First attempt at acrylics

[Ben Richardson]

Help! I am trying my first acrylic pen. I have had all the normal problems with blow out etc.. But I have finally got the blanks on the lathe. I have tried several different tools to size the blanks with not much success. I keep the speed down cut slowly and lightly. I still have a surface that looks like the surface of the moon. If this keeps up I will have to stick to wood. Wood I can handle.
Anyone have some suggestion?

[RL Johnson]

Sounds like Inlace. There are other acrylics that much harder and do not chip as much. I would up your speed and make light cuts. The shaving should look like Easter Basket grass. Just remember that heat is the enemy of acrylics and if you use friction polish you coudl melt the surface. Best of luck on your pen.

[dennis kranz]

I have done a few now and found out there is a lot of differance in blanks and where you get them. The ones from Woodcraft so far work the best for me and for finishing cuts use the skew.
Dennis

[Dan Forman]

If they are Inlace Acrylester, you can call Woodturningz (who manufacture them), and they can give you some help if need be. Best to use a very sharp skew at and go fast, but you can try different speeds to see which works best for you. Lots of folks go about 3000 RPM with acrylics or wood.

Dan

[Jim Sears]

Acrylic takes take some pratice and patience. I've had best results with HIGH speed and very sharp tools. Keep at it. Once you get it figured out, you'll be rewarded with great looking pens/pencils. Good luck

[Chris Jenkins]

Don't mean to rob the thread, but I too am working on my first acrylic pen. No problems with the cutting. I am getting the "Easter Grass" using a skew. But how do you finish these? I thought I read somewhere you finish with wet sandpaper and then some type of plastics finish? Any suggestions for that?

Chris

[Sandra Force]

We use Novus 2 and then Brasso for finishing acrylic and taking out scratches. Just remember to keep the friction down. The other way to treat is flame finish but you will loose some before you get it down.

[Bill Stevener]

Hi Ben,
I don't do pens, but I do enjoy working with acrylics.
From start to finish, I run the jet mini on the highest speed it will run. The biggest issue is to watch your heat.
For finishing I use a wet auto sand paper and the best car polish you can find. If it's good enough for your car, it's good enough for acrylics. Takes out any scratches and leaves a great finish.






Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Jeffrey Fusaro]

i cut acrylics at about 1800rpm - the fourth pulley on the jet mini - whatever that works out to be. i use a fingernail bowl gouge to get close to the bushings, then i finish with a spindle master.

tools need to be very sharp!

inlace can be tricky. tools have a tendency to grab into the material and cut deeper than you intended. go slow.

i usually start wet sanding with 320 grit wet/dry paper. cover the lathe to prevent getting the ways wet. they will rust before you can say "uh-oh"!

i sand at 1250rpm to keep the heat build-up to a minimum.

i.m.h.o. the most important step in getting a good finish is to sand the pen barrels lengthwise, with the lathe off, after you are finished radial sanding with every grit. sand lengthwise until all of the radial scratches are gone, then move on to the next grit and repeat.

don't cut this short. if you move on to the next grit before the radial scratches are gone, you are just going be be polishing all of the ridges left behind by the coarsest grit of paper that you started with. then you will have a pen with brightly polished grooves when you are done. you can't remove scratches from 220 grit with 600 grit - unless you want to use up a full sheet of sandpaper in the process.

you need good light when you are trying to eliminate the finest of scratches, too.

i take the wet/dry paper to 400 or 600, then i switch over to micro-mesh pads and wet sand (radially and axially) thru all nine grits of micro-mesh.

then, i polish with liquid plastic polish.

then, i apply rennaissance wax for the final shine, and assemble the pen.

i don't buff. i haven't tried that, yet.

if i'm not watching the time, i can spend one hour sanding and polishing a single pen.

if that's not for you, then please disregard my ramblings.

obviously, i'm not a production pen turner.

[Harry Hagan]

Ben,

Yesterday, our public broadcasting network (KET) aired Tim Yoder's Woodturning Workshop episode #123 on pen turning. As usual, Tim covered the whole process in great detail from start to finish; pun intended. He turned one acrylic pen and one acrylic pencil and used a paper towel wetted with “plastic polish” to make it shine after sanding with a very fine grit paper.

Check it out if you get a chance.

[Ed Davidson]

Here's what works best for me: http://content.penturners.org/video/...a_high_res.wmv (15 minute video).

[Ben Gastfriend]

I'll agree, turn the speed all the way up, and sharpen up that skew (and/or your skew skills!)

[Chris Stolicky]

Jeffrey Fusaro, above, uses a similar technique as I do.

However, I have practiced quite a bit at using my 1" roughing gouge to round the blank and then my 1/2" oval skew to create a pretty smooth surface before I begin finishing. Keep them sharp. I usually use a medium speed. Instead of using micro mesh (haven't tried it), I have the six different grit plastic polishing pad set. Its similar to micro mesh, just a smaller number of grits.

I have learned that I don't necessarily have to go to 12k, although I do anyways. What I do now for acrylic (and corian) is to use Turtle Wax polishing compound afterwards with a cotton cloth. It was something like $1.77 at the auto parts store. I read this technique by TurnTex (prickly pear cactus pens), although he also recommends other things. It really shines it up. Afterwards, I use the plastic polish, and then rub some carnuba wax on it while its still on the lathe (smooth with soft cloth). The mirrored surface and depth is outstanding.

Oh, keep the tools sharp!

Good luck.

[John Grabowski]

I have made and sold quite a few of them and I feel that there are several ways to cut and finish....The Tech that I use is based on what I have tool-wise and finishing product.

I have been making my own resin blanks and some from outside sources.

I start out by running in the range of 2500 rpm's. I feel faster is better. Then I use a roughing gouge that is razor sharp to round to a cylinder...I may use it longer to get close to final diameter. I really can use any tool to shape this stuff as long as it is sharp. I tried to shape all the way to the bushing with my gouge to see if I could finish it that way but the curve was just too much : *( very sad!! But the finish was great!!

Anyway, I use a 3/4 inch oval skew to get it done...then wet sand with 320, 400 and 600. I previously used 800 but it seems like a wasted step. I use these very quickly and move into micromesh using H20 as a lube.

Finish is great, the acrylic shines great on its own. I am going to make a few now, I will post pics ASAP. Ohh...I don't sand lengthwise btwn grits.

Happy Turnings,

John G

[John Grabowski]

This was done using the above procedure. I apologize for the ugly pic...I did it using the auto focus settings.

John G