LAMINATING ACRYLIC PLASTIC

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LAMINATING ACRYLIC PLASTIC
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IN PAST AGES OF DICOVERY FROM HUMAN HISTORY, SUCH
AS THE IRON AGE OR THE COPPER AGE
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MIXING METALS WITH OTHER METALS OR MATERIALS
IMPROVED UPON THE ORIGINAL CREATING STEEL,
BRASS, OR BRONZE
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IT SEEMS THE SAME PROCESS HAS HAPPENED WITH
ACRYLIC PLASTIC.OTHER PLASTICS HAVE BEEN MIXED
IN TO IMPROVE THE CHARACTERISTICS TO MEET CERTAIN
MODERN DAY SPECIFICATIONS.
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IN MY TEACHING CAREER, I FOUND THE MORE PURE THE
ACRYLIC PLASTIC THE EASIER IT WAS TO USE WITH
STUDENTS IN MY LAB.
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I FOUND THREE ADHESIVES THAT WORK WITH ACRYLICS
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IF THE BONDING SURFACES ARE SCRATCHED UP WITH A
PIECE OF SANDPAPER AND THE DUST CLEANED OFF
BEFORE ADDING ADHESIVE AND CLAMPING, A STRONGER
BOND IS ACHIEVED
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AN HOUR OF SET TIME IS USUALLY ENOUGH FOR THE
BONDING PROCESS TO FINISH WITH THE FOLLOWING
EXCEPTION
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THE 24 HOUR RULE MUST BE FOLLOWED WITH PLASTIC,
JUST AS IT IS WITH GLUING WOOD, WHEN LATHE WORK
IS PLANNED. THE PEN SUPPORT WAS TURNED ON AN
EMCO-UNIMAT LATHE, AND THAT SAFE BONDING TIME WAS
FOLLOWED HERE AS WELL

• SPECIAL CARE WAS USED IN DRILLING THE 5/16 HOLE
  IN THE HALF INCH BUFFED, AND LAMINATED PLASTIC
  ROD.
• TWO PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED. THE FIRST
  INVOLVED HOLDING THE ROD STILL DURING DRILLING ON
  THE DRILL PRESS. A SCRAP PIECE OF 2 BY 4 AS
  SHOWN IN THE SKETCH AT THE LEFT HELPED SOLVE THAT
  OBSTACLE. A SLIGHT PRESSURE ON THE ANGLE VISE
  DID THE TRICK WITHOUT CRACKING THE PLASTIC. AS
  THE KERF CLOSED, THE DIAMETER OF THE HOLE
  DECREASED AND THE GRIP TIGHTENED.
• THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS THAT IF ENOUGH HEAT WAS
  GENERATED IN THE DRILLING PROCESS THE BOND WOULD
  FAIL AND RUIN THE ENTIRE PROJECT PART. A 1/8
  INCH HOLE WAS DRILLED FIRST. A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY
  OF OIL WAS USED TO LUBRICATE THE TWIST DRILL AND
  CONTROL HEAT BUILDUP. A SLOW FEED WAS ALSO USED.
  A FEW LARGER DRILLS WERE USED TO REACH THE
  CORRECT SIZE IN A SERIES OF EVER LARGER BORES.
• THE DRILLED ROD WAS THOROUGHLY CLEANED AND DRIED
  BEFORE GLUING INTO THE BUFFED PEN HOLDER BASE.

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A PLASTIC PROJECT HAS TO MEET A QUALITY FINISH
INSPECTION TO QUALIFY FOR A PASSING GRADE JUST AS
ANY OTHER LAB PROJECT MUST. ALL TOOL MARKS MUST
BE REMOVED AND A SMOOTH-GLASS LIKE SURFACE HAS
TO BE ACHIEVED THROUGH BUFFING

• THIS PROCESS ISNT DIFFICULT FOR THE EXTERIOR OF
  MOST PLASTIC PROJECTS. THE INSIDE OF THE RING
  PRESENTED A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. MY LAB WAS A SORT
  OF BARE BONES OPERATION, SO I HAD TO IMPROVISE TO
  BE ABLE TO GET STUDENTS TO THE POINT WHERE
  M.I.T.E.S. QUALITY LEVEL PROJECTS WERE BEING
  COMPLETED. MY ANSWER TURNED OUT TO BE SIMPLE,
  AND IT WORKED QUITE WELL.

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A HACKSAW BLADE MAKES A FINE GROOVE FOR GRASPING
A SMALL SHEET OF SANDPAPER
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THE BOTTOM OF A BOTTLE OF WATER MAKES A GOOD
PROTECTOR OF THE JACOBS CHUCK ON THE DRILL PRESS
DURING THE POLISHING PROCESS

• NOTICE A 3/8 INCH HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE
  BOTTOM AND A NOTCH CUT IN THE SIDE

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THE FINISHED ROD WILL HOLD A SMALL PIECE OF
SANDPAPER IN THE GROOVE. IT SHOULD BE WRAPPED
AROUND THE ROD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF DRILL
PRESS CHUCK ROTATION. ONE TEST WILL QUICKLY
VERIFY THE PROPER WAY.
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THE DRILL PRESS PHOTO SHOW S HOW THE GIZMO
WORKS. THE CHUCK KEY IS NEVER LEFT IN THE CHUCK.
IT IS SHOWN FOR EXAMPLE ONLY. THE PLASTIC CUP
PROTECTS THE CHUCK FROM DUST AND LATER MOISTURE
AS WELL AS FINGERS CLOSE TO A SPINNING GEAR. WHEN
SANDING AND POLISHING THE RING INTERIOR, ROTATE
THE RING AROUND THE DOWEL TO MAKE SURE EVERY PART
IS WORKED ON
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START OFF SANDING THE RING INTERIOR WITH A GRADE
OF SANDPAPER COARSE ENOUGH TO REMOVE WHATEVER
MARKS WERE LEFT BY THE BORING TOOL THAT MADE THE
FINGER HOLE IN THE PLASTIC- TWIST DRILL, AUGER
BIT, OR SPADE BIT.USE PROGRESSIVELY FINER GRADES
ALWAYS CHECKING FOR ANY BAD SCRATCHES LEFT. WHEN
YOU GET TO 220 WET OR DRY, THE POLISHING CAN BEGIN
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WETTING THE 220 AND THEN THE CROCUS CLOTH WITH
THE SOAP-WATER SOLUTION WILL RESULT IN A SMOOTH
POLISH. NOTICE THE CONTAINER TO CATCH ANY
DRIPPINGS TO PROTECT THE DRILL PRESS TABLE.
STUDENTS TEND TO BE A BIT SLOPPY AT TIMES. AFTER
CLEANING THE RING , A FINE WAXING MAY IMPROVE THE
LUSTER. INSIST THAT THE OPERATOR REMOVE THE USED
CLOTH BECAUSE AFTER DRYING IT BECOMES GLUED TO
THE DOWEL. THE LIQUID WILL BECOME A MUDDY PURPLE
AFTER A WHILE. DO NOT DISCARD IT. THE JEWELERS
ROUGE DISOLVED IN IT WILL ENHANCE ITS POLISHING
ABILITY.
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A GOOD LIQUID TO HELP ACHIEVE A SMOOTH POLISH CAN
BE MADE FROM 2 PARTS WATER TO ONE PART
DISHWASHING LIQUID. THIS CAN BE ADDED TO THE
SPINNING DOWEL ROD AFTER A DRY SANDING WITH 220
WET OR DRY FOLLOWED BY CROCUS CLOTH.
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I HOPE YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS ENJOY LAMINATING
ACRYLIC PLASTICS.

• BILL FERRIS