How It's Done: Cutting your plastics

[Krandall]

Gonna try something new, a "How It's Done" theme could be useful. 

Things you will need:
1. Cleaning materials to wash your atv.
2. Highlighter (or Sharpie)
3. Electrical tape (Preferably not Duct Tape)
4. Jigsaw (Air Grinder)
5. Sand paper (rough grit (120), and fine grit(900)
6. Lighter or propane torch.


1. Make sure your quad is clean. A pressure nozzle or power washer works good. Spray it down, and get all the big chunks of mud off. Next, spray simple green everywhere on the quad. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then spray the whole quad again with the power washer. Dry everything off with rags thouroghly. Spray armoral plastic shiner and finisher on the plastics. Then wipe down good with dry rags.

2. After it's clean, take a highlighter (I used a Sharpie) and make lines on your plastics to get a general idea of where you want to make your cuts. Put Electrical tape(duct tape can leave funny residue on the plastics) on the lines. Check that both sides are even and line up. Make sure you are happy with the design before you cut (cant go back after you cut) After you put the electrical tape on you are ready for the next step.

3. Now, a good, clean way to cut the plastics is a Jig Saw. I used an air grinder w/ a metal cutting wheel on it. Took a while, but got a nice cut. Jig saw would be better of the 2. The best way to cut the plastics is while they are still on the machine. Cut up against the line of the electrical tape. You can fine tune later, but just get the main part of the plastics off for now. Just dont make it to sloppy.

4. After you have got the main bulk off. Look at the plastics from up above. You want the lines to have a nice clean look to them and not all wavy. Try to smooth out any noticable waves with the saw. Repeat on the other side.

5. After you have everything fine tuned, take some course sand paper (120 grit is nice) and sand the edges. This gets all the rough shavings off. Then do the same with a finer grit sand paper (I used 900), untill the sides are smooth. You might see some white on the parts you sanded. That completely fine, it will go away in the next step!

6. Now, take a lighter or a propane torch, and heat up the part were you did all of the cuts. This takes out all the crappy looking unfinished look and gives it a nice polished, smooth, and refined factory finish!!

[Danny T]

nice write up, now only to grow some balls & do it on my perfectly fine white plastics haha

[fastraptor]

   hey job well done,now hoe do I cook a turkey??

[Peelz]

nice job Krandall. Next on your list: go for the handguards.   j/k

[Danny T]

do we have a thread on here of peoples cut plastics? I want to do mine but need ideas on where to cut.

[Krandall]

I have a few pics from my fronts that I cut...









I'm looking for a nother set of fronts to do over. If I do find some. I'm going to shave them just on the outside of the headlights so I can run w/ them on 

[fire raptor]

  hey job well done,now hoe do I cook a turkey??

Pre heat your oven to 350. Shove some stuffing up the turkeys butt. Baste it with left over orgy butter. Put the bird in a tray and bake for 20 minutes per pound or it is 165 deg in the leg joint! Ask and you shall receive.

[Out Back Welding]

nice write up, now only to grow some balls & do it on my perfectly fine white plastics haha

yeah im feeling bout the same. love the look of cut plastics, just dont know if ill like not having the protection of them.

[Out Back Welding]

great write up btw

id say make this a sticky, if u added like some pics for each step(maybe just take some pics of the products for step 1). you could just use an old peice of plastic maybe.

[fire raptor]

Make it a section for each Raptor IE: 700,660,350 etc. One of the other Forums has this and it is very informative. Uh so I have been told!!

[Krandall]

IF I can find another set of fronts, I'll add pics /step by step.

Someone find me some cheap fronts! 

[Out Back Welding]

do u still have the pieces u cut off your plastics, if so just do a small demo on that.

[Krandall]

negative. I threw em' out.

[FoundArealQuad]

Great thread