DIY roofers/re-modelers/builders. Need some help.

[trof]

What's the best way to cut acrylic/plastic (whatever) corrugated roofing panels? It's smoke tinted, translucent, fairly flexible stuff, 2'X8' sheets. Need to cut at 45 degree angle across the corrugations.
Thanks.

[mn9driver]

1. Guess I'd try a circular saw w/ a plywood blade.

Maybe clamp a strip along the cut for the saw to ride on.

[mistertrickster]

2. You might take a waste piece and experimenting with scoring with

a utility knife and snapping it, but the circular saw with fine toothed blade sounds better to me.

[rustydog]

3. Go to home depot/eagle/whatever home remodeling store

ask their "experts"

you may want to try a composite blade like used for cutting tile.
there are no teeth to shred the plastic and should make for a smooth cut.

[alwynsw]

4. There are blades designed to do that.

You can also - I AM NOT KIDDING - take a 40 tooth rip blade, 40 teeth assuming it's a 10 inch blade, and mount it BACKWARDS (with the teeth facing you on your table saw), set your guide or jig, and saw away. No noticeable splintering and a nice, smooth cut every time. I advise using a blade that IS NOT carbide tipped. Sometimes the tips are not bound as well as they should be and can come off when sawing in this manner.

How do I know? Granddad the carpenter taught me. I've done it a number of times.

If you bought your stuff at Home Depot or Lowe's (as well as some others) you can mark and measure and they'll make the cuts for you on their panel saw.

[arwalden]

5. Use A Table Saw (Not A Handheld Circular Saw) ...

... with a fine-toothed blade used for plastic, laminate, or paneling.

Maybe someone can confirm (or refute) this... but I seem to recall hearing or reading that putting a fine-toothed blade on REVERSED will also let you make a cleaner cut (although it would seem to go much slower). --- I've never tried it myself, but it seems like that would be a bit dangerous.

Good luck.

-- Allen

[trof]

6. Thanks all.

Especially about reversing the saw blade. Think I heard that somewhere before & forgot. Was also thinking a "toothless" tile saw. Also have some good metal snips that might work. I think I can experiment on a waste piece first.