This instructable is in the "UP!" contest and I would love it if you could take the time to vote if you feel I deserve the vote, thanks! Enjoy! 

 

I had been doing some work with plexiglas lately and found some good ways to score and cut, drill holes in, and bend plexiglas. I wanted to create an instructable on how to properly perform these tasks but thought I needed to actually make it into something to make it interesting.

Plexiglas is a very cool material, a clear, tough plastic that can be used for a variety of projects from see through cases, to a pseudo blast shield, to the tripod I will teach you how to make. While it's not technically a tripod it serves some similar purposes. By itself it can hold the gopro on top to gain a little more height. The gopro can also be hung underneath if you are trying to show how to repair something on a car and the plexiglas will protect the camera from harmful slag while welding or grinding. Also with the new wifi live view function through wifi on the Hero3 cameras the "tripod" can actually be used as a cover over the gopro that holds your ipod or phone on top. 

Step 1: Cut a strip of Plexiglas the proper way (Scoring)

Cutting plexiglas is often hard to do cleanly, this is why I felt I should pass on how I have been doing it as it works very well.

For this step you will need the scoring tool (Or box cutter or x-acto knife), the ruler and the quick grips.

You will begin by scoring the plexiglas. This part is crucial as where you score is where it will be "cut". If your line is crooked your "cut" will be crooked. You must also take special care to cut clear to both edges, if you don't cut the edges it will shatter on the ends and destroy all of your work. The way I have found that works the best for this is to clamp down the ruler where you want to score and make sure to get the metal banding on the ruler on the side that you will be cutting. Once you have your guide attached you will begin scoring. Push your scoring tool up against the metal edge and pull toward you, little spirals of the material should come out as you go. You will score the piece several times. From what I've found, the longer the line you're cutting the more times you'll have to score. You will need to score roughly 10 times with the tool. Also the scoring tool is fastest, you will need to make roughly 3 times as many passes with a box cutter or x-acto knife so I'd recommend picking up one of these scoring tools. They're only about 5 bucks at Menards and they work really really well. 

Comments

[sickchuck]

The best way to drill ANY plastic is to regrind your drill bit to a ZERO DEG. rake The cutting edge from the tip to the corner needs to be inline with the shaft of the bit. This makes it into a scraper instead of a cutting tool and will not blow out the back side if it is sharp. The only exception to this is if the tip of the bit breaks thru before the full width of the bit is in the hole it could still blow out.

[steveastrouk]

I agree. Scraping angles, and also running wet and you can make a hole with a virtually polished bore.

[Ben The Builder]

To be fair that would be a good method but then it's hard to get it to stay in one place, and also I wanted to do it with regular bits and the 2 step method seems to work well for me.

[steveastrouk]

The bit is still POINTED, just there is no rake on the cutting edge.

[niebyl2002]

I wonder if heating plexiglass (just a bit) would prevent cracking. I think there will be less stress. Never tried it though.

[Benwa]

Not bad, I could never get the score/break to work properly. I'll try again. I usually tape both side with masking tape, mark my line and use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. I'll clamp a level in the proper place to use as a guide. Keep saw butted against level and you can rip a nice straight cut. Tape seems to minimize the chewed edge.

If I want to mount hardware on plexi, like hinges or clasps... pop rivets are your friend. Screws tend to break it. Nuts & bolts look too "frankenstein" for my tastes. Drill hole just big enough for rivet, try to put a washer on the back side (I've done it without them with fine results) and pop it. A nice solid and clean looking fastener.

The only other tip I have is to use scrap pieces to test a technique first. There's nothing worse than to be on the last step and crack your finished piece because you didn't factor in something.

[bricabracwizard]

Great instructable especially about bending plexiglass. A couple of things I have tried with success is drill through the plexiglass with wood underneath you will find it doesn't crack and creates a clean hole. Because I have an electric tile cutter when I cut plexiglass with a diamond blade it cuts it quickly and cleanly...don't use water!

[MikeTheMaker]

I just scored and broke a 2 ft. long by 4 inch wide piece of plexiglass--and it worked great!!

Thanks for the good instructions.

[astroboy907]

Be careful, and always use your correct tools. Got sliced trying to cut plexiglass, scoring them with my house keys. Tried breaking it, got a nice cut near the ball of my thumb for the trouble.

[Ben The Builder]

Gloves are also not a bad idea, but but being careful and not rushing it should keep you safe.

[Barb37]

THANK you for your concise instructions! You’ve done a superb job of integrating embedded notes, photo’s, and written directions. I’m a Plexiglas novice with a project in mind, and your be-careful and in-my-experience tips inspire confidence. How thick is the Plexiglas used in this project, and how thick is TOO thick for this project’s instructions to be practical, please?

[Ben The Builder]

I'm glad you found them helpful. The plexiglas I used is roughly 1/16th of an inch thick. You could probably use similar techniques for thicker pieces, but you will need more heat and you'll need to be much more patient. As far as scoring and breaking, the thicker it gets the harder it becomes to cleanly break and I would imagine drilling would get harder. How thick of a sheet were you planning on using?

[ringai]

Thanks for the nice explanation of bending. I've tried it a couple times and it didn't quite turn out for me. I think perhaps using that fan-shaped flow director would have helped. I used a hairdryer with just its round opening and probably didn't have the plastic heated right.

[Ben The Builder]

This heat gun works incredibly well for this task. It has two temperature settings and the low one I think is still hotter than a hair dryer. As with bending most things it helps to heat, and try to bend and repeat because then you get it bending as soon as possible, and also with the hair dryer you could probably try the method where you tug to pull the curve tight and the flatten it down on a workbench.

[Phil B]

I second what you wrote about heating for bending. I have tried it and got bubbles in the Plexiglas, or even singed it a little brown. I know there are special hot wire heaters that are thermostatically controlled, but most of us do not have those.

[Ben The Builder]

This may be a brand thing, everyone makes their acrylic or Plexiglas a little differently but it sounds like you may be getting it too hot, it really doesn't take much heat.

[lime3D]

Correct. I have found that it is best to direct the heat to the area that you want, at the lower temperature setting for a longer time. This lets the heat transfer all the way through the thickness of the material.