Acrylics: new to you? Problems?

[ed4copies]

I have had three conversations today (phone and email) centering around turning acrylics.

Realizing that there are MANY new IAP members, it seems like it may be a good time to remind everyone that there are good YouTube videos that show some ways to make acrylic "work out" for you.

I have made several videos, which you can see most easily here
There is also a YouTube personality named "Captaineddie"--he has made several good videos on penturning. You can also search for Barry Gross, who has made YouTubes for Penn State from time to time.

AFTER watching the YouTubes, we hope your tool "management" will improve enough to help you turn acrylic.


ANOTHER CAVEAT!!!!! As winter sets in, STORE your acrylic, polyresin, alumilite, Lucite and all other manners of "plastic" IN THE HOUSE!!!!

COLD plastic SHATTERS!! It does not turn well!!!

Hope this helps, if anyone has questions, feel free to post here or PM me. I am happy to give you my phone number and we can try to determine why plastic is "fighting with" you.

Making pens is supposed to be FUN!!! Always happy to help make it successful, which will make it more FUN!!

Ed

 

[ed4copies]

This one is also good, because it shows how you can use three different tools, on a polyresin blank.

Pen turning-acrylic-pheasant feathers-gouge, scraper, skew - YouTube

 

[wiset1]

Always great information Ed! A lot of people forget that when they are working with acrylics. The cold REALLY does make a difference when turning or casting. Trial and error makes it fun I guess, ha ha ha

 

[joefrog]

You guys have something besides COLD up there?

 

[KenV]

You guys have something besides COLD up there?

Short answer --- just a period of poor ski slopes.

But some of us are further north and consider Ed to be "down south".

 

[rsulli16]

hi
hmmmmmmmmmm never thought about warming up the blanks. tell me do you think it would wok for tru-stone? i did a couple they were hard but ok, the other day i did a blue one with a gold vein hru it. it was the hardest thing i ever put on my lathe. it took for ever! it was cold that day.
also a big fan of your videos on youtue, wached several times, thanks!!!
Sulli

 

[ed4copies]

hi
hmmmmmmmmmm never thought about warming up the blanks. tell me do you think it would wok for tru-stone? i did a couple they were hard but ok, the other day i did a blue one with a gold vein hru it. it was the hardest thing i ever put on my lathe. it took for ever! it was cold that day.
also a big fan of your videos on youtue, wached several times, thanks!!!
Sulli

Tru stone is advertised as crushed stone, put in a resin. Honestly, I have never allowed it to get cold, I store everything indoors. But, it would make sense that any resin will become more brittle when cold. I am NOT suggesting making the blanks warmer than "normal ambient room temp" (65-80 F).