Acrylic turning

[Tuba707]

What speed do you turn acrylic pen blanks at? And what would be your tool of choice?

 

[jjenk02]

I turn it at the same speed I turn wood at, 2800-3200 RPM, with a very sharp skew. I sand it at a very low speed..

 

[twoofakind]

I start at around 3200 with a spindle gouge. I use a skew for the last few passes and finish with Micromesh.
Andy

 

[Tuba707]

Hey, do you sand slow with MM too?

 

[martyb]

Slow it down with Acrylic no matter what you're sanding with. MM especially or you'll end up melting the MM.

 

[stevers]

Wet sand, wet sand, wet sand. Just started and it was the smartest move I've made in awhile. Thanks to all here.

 

[jkoehler]

I turn at high speed ( just make sure that your chisels are sharp ).
I just started using abranet for the initial sanding, and it works great.
I sand at the same speed that I turn at.
it takes a light touch so as not to burn what you have turned.
I finish off with wet samding with micromesh. once again, i do not change the speed of the lathe.
I just make sure that the MM stays wet and use a light touch.
if you apply too mush preasure, you will burn the project. if you are not careful, you can even burn at a low speed.

 

[RPM]

A tip I picked up watching one of Ed Davison's (aka YoYoSpin) videos has saved me massive time in finishing acylic. I noticed that he stopped sanding at about 400 grit and went to the buffing wheels starting with tripoli, white diamond, wax. If you do a good job turning, you can start sanding at 320, finish sanding with 400. Its reduced my finish time to minutes with no reduction in quality.

BTW Thanks Ed
Richard

 

[armyturner]

After a good start learning how to use a skew I have recently become "skew stupid". That is ok though because I can now sharpen my gouge good enough to make it curl the acrylic. I turn acrylic just as fast as my lathe will spin it and sand the same. I sand lightly with 320 dry, 420 dry, then 420 wet, MM thru 12000 wet, and finish off with HUT Ultra Gloss. Haven't had any issues melting or burning anything yet (knock on wood).

 

[Rudy Vey]

I turn it as fast as I turn wood, at the highest speed my lathe delivers. Initially I use a gouge, finishing with a skew. Sanding is done wet with paper starting at 400 and going through 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 (put an old towel over the ways)and at the same high speed. For final finish, I use Meguires finest automotive finish or Novus polish. A trick is to round over the corners of the blank on a disc sander prior to turning.

 

[Pipes]

Rudy and I agree on almost eveery thing ! I don't see the diffrence in wet sanding or the need for it other than its messy and IMHO not nesasary !But Rudy is my friend and we agree to disagree :O) I also go from 400 grit Sandpaper to 1200 MM thru 12000 MM Then use any good polish Meguires is very good ! sometimes if I didn't sand perfect I will use there SWIRL remover first after the MM then polish !If iam in a hurry I just go to my buffers and buff everthng out ! But I do a LOT a pipes stems and Iam use to buffing at HI speed to a HI gloss !

pipes[]

 

[Tuba707]

I don't have a buffing system and have never used one. What kind would you recommend? The Beall 3-wheel system?
How necessary is the plastic polish?

 

[ed4copies]

You could easily MAKE a buffing system, with 2 wheels for acrylic.

Tripoli and White diamond are all I use, after sanding to 1000 grit (probably could stop at 4-600, but it starts to "shine" at 1000, makes me feel good.)[][][]

 

[Pipes]

Once you learn how NOT to melt things and how much presure to use and practice .. I use Green Tripoli its cleaner and cuts better then I use whit diamond ..Lots a buffing systems out there the beal thing is ok I use so many diffreent wheels so much I have like a dozen set up in diffrent ways !! By the way IF you need wax to make acrylic shine your not doing it right ! IMO anyway for a couple a bucks you can buy things to mount wheels on with a morse taper and chnge them out fast .. and its a LOT cheaper than systems IMO . I use Hi speed bufers a LOT but I recomend LOW speed for most folks that don't buff ofen ! You need wheels for each type of compound you buff with and more for woods and metals .. And a wheel rake is a must to keep them dressed .. any questions feel free to e amil me at the e mail below ..

pipes