Re: Working with Plexiglas

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Steve Cook by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <steve-at-g8cyerichmond.freeserve.co.uk>

another way of getting a good finish is to start off with the finest wet n
dry ppaer you can (stuck to a piece of flat wood if possible) then a final
polish using Jeweller's rouge (cerium oxide)
----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2001 6:39 PM
Subject: Re: Working with Plexiglas


> Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>
>
> Tricks for Acrylic (or Polycarbonate) edges:
>
> 1) Use a single edge razor blade to scrape the edge.  Hold the piece with
> the edge horizontal and up (that is, with  the long skinny surface facing
> up).  A couple blocks of wood in a vise works real well, and doesn't
> scratch the plastic.  Hold the razor blade perpendicular to the edge (i.e.
> the long axis of the blade crossways to the long axis of the plastic) and
> scrape it until the edge is fairly smooth. You don't want to tilt the
blade
> so that it cuts, you want that scraping action. It will look a bit milky.
>
> 2) Fire up the torch and fire polish the edge.  Just a light touch with
the
> torch melts the surface roughness to a mirror finish.  A bit of practice
on
> a scrap will tell you how much heating is necessary.  If the plastic
> catches fire, it's too much heat. You don't want the edge to get rounded
> off if you are going to be gluing it.  (In fact, you don't really need to
> firepolish if you are gluing, because the glue will fill in the roughness
> just fine).
>
> The initial scraping step is the key.  If you just sand and then hit it
> with the torch, it doesn't work very well.
>
> > little sanding that's it. I saw before a guy use a propane torch
> > to finish the edge like a mirror, I try it but don't have a good
> > result It's probably take a lot of practice.
>
> > Luc Benard
> > > When I finally do get the stuff cut, I have a rough
> > > edge that defies my best efforts to smooth & polish
> > > it.  What's the secret to cutting Plexiglas sheet?
> > > How do I get a professional-looking finish on the
>
>
>
>