toughest plastics

[watch_art]

A tough pink pen material was requested of me through one of my kickstarter backers - and I was thinking either alumilite or rhinoplastic. Is rhinoplastic pretty tough and durable for a kitless? Could it take bumps and drops and some light abuse as well as alumilite?

Thanks!

 

[ed4copies]

This is an OPINION---I have no scientific standards!!!

Alumilite will "bounce" better than Polyresin.

Acrylic will "bounce" better than Alumilite.

 

[watch_art]

So what about the rhino stuff?? I thought part of it's gimic was super toughness...

 

[watch_art]

wait - so they're just a different brand of acrylic? nothing special? Hmm...

 

[ed4copies]

So what about the rhino stuff?? I thought part of it's gimic was super toughness...

RhinoPlastic is a type of polyresin, made to THEIR specifications---I have NOT done experiments with this to see if it is any different---durability-wise!

 

[watch_art]

ooooooh. Thanks!

 

[watch_art]

what about ebonite and lucite compared to acrylic or alumilite?

Thanks!

 

[GoodTurns]

pink sewer pipe is pretty tough!

 

[ed4copies]

what about ebonite and lucite compared to acrylic or alumilite?

Thanks!

When acrylic was invented, the major pen manufacturers stopped using ebonite and lucite and switched to acrylic. Since they have chemists, engineers and other educated folks to make these decisions, I don't pretend to be smarter than they are.

If you want to make a "retro", you use the old materials. Otherwise, if you use what the "big budget decision makers" have decided upon, it is unlikely you will err.

 

[watch_art]

that's the perfect answer.
Thanks!

 

[bruce119]

pink sewer pipe is pretty tough!

Yes it is actually it is "reclaimed water" PVC pipe. I got a bunch, it machines very easy, polishes up very nice, wont brake or chip. I would think if you get it real thin it will bend before it brakes. The color does look more on the pink side but it's known as purple. PM me if you want to try some.

here's a photo

 

[cnirenberg]

The rhino plastic takes a good thread, and has a nice finished product. On the otherhand, so does PVC in my opinion. The only problem with PVC is the swarf or cuttings off of the lathe tend to spin around the blank and get caught up in a nasty rats nest. It is a true pain, but the result is nice. It does bounce, unlike my favorite Newlondon Dragons breath which did not make the "3 kids playing in the garage with a ball" test.

 

[glycerine]

what about ebonite and lucite compared to acrylic or alumilite?

Thanks!

When acrylic was invented, the major pen manufacturers stopped using ebonite and lucite and switched to acrylic. Since they have chemists, engineers and other educated folks to make these decisions, I don't pretend to be smarter than they are.

If you want to make a "retro", you use the old materials. Otherwise, if you use what the "big budget decision makers" have decided upon, it is unlikely you will err.

On the other hand though, it could be that they switched because of the cost, not necessarily the "toughness"...