Acrylic flame polishing "help"
(2000)
Q. We are building display cases for a new client out of acrylic glass to display a new product. I have never worked with acrylic before and need some tips on flame polishing the edges. What combination of gases are used and how is this done.
Thanks,
Mike
Mike Greeneprocess design - Youngsville, North Carolina
A. Mike,
May I suggest you take a gander at the Yellow Pages and try, under Plastics, to find a local Company that specializes in Acrylics, sic. Plexiglass, Perspex. They would be more helpful than I.
The first step is to sand down those edges as well as possible and finish with a v. fine grit of sandpaper. This makes the flame polishing easier but is the same, too, for buffing.
I wouldn't use an ordinary open flame as the heat, would tend to be excessive,I think, but would have used a welding gun (plastic welding gun!) at full heat and run that along the edges. I guess you could use a Bunsen burner or any type of open flame with a sharp pointed edge so that you don't heat up the sides. Maybe a propane torch?
Can't help you anymore. Try it out, carefully !
Cheers
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
(It is our sad duty to
advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).
(2001)
A. Flame polishing is not really the best. You can easily start the acrylic edge burning and screw it up. It can also round the edge a bit. You would be better sanding with finer and finer grits of sandpaper. Then buff with a polishing compound. You will get a more predictable surface that looks like polished glass. Perhaps start with 120 grit, then go to 320 or 400 before buffing.
Archie Mdmurchy- White Rock, B.C., Canada
(2004)
A. Try an acrylic polish, we have used with a great deal of success. It is applied like wax. You can get it from almost any acrylic supplier.
Fernando Sanches- Albuquerque, New Mexico
(2007)
A. Use oxy / hydrogen thru same handset as oxy acetylene to polish acrylic edges. Number 4 or 6 tip for acrylic 4.5 mm thick
peter knowles- Melbourne Australia
January 17, 2009
A. Sand through 120 to "0000" grit then flame polish with MAPP gas. Practice on scrap please. Slow pass at first, you will be able to see the finish change as you pass across edge.
Paul Leyva- snellville, Georgia
October 24, 2011
A. For polishing acrylic sheets, Flame Polisher is good. Water and electricity produce blue flame with about 2800 °C. Flame Polisher is also named Oxyhydrogen Flame Polisher, Micro Flame Polisher and Acrylic Polishing Machine.
Hailey Wangmachinery factory - Zhengzhou, Henan, China
September 8, 2012
Q. Need help improving flame finishing on acrylic rods. I'm making "duck calls" using white, smoke and black acrylic rods.
Need some tips and suggestions please.
- paradise, California,usa