March 24, 20205 yr Popular Post Right up front....I don't like turning acrylics, they are unpredictable. ( at least the ones I have purchased at Rocklers) One spot is very smooth and the next is very brittle, with bubbles. Your are cutting smoothly and you hit a brittle spot and bam! Next, it makes a huge mess of your lathe and surrounding area. I used my vac and wonder how much of it is messed up too. Now that I have vented my anger.......the rest of the story. I wanted to try my reverse rake cutter and figured that the acrylic piece, with its unpredictability would be a good test. It worked much better without chipping and blowouts, than my other carbide tools. I like it a lot. My next wood piece will be another test. Anyway, you can. see from the picture that the egg shape is not correct. The reason is that I didn't get to finish it. I turned most of it to a fine finish and was going to trade end for end and when I loosened the chuck, it just came apart. Another reason to add to the list of dislikes. I sanded and polished it by hand and called it done. Edited March 24, 20205 yr by Ron Altier
March 24, 20205 yr Try some Corian, turns much better and with very little chipping. Never had hit a void that I can recall. So much easier to work with than acrylic. Once I had gotten a good hand with the Corian I ventured back into the acrylics. Corian can be glued just like wood except you use CA. Laminate it any direction, angles mix with wood but use CA. Much less frustrating.
March 24, 20205 yr Author 13 minutes ago, lew said: Beautiful! Where are you purchasing your acrylic blanks? I got them at Rocklers. I assume the same companies supplies most of the wood stores. The last time I visited Wood craft, their selection was limited. I also have to say that I got these pieces a couple of years ago and this was my last larger piece. Suppliers may have changed since.
March 24, 20205 yr There lots of places making turning blancs. Not sure how these prices compare to what you have previously purchased. https://beartoothwoods.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_60&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInqG64O2z6AIVET0MCh3bjwCKEAAYASAAEgKroPD_BwE I have been playing with Alumilite casting resin. It is really easy to turn- https://www.exoticblanks.com/Alumilite-Resin-Pen-Blanks/
March 25, 20205 yr Author Thanks Lew, I think I'll stay away from acrylics for a while. I think I'll practice social acrylics distancing by making some bird houses. The sun and hail have beat the old one badly. I was cleaning out the old bird nests today and discovered an old bees nest with one active bee on it. It was hooked on where I didn't put the teflon sheet. I'm out of teflon this year I may try those baking sheets my wife uses. They are super slick and I don't think the nests will stick. Will let you know.
March 26, 20205 yr Really nice work, Ron. Now that we who are over 65 have to stay home except in emergencies, can't go get some supplies from Lowe's or HD or even HF.
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