Celluloid vs. Acrylester

[mewell]

Greetings - I'm about to purchase some of the sale priced celluloid from CS and am wondering how it compares (in turning) to the Woodturningz "Acrylester"... I've turned a fair amout of that but none of the celluloid. Any problems with blowups, how hard (like Corian?), etc.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[wayneis]

I turn quite a bit of both and in my opinion the Celuloid is easier to turn than the Acrylester is. In fact quite a bit easier, the acrylester can be soft at times but not so with the celuloids. Celuloids are a harder blank but not near as hard as Tru-Stone and it comes off in ribbons. Try it, you'll like it.

Wayne

Wayne

 

[Scott]

Hi Mark,

I find Acrylester to be brittle, prone to chipping. The celluloid is just a touch softer and has a nice consistency that turns well and doesn't chip as much. I wouldn't rate it as soft as corian. It is certainly a nice material to work with! Go for it!

Scott.

 

[Scott]

I just posted my answer, and then read Wayne's answer that got in before mine. He rates it as hard, and I rate it as soft! Go figure! [8D] But note that we both say it's nice to turn! []

Scott.

 

[ed4copies]

If you can turn acrylester, you'll have no problem with "celluloid".

 

[Mikey]

The Celluloid that I have turned so far is comparable to the acrylics that I buy from Berea Hardwoods. They both seem to turn the same and as long as your tools are sharp, are pretty forgiving. The stuff is softer IMO than polyester resin and turns a lot easier.

The only thing you need to remember with turning the celluloid is to use a slicing cut and take smooth slow cuts.

 

[mewell]

Thanks to all that have replied ... I pushed the "GO" button and have orderd just over 30 blanks to try out.

Mark

 

[Rudy Vey]

I highly doubt that these blanks are Celluloid!! They are also some kind of acrylic or polyester resin. It is very flammable and was used as a base for film (in the old days).
Here is a quote from penlovers.com:
"One of the first synthetic plastics. The first plastic pens were made from a celluloid variation called Radite by Sheaffer in 1924, and Permanite by Parker in 1926. Celluloid is very flammable and these early pens should be protected from any flame potential."

 

[Scott]

Rudy is right, real celluloid has the same chemical composition as "gun cotton" which is an explosive! As a matter of fact, that is how you can tell if something is made from real celluloid - you scrape off a little flake and light it. If it burns like a Texas wildfire, then it's celluloid!

If I'm not mistaken, what is being sold as celluloid now is something along the lines of a celluloid acetate, so it is related to celluloid, by working properties if not by chemical composition. But it's also related to other acetates, such as the acrylic acetate (AA) we get from Berea and Arizona Silhouette.

Now, if you be-moan the fact we can't get real celluloid anymore (it WOULD be fun to light some of that stuff up!), I'll also tell you that history is showing us that it breaks down after as little as twenty years. So prospects of lasting for a long time are really better with the "celluloid" we are using today. And, one of the reasons we can't get real celluloid anymore is that it was all made in Europe, primarily Italy, and would have to be imported to the US; and it is difficult to import that much explosive into the country at one time anymore!!!

Enjoy your celluloid!

Scott.