I turned my first two plastic blanks today. One was an acrylic acetate blank from Ed and the other was an unknown blank from Woodcraft on clearance with a tag that read nothing but "lavender pearl". I'd like to know what the Woodcraft blank was actually made of because it's VERY easy to turn! Compared to the acrylic acetate blank, the mystery blank:
1) Machined better with a block plane (I knocked the corners off with a block plane before I started).
2) Didn't smell when turning (the AA blank smelled strongly of superglue while turning).
3) Was less chippy.
4) Gave dramatically more feedback about how the tool was cutting.
5) Had a more flexible-rubbery-plastically feeling under the tool
6) Had drier feeling ribbons coming off it that were stronger (harder to clear off mandrel) and almost squeaked like styrene.
7) Sanded with dust that feel to the ground easier
8) Produced a less shiny finish. If you look at the reflection, you can see that it's a finely buffed surface but somehow it just doesn't look as shiny or reflective as the AA blank once done.
Any ideas what I was working with?
1) Machined better with a block plane (I knocked the corners off with a block plane before I started).
2) Didn't smell when turning (the AA blank smelled strongly of superglue while turning).
3) Was less chippy.
4) Gave dramatically more feedback about how the tool was cutting.
5) Had a more flexible-rubbery-plastically feeling under the tool
6) Had drier feeling ribbons coming off it that were stronger (harder to clear off mandrel) and almost squeaked like styrene.
7) Sanded with dust that feel to the ground easier
8) Produced a less shiny finish. If you look at the reflection, you can see that it's a finely buffed surface but somehow it just doesn't look as shiny or reflective as the AA blank once done.
Any ideas what I was working with?
