I'm looking to cut some plastic shelves in half so they can fit in my trash bin. Is it possible to use a circular saw that has a blade designed for cutting wood? Any tips or precautions I should be aware of?
3 Answers
It's best to use blades specifically designed for plastic to minimize melting, but if you're using a regular wood blade, be careful. Plastics can fuse back together while cutting, so a lower speed and maybe even a water spray to cool it down during the cut can help. Definitely try on a scrap piece first to see how it goes!
If the cut quality doesn’t matter to you (since they’re just going in the trash), you can make it work! Just remember that fewer teeth on the blade can help prevent melting. And don’t forget your eye protection!
Yeah, you can generally use a circular saw for cutting plastic, but just a heads up: some plastics might cause issues, especially tougher ones like glass fiber reinforced types, which can dull your blade faster. If you're okay with rougher edges since it's just garbage, it should work. Just be cautious!