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[wallace]

whats the best way to cut clear plastic for windows and portholes.    wallace

[Colin Bishop]

Depends on how big you need them. A revolving leather punch works well for small sizes and on thin plastic or you can go for a hollow punch tool set like this: http://openoffice.3-suite.com/index.asp?aff=105&camp=gg_op_uk&se=google

Colin

[boatmadman]

I have had success using a short piece of brass tube-the inner dia to suit the disc dia you need. Sharpen the tube on the outside to the inside, and punch out the material on the end grain of a pce of wood.

Ian

[wallace]

Thanks Ian  what a good tip will have to get some brass tubing  its for my port holes what about the windows I always cut then sand down   wallace

[craftysod]

Hobby shops do a circle cutter,it looks like a compass,but where the pencil lead goes there is a blade.
Not sure how small they cut tho
Mark

[Colin Bishop]

Yes, I bought one but it's only good for fairly large circles. For porthole glass a punch is usually the best bet. I have a heavy duty single hole one intended for punching holes in documents to go in ring binders and it gives great results.

Colin

[Arrow5]

I`ve never tried it but how about perspex or similar clear rod sliced into discs and the surfaces polished to get rid of saw-cuts ?

[wallace]

Many thanks for your reply and your tips
   wallace

[craftysod]

Wallace,if you have a pound shop near you,they do a set off round hole punches for a couple of quid.

[wallace]

thanks alot and yes in Birkenhead will go down next week and have alook.

                wallace

[dave301bounty]

Wallace,  have you sorted your rivet thing yet ,i am coming over on sunday ,about 3 ,can i help ,because i will have a passenger who knows a lot more than me ,.talk about port holes how about a tube the sixe you want ,warm it and score ,,lets know ,and i will pop in sunday ..dave .

[More Coffee]

I use a Gasket Hole punch set... has variuos sizes fron 1/8 up to 7/8 ... I lay the material out on 5/8 MDF when punching ..They also work decent to punch holes through 1/16 up to 1/8 plywood..

[Microyacht]

How about bigger windows? I need four @ 2" diameter and four @ 1" in diameter! They are for a large catamaran!

Steve
http://www.microcat.co.uk

[Bryan Young]

Scissors.BY

[Microyacht]

My hands are not that steady!

Might stick a bit of plastic on a faceplate and try and cut them on my Lathe!

Steve
http://www.microcat.co.uk

[dodgy geezer]

Scissors is fine.

For large windows I:

- draw the shape on paper
- sellotape that to the plastic
- cut round it as accurately as I am able
- finish off cutting by fileing the edges down to an exact fit with the paper drawing. If a file is too slow, use a small sanding drum on a minicraft. This can make precise and complicated shapes quite quickly. Make sure the selotape supports the paper when it is cut to the line, though...

for small portholes, particularly on plastic hulls, I discard the plastic glazing, mix some clear epoxy and drop that in the hole. Surface tension holds it flat for diameters up to about 1/4", and it's much clearer and smoother than typical plastic sheet. As well as being waterproof...

[BarryM]

Try these http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=post;topic=15332.0;num_replies=15


Barry M

[wallace]

Thanks for all the replys most welcome in the end I cheeted and got them with the port holes any way tips always help.
                     wallace