Suggestions For Cutting Palram Ez Glaze Polycarbonate Panels?

[dlu]

I'm planning to use Palram Ez Glaze panels for roofing over a deck & I'd love to have some guidance on the best way to cut the panels. They are 3mm polycarbonate panels, designed for installation on rafters spaced on 24" centers. The panels are mostly flat with channels on both edges. Kind of like standing seam roofing...

I'm planning on cutting the panels with my TS-55, but wondering what blade (the finest blades I have are the standard 42 tooth blade & the 48 tooth 495377) and speed to use. I'm also wondering about how best to support the material. I'm thinking of cutting them "right side up" with the flat span of the panel supported from below & held down to reduce vibration with a piece of plywood near the cut.

Am I crazy? Any other advice?

 

[rvieceli]

@rst any suggestions?

 

[woodferret]

The nonferrous blades (most for aluminum) will also cut plastics. Oshlun makes a cheap one. Has a negative 5 degree hook angle.

 

[Steve1]

Polycarbonate cuts easily. Use the blade you have.

The only thing is that the edge can melt as you are cutting it. Don't go exceedingly slow through the cut.

 

[dlu]

The big lesson learned: support the panels as you cut them. The shape makes this tricky. My first test cut went badly because I didn't support the edge corrugations well enough. What I ended up doing was to cut the panels upside so that I had good edge to reference my guide rail square against. To support the panel I placed a 2x4 off cut under the center section & some plywood scrap under the flanges. After my first test cut, I stacked up all of the panels and cut them in one go. So I only had three cuts to make. If I had more, it would have been worth making a fixture to support the panels.

 

[rst]

Corrugated are tough cutting, as you discovered, as you cannot support the cut easily. Poly is also prone to fill the gusset when cutting thick pieces, when the gullet fills it can cause I quite disconcerting bang and can take teeth off the saw. This is really prevalent cutting with a chop saw. I make a series of shallow cuts and make sure the fence side is cut all through the material before cutting through the rest. And always use a solid auxiliary fence below and in the back. I actually use 1/4" tempered hardboard below and against the fence on all my chopsaws.