Acrylic Fabrication Q & A

[TaylorPilot]

It do it just like I said earlier, with the part inbetween the bit and the fence. Like I showed in the photos, but bud had a good point. Routing something that is allot longer will probably introduce some flex in the part and could cause the chatter you are decribing.

 

[TaylorPilot]

Also, here is the router that I use. I have the standard base mounted under the table, so I still have the other one for doing any hand routing I want to do. I don't like the difficulty of adjusting a plunge base, so I may buy a 2nd standard base. I bought it at Lowe's, and apparently it have fairly good reviews online with the wood working forums. A neat feature is that it has an allen key in the base, so you can adjust it from on top of the table. It is kind of a poor man's router lift. (2nd link to what a real lift cost) LOL

https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/boschtools-ocs/combo-pack-routers-1617evspk-27718-p/

http://www.rockler.com/router-lift-fx

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I do it on the table. With a spiral bit that pulls away from the bearing. This pushes the chips away from the bearing and actually aids in pulling the acrylic down towards the table. I think it is actually called an upcut bit. Since the standard orientation is for the router to be on a base and the bit to be facing down. In that orientation, the chips would be flying up. It is a bit confusing. The main thing is that the chips fly away from the bearing.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/2-...1-1-4-cut-length-1-2-shank-whiteside-rft5125/

I have used this model allot. They last a good amount of time, and leave a nice edge. They make it in a 2" long version as well, but I would think you would only use it if you were cutting some pretty thick acrylic. I am sure you can get nicer bits, but I think you probably get to a point of diminishing returns. What brand are you guys using?

I use Amana bits, I find them to be really top notch but $$. I have gone through 2 of the 1/4" spiral upcuts, the first had the bearings held on with a screw and one of the bearings flew apart, the second had a crimped cap on the end and that lasted a long time until the bearing shredded, the current one uses the bearing + screw again and it was loose after just a few uses, almost took it back but then just tightened it, now it's OK.

I also have a 1/2" shank 2" long Amana one, which is a beast but I rarely use it (I use when flush trimming 3/8" and up, it chews through that @#%$ like the proverbial hot knife through butter compared to the 1/4" shank.

@TaylorPilot
What's your take on routing small pieces? How do you route your overflow end panes, i guess they seem to be 6" x 1.5" or something.

It do it just like I said earlier, with the part inbetween the bit and the fence. Like I showed in the photos, but bud had a good point. Routing something that is allot longer will probably introduce some flex in the part and could cause the chatter you are decribing.

For small pieces that you need a few of here is what I do:

Make a piece that equals the width of multiple pieces side-by-side. Add a little width, maybe 3/8". Square that, finish route all 4 sides on router table. Now cut it in half with a table saw and trim down with multiple passes on your router table until you have them both the right size. Now you have a small piece with finished routed edges on all 4 sides and you didn't have to pass that short edge through the router.

Another way to do it is to have a piece of scrap with one square corner that is narrower than the long dimension of the piece you are finishing. Place the piece you are finishing on the fence with the narrow edge to be routed, then take the scrap piece and fit it on the backside (toward you) corner so that it's in contact with the working piece and the fence. use one hand on each piece and hold them tightly together as if they were one and slide that "assembly" through while holding firm to the fence and flat on the table. This in effect "braces" the working piece so that the force of the router can't "pull" or "push" that working piece out of position off the fence (which generally results in hot acrylic shaving splatter, or a broken bit, or both)

The former method is much better though.

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

Make a piece that equals the width of multiple pieces side-by-side. Add a little width, maybe 3/8". Square that, finish route all 4 sides on router table. Now cut it in half with a table saw and trim down with multiple passes on your router table until you have them both the right size. Now you have a small piece with finished routed edges on all 4 sides and you didn't have to pass that short edge through the router.

Expanding: let's say you need 4 pieces. Make a single piece for all of them, square it and cut one piece off. Now your original has 3 square edges and one rough cut. Finish route that cut edge and it's square again. Repeat as needed.

 

[cromag27]

This is what I do and it works well.

Expanding: let's say you need 4 pieces. Make a single piece for all of them, square it and cut one piece off. Now your original has 3 square edges and one rough cut. Finish route that cut edge and it's square again. Repeat as needed.

 

[cromag27]

There should be a screw you can tighten to lock it from plunging. A standard base would be preferred.

I don't wanna plunge route anything, it's just that availability of good reputed router, which has a plunge base. I want to mount it under the table and replace my burnt router. I have read, plunge routers aren't so stable as fixed based. I don't have much experience with routers. My use would be only limited for acrylics.

 

[cromag27]

I check my bearings after AND before each use. I learned the hard way and had a bearing come off while I was routing a big sump. I just started over.

I use Amana bits, I find them to be really top notch but $$. I have gone through 2 of the 1/4" spiral upcuts, the first had the bearings held on with a screw and one of the bearings flew apart, the second had a crimped cap on the end and that lasted a long time until the bearing shredded, the current one uses the bearing + screw again and it was loose after just a few uses, almost took it back but then just tightened it, now it's OK.

I also have a 1/2" shank 2" long Amana one, which is a beast but I rarely use it (I use when flush trimming 3/8" and up, it chews through that @#%$ like the proverbial hot knife through butter compared to the 1/4" shank.



For small pieces that you need a few of here is what I do:

Make a piece that equals the width of multiple pieces side-by-side. Add a little width, maybe 3/8". Square that, finish route all 4 sides on router table. Now cut it in half with a table saw and trim down with multiple passes on your router table until you have them both the right size. Now you have a small piece with finished routed edges on all 4 sides and you didn't have to pass that short edge through the router.

Another way to do it is to have a piece of scrap with one square corner that is narrower than the long dimension of the piece you are finishing. Place the piece you are finishing on the fence with the narrow edge to be routed, then take the scrap piece and fit it on the backside (toward you) corner so that it's in contact with the working piece and the fence. use one hand on each piece and hold them tightly together as if they were one and slide that "assembly" through while holding firm to the fence and flat on the table. This in effect "braces" the working piece so that the force of the router can't "pull" or "push" that working piece out of position off the fence (which generally results in hot acrylic shaving splatter, or a broken bit, or both)

The former method is much better though.

 

[TaylorPilot]

I check my bearings after AND before each use. I learned the hard way and had a bearing come off while I was routing a big sump. I just started over.

Ouch....I would have lost my mind over that....

 

[cromag27]

These magnetic parts dishes are pretty handy. harbor freight gives them away for free with a coupon.

 

[TherealplexiG]

how to? how to? how to?
How to? >>>> Find the picture..
Laminate sheets of Acrylic!

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

With solvent. Likely what they did here is use the red as the structural part and then just apply solvent to that sheet and lay the thin white sheet on top, start at one end and work to the other just like laying a laminate countertop on MDF/wood. Then cut & route as if it were one sheet. Nothing special done there, it's pretty straight forward.

 

[TherealplexiG]

I got that with the colored sheets! But then what about welding colored with transparent?
Wont be any spillage?

here is a video by serrox, but it has some fancy rollers to do that hand job!


Other one doing two part on 48 deg bevels..


There are a few more once you go to their youtube channel. EU's they have this Acrifix two part and other solvents from EVONIK. So that glue he posted in that vid was something similar to WD16 i guess.

 

[TherealplexiG]

@Floyd R Turbo
I forgot to quote ^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

I got that with the colored sheets! But then what about welding colored with transparent?
Wont be any spillage?

here is a video by serrox, but it has some fancy rollers to do that hand job!

That vid basically shows what I described. You don't need the machine, just practice. The process is the same. As for spillage, I don't understand. You are going to cut the sheets after you laminate so I don't think that is a concern

 

[cromag27]

Colored acrylic won't bleed into the transparent, if that's what you're asking.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Colored acrylic won't bleed into the transparent, if that's what you're asking.

No sorry, my bad!
I meant, you see in that ref picture of sump. There are three different sheets of acrylic, two colored and one transparent. I guess first two colored are fused together and routed and then fused to transparent one. While fusing those colored sheets to transparent one, won't there be solvent spillage?
Or i am totally confused, how to go about it?

 

[cromag27]

Yes it happens, but it just evaporates. you just can't get too crazy with the amount of solvent.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Btw same water thin solvent for laminating or something thick like WD 16?

 

[Turbo's Aquatics]

The video shows him using liquid thin in the squeeze bottle. You would not use 16 for this. Or much of anything else really

 

[cromag27]

I use 4.