How to cut the stock windshield

[patrickjs5]

Howdy everyone.  I have a larger touring windscreen I use for most of my riding, and want to cut my stock windscreen into a small flyscreen for hot weather (damn heat waves!).
 
There are some posts on the forum regarding custom windscreen creation from separate pieces of plexiglass, but I can't find a post on cutting the stock screen.  My plan is to make a paper/cardboard template, trace onto the screen, then cut and sand as needed.  
 
What tool or method would be best for cutting through the material of the stock screen?  What should I do to reduce the occurrence of sharp burrs on the cut edge?  Will I be able to sand and polish the cut edge to a satisfactory degree?
 
I do have some experience cutting and polishing small acrylic pieces (PMMA), using a small table-saw followed by progressively finer sandpaper, and hope to produce a nice looking little fly screen with a similar workflow.  Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. 

[wordsmith]

Howdy everyone.  I have a larger touring windscreen I use for most of my riding, and want to cut my stock windscreen into a small flyscreen for hot weather (damn heat waves!). 
There are some posts on the forum regarding custom windscreen creation from separate pieces of plexiglass, but I can't find a post on cutting the stock screen.  My plan is to make a paper/cardboard template, trace onto the screen, then cut and sand as needed.  
 
What tool or method would be best for cutting through the material of the stock screen?  What should I do to reduce the occurrence of sharp burrs on the cut edge?  Will I be able to sand and polish the cut edge to a satisfactory degree?
 
I do have some experience cutting and polishing small acrylic pieces (PMMA), using a small table-saw followed by progressively finer sandpaper, and hope to produce a nice looking little fly screen with a similar workflow.  Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. 

Stick masking-tape onto the screen over the lines you want to cut (in other words, cut through the tape).   This minimises risk of edges 'splintering'. Ensure you hold the screen very firmly down while cutting so that there's no risk of it lifting under the pressure from the saw-blade (applies to band- and jig- saw use).   Use a fine-toothed blade, ideally new.   Best way to achieve a super-smooth finish to the cut edges is to use progressively finer grade wet-and-dry abrasive papers with slightly soapy water (acts as a lubricant), under a cork or rubber sanding block.   Finish edges with auto cut-and-polish compound.  Overall, the best material to use is lots of patience!

[sirepair]

Always best to try things out on some scrap acrylic. If you don't have any, buy a small sheet at a home improvement store for a few bucks.
 
Carbide tipped blade on a table saw will work as long as you cut straight lines and taping first is always a good idea. Set the blade to where the tips of the teeth are just slightly (1/8-1/4") above the surface of the plastic. You can use a progressively finer sand paper (80-200) to smooth the edge, then the flame of a plumbers torch to flame-polish the edge.

[koth442]

The stock shield is almost certainly polycarbonate, not acrylic. However, a band saw -> belt sander -> hand sanding will finish up the edge pretty decently regardless of polycarbonate or acrylic.