How to Cut PVC Sheet?

I imagine this is too thick for X-acto knife and straightedge, but maybe? I wonder if an electric or pneumatic sheet-metal nibbler might work. Just some ideas.

(I'm assuming you're into a (semi)manual process rather than laser cutting or the like.)

Piercing saw followed by fine files?

Combine the basic notions of this answer and Redfred's (#6) and what do you get?

An electric fretwork machine...! If equipped with a speedcontrol it works great with almost any thin sheet material. Available in DIY-shops between ± €200 and €800.

* good price. i'll buy on for the wife.

Make a template. It could be in the shape of a French curve or a specific shape.

You could pin two templates together and put the PVC between them for trimming.

Then trim with a blade. You don't say if the sheet is rigid or flex?

Or, steel rule die.

Not enough detail.

Scroll saw.

No no no no! All of these techniques are much too cost effective. What's really necessary is a CNC waterjet cutting machine. This will easily cut PVC to higher accuracies than +/- 0.5mm with no added material waste.

Brilliant, the machine will pay for itself in 150 years.*

have you considered using a spiral saw or a router. both are generally used in the carpentry business. if using a tempate is an option, i think this would be your best option. freehanding is a possibility depending a tolerances and skill

This is a good idea. You could also use this approach with a band saw.

oilcan13

If only for a few peices a scroll saw or jig saw should work fine

Hot knife, with or without copier.

Have you talked to people who cut signs with vinyl letters? I'd think that one of the bigger cutters could get through 1mm pcv.

CNC router is the obvious option. Lots of cabinet shops have these with 4' by 8' tables.

Several very good answers for low volume - if in fact the volume starts moving higher, might want to consider a "knife die" - wood tooling is laser cut with slots to accept sharp knife edge material. These tools are mounted in large flat presses - people in the vacuum forming industry nearby will have them as well as some contract production machine shops - flat sheet can be inserted and each stroke of the press will easily cut up to several sheets at a time -

just our two cents

Skippy and Buzz

http://skippyandbuzz.blogspot.com/