Is there such a thing as White Cast Acrylic?

[Dee Gallo]

I am looking for some white cast acrylic in only 3/8" thick. I only need to make 16 tiny blocks, so I do not want to buy a full sheet. Each tile is only 7/8" x 10/16" x 3/8" thick. And yes, I'm supposed to engrave tiny little color filled pictures on them! Does anyone know if such a thing exists, and does anyone have a small scrap they would sell to me?

Also - is there a way to tell if the material is acrylic vs. polypropylene?

Thanks very much for any help, dee

[Scott Shepherd]

Yes, there's cast acrylic in white, as far as I can tell. Most of what I buy is Cyro brand material, and they list it as available from their distributors. Finding a small piece of 3/8" may be a challenge. I think you'll have to spend some time on the phone until someone can find a drop somewhere.

Call Tap, Delvies (sp?), Piedmont, Curbell, or any other large plastic supplier.

The product I see is Acrylite GP (Cell Cast). They have several whites, some translucent, some opaque. Not sure what you're looking for, but I think it is available.

Any reason you have to have cast?

[Joe Pelonio]

It's available, I get it at Tap plastics locally.

Other sources here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=88436

[Dee Gallo]

Here's a picture of what I'm trying to reproduce. I asked some local people and the best guess is somewhat opaque white cast acrylic. I will check with the sources listed here, thanks everyone!

Somehow, I knew Joe would know...

cheers, dee

[Mike Null]

Dee

I have some quarter inch by about 8"x10". I can send you a couple of those for just the shipping.

[Joe Pelonio]

How will you get the edges so rounded like that, a rock tumbler? Looks like those were cast.

[Dee Gallo]

Thanks for the offer, Mike but 1/4" would be too thin. I need 3/8".

Joe - they must have tumbled them to polish, but they were most likely cast in that shape. I would have to do the shaping and polishing by hand if they were cut from a bar shape.

I think I'm going to send the sources to my customer, tell her to figure out a way to rough out the tiles herself and then I'll do the carving, shaping and polishing for her. When she sees the price of this stuff, she will most likely say nevermind... but you never know with some people.

Another question: can I cut this stuff with my laser?

Thanks guys, dee

[Joe Pelonio]

Actually, that's tricky. I can barely do 3/8" on mine and I have 45 watts, it may be too thick for your 35.

Somewhere in the garage I have a rock tumbler, may have to dig it out to try acrylic some day. If it works on rocks it should be faster on acrylic. We used to make jewelry with it.

[Brian Robison]

Hi Dee,
I've cut 3/8" clear extruded acrylic with 25 watts but I think it was 1 or 2 % speed. I made myself a sail boat with a clock, thermometer and a humidity thing-a-ma-jig in it. I need to take some pictures and post them ( as I ramble way off topic..........)

[Dee Gallo]

Thanks, Brian - I'm hoping I don't have to even try to cut it. She's out in Denver, so she has more possible sources than I do in the outskirts of nowhere. She will try to find a source, thank goodness!

I was thinking about getting a rock tumbler just for yucks, can you imagine trying to flame polish those little pieces? I will probably just end up using microsanding pads and maybe a buffing wheel.

BTW - I went to my local hobby shop to look for this stuff and found 1/64" Baltic Birch Plywood. The guy gave me a piece to try out. I can't believe there's 3 layers there!

cheers,dee

[Angus Hines]

I buy the green scrubbie things in 8x10 then cut out 5" circles and put those on my buffer they work great for acrylic and they don't get so hot that you end up melting your piece. Like you would if you held it to hard against a buffing wheel.

[Larry Bratton]

Take 3 pieces of 1/8" and use Weldon #3 to bond them, then polish the do the edges and it should be just fine. 1/8" cuts fast too.