Turning acrylic and ambient temperature

[bzahn]

I am ready to try my first acrylic pen blanks (thin red line blanks for my 2 fireman sons). My question at this time is: What temperatures are best for turning acrylics (AA)? My workplace is in my shop which is an old milk barn on my farm and is not heated, so I need to know what the minimum temperature is recommended for this time of year and what the maximum would be for summer time.

Thanks!

Brian

 

[crokett]

I have an unheated shop. I have turned acrylics in temperatures as low as 30 (thats as cold as I care to work in) and as high as 90s. Air temperature has never been a problem when turning acrylics. Actually I prefer to turn acrylics when it is cold since they are polished and there's no finish applied. With wood, if it's too cold finishes can be affected. Temperature does make a difference when casting. In the cold weather I have to pre-warm the resin before adding the color or the catalyst. In the summer I don't.

 

[PatrickR]

Same results here. I have turned it well below freezing with no issue. I think it would have to be VERY hot to have much effect.

 

[EricRN]

I've turned them in an unheated garage in the cold. I'd suggest storing them in a heated location though. Some acrylics become brittle when stored in the cold.

 

[jrista]

Acrylic will heat up pretty fast while the tool is in contact with it, so once you are into turning, I think you will be ok. Its the corners that might be a problem in the cold, as resins do get more brittle at lower temps. I would either trim off the corners before you turn, or just use light cuts until the corners are rounded off, then I don't think you will really need to worry about the temp. Friction will definitely take care of that for you. I love it when streamers come off my acrylic blanks all soft and pliable, then solidify right about shoulder area while they are still in the air. You can feel your tool as well...usually, my carbide tips are quite hot to the touch right after I remove them from the blank. This still seems to be the case, despite recently turning some resin blanks at around 35F the other day. I don't trim off my corners (yet, just got a bandsaw, and with a proper jig I may start doing that), so I just use very light passes to trim down the sharp corners first, then once they are well and rounded off to I really start going for the deeper cuts to get things down to size.

 

[PaulWitmer]

I have not had any problems turning in the winter or summer. My shop is also not heated but when the temp drops to to about 30 F, that's when I decide to work on warmer days (more for my comfort as my fingers refuse to move well) as others have mentioned.

Paul

 

[bzahn]

Thanks to all who responded to my question. I feel confident to go ahead and give it my first shot.

 

[bzahn]

Well, the first one turned out great today. I am really pleased with it. On to the next one tomorrow!

Again, thanks for your answers to my question.