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Routing acrylic

Routing acrylic (post #170704)

BillA on Sat, 10/27/2012 - 13:00

Jigs, Fixtures, Tips & Tricks

I need to round over the edge of a piece of acryclic to remove the sharp edge. Am looking for advice on feed/speed/technique for this.

Also, can anybody suggest an adhesive for gluing acrylic to wood?

Sorry you aren't getting much help (post #170704, reply #1 of 7)

by roc in reply to BillA [original] on Tue, 10/30/2012 - 11:35

Glue : contact cement; you know . . . the stuff where you put one coat on each surface, let ti dry a while and then put them together. The glue stays rubbery and allows the two dissimilar materials to expand and contract (the wood) or not. The plastic will move a little too but it is temperature dependent not humidity dependent.

Routing : I have never routed plastic but you want the slowest speed (and them some) and it would be worth honing a new bit extra sharp. You may even want to look into getting a milling bit from a machine shop supply designed for milling plastic. They are extra sharp. Any dullness and the bit is going to heat the plastic and then you got a real problem.

I would definitely do a test pass or two on some long scraps.

I think from there to get a glossy surface you can heat the edge briefly with a flame but again I have never tried it.

If you want facts for grind angles (proper bits for cutting plastic ) and how fast to turn the bits for best results look here:

http://www.amazon.com/Machinerys-Handboo...

roc

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

Acrylic (post #170704, reply #2 of 7)

by Westchester in reply to BillA [original] on Wed, 10/31/2012 - 03:30

To round over there are files designed for plastic - or a router with a round over bit. For adhesive as roc says contact cement - for a stronger bond that's a glue - use epoxy

Test that bond (post #170704, reply #3 of 7)

by roc in reply to BillA [original] on Wed, 10/31/2012 - 19:10

Epoxy

hmmm

I could easily be in error here, not having tried it , but as I understand it epoxy does not stick well to plastic. The best plastic to plastic glue is one that chemicaly melts them together.

So I'd say give that one a test or two before going for the finishline. I know people epoxy repairs onto fiber glass etc but they are roughening the heck out of the surface and there are the glass fibers there to get a hold of by the epoxy.

roc

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

Epoxy (post #170704, reply #4 of 7)

by Westchester in reply to BillA [original] on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 02:58

For plastic to plastic I use the stuff the plexi glass manufacturers sell over the counter - it's called "plastruct"; for welding / bonding acrylic, lucite, plexi, etc. I know those guys have better stuff they use as pros but I can't find out the brand - they ain't talking. Maybe someone here knows and could tell us. Anyway for the acrylic to wood question....... is why I said epoxy. And yes I would rough up the surface some - just with some 400 paper - but not so much to distort or badly cloud the plastic.

Plastruct is a brand (post #170704, reply #5 of 7)

by VAM in reply to Westchester [original] on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 16:22

of plastic products in various structural shapes. They sell a variety of glues: plastic weld, bondene, weldene, etc. Check their web site plastruct dot com

Aaaaalllll righty then. (post #170704, reply #6 of 7)

by roc in reply to BillA [original] on Thu, 11/01/2012 - 20:38

BillA,

Old bean . . .

you might want to go to the source on this one

http://www.systemthree.com/reslibrary/li...

you will see a totally white window; just use the slider and page down; you will start to see text.

page down to page 30

This is from a most excellent book on epoxy and the uses of the nasty poisonous stuff.

The people who provide the book are these guys

http://www.systemthree.com/

An excellent company.

I posted a screen shot. I couldn't cut and paste; the book is a PDF and it wouldn't let me.

Like I said not my experience just what I came across during one of my regular mad forays into woodworking from my easy chair.

: )

roc

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

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It's what I do. Not a (post #170704, reply #7 of 7)

by Routerman in reply to BillA [original] on Sat, 11/17/2012 - 20:54

It's what I do.
Not a problem to round over, but bevels are more typical.
Either is done on the router table with an anticlimb cut.
Stay = to or <3/16" square waste/pass.
Wet sand if a dressy edge is required.
Finish @ or ~ 4oo grit. SIC or Aluminum Oxide, both ok.
I do not use adhesives for AC to wood or any other substrate.
Methylene Chloride is standard (AC to AC) but toxic.
I use hardware.