Rhino plastic blanks

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jedgerton

jedgerton

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Joined
Sep 28, 2006
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Austin, TX, USA.
I'm getting ready to turn my first Rhino plastic blank. Can I get some opinions on how it compares to PR? I know about scary sharp tools, high speed turning and taking light cuts on PR.

Is this stuff more brittle than PR?
Does it polish up as glossy as PR?
Any thing about it more challenging than PR?

John
 
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In general, it is very similar to me. The biggest difference with the ones that I have done so far is they tend to be more transparent. I can get away w/o painting tubes with some other PR blank makers, but I found I get the best results with Rhino by painting the inside of the drilled hole.
 
Always paint tubes. Take your time when drilling and allow for a little bit of extra space. May not be just me but when im drilling (7mm anyways) I get a bit of a blowout. just make allowance for it and you won't have a problem.

They always turn out great for me -- they're my more favorite blanks to turn seeing as I dont make my own PR yet.
 
Ditto to what has been said. They are a little more transparent so the color you use to back paint the blank will make a BIG difference in the finished color. They polish out well. They generally have good depth to them that is hard to photograph but in the sun they sparkle!
 
I've turned 4 or 5...I would bet they are PR...turns like PR, smells like PR(not a bad thing for cured blanks), polishes like PR, they were no problem to turn.
Do a good turn daily!
don

jedgerton said:
I'm getting ready to turn my first Rhino plastic blank. Can I get some opinions on how it compares to PR? I know about scary sharp tools, high speed turning and taking light cuts on PR.

Is this stuff more brittle than PR?
Does it polish up as glossy as PR?
Any thing about it more challenging than PR?

John
Click to expand...
 
I know the guys who makes rhino blanks. He even gave me some of their resin to play with. It's just like Silmar 41, they have theirs specially made so it's not S41 but it's that clearish blue and reacts just the same when I cast and turned it.

I'd definitely paint with the blanks too. Never hurts to be safe.
 
I've found them easier than most to turn although it seems to me that occasionally I will find a brittle spot.

They are just about the most inexpensive acrylics you can buy but they have a huge color selection and many of them turn out (unexpectedly?) awesome once you round 'em. Its so hard to tell what they are going to look like when they are square and roughly textured.

If you are ordering form exoticblanks, Princess Plastics blanks are nice too. So many nice blanks out there, so little cash to buy 'em all. I still haven't tried a Brooks blank ;) . The nicest ones that I want are always sold out at exoticblanks when I am placing an order.
 
Thanks for all the good advice! Everybody's comment on painting the blanks seems to be spot on. What do you guys find useful for painting the inside of the blank? I was thinking of using qtips I'm concerned about cotton fibers being left behind.
 
I've been using Qtips myself. The only time they seem to leave fuzz behind is when they get caught on jagged plastic on the ends of the blank.
 
Brooks, Correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't the earlier blanks have a different PR forumla that made them a little more brittle. Seems like the blanks I have gotten recently turn alot better with less chipping and blowouts. Could be that I'm just getting better...but I doubt it.
 
reddwil said:
Brooks, Correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't the earlier blanks have a different PR forumla that made them a little more brittle. Seems like the blanks I have gotten recently turn alot better with less chipping and blowouts. Could be that I'm just getting better...but I doubt it.
Click to expand...

When they first started they used Silmar 41. I think the early stage brittleness came from too much catalyst and they were poured in large sheets. That creates ALOT of heat and too much heat can cause that brittleness.
 
jedgerton said:
Thanks for all the good advice! Everybody's comment on painting the blanks seems to be spot on. What do you guys find useful for painting the inside of the blank? I was thinking of using qtips I'm concerned about cotton fibers being left behind.
Click to expand...

Just hold it in front of the spray can. Cleanup is easier if you use a glove.
 
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