Has any Orchidian tried burning out the vinyl film that those sign
making plotters use? A friend has asked if this is possible for an
idea he has. I know I could just give it a try, but I would rather
not stink the place up if it is not going to work.
Thanks,
Steve Walker
Has any Orchidian tried burning out the vinyl film that those sign making plotters use? A friend has asked if this is possible for an idea he has. I know I could just give it a try, but I would rather not stink the place up if it is not going to work.
I’m not sure if it’s the same vinyl that sign makers use but I have
been using some scrap vinyl that I get for free from a plastics
company and a vac-u-form to make bezels for odd shape stones. I just
use a long slow burnout, and plenty of ventilation. Depending on the
thickness, you will need to add plenty of sprues to get some of the
thin spots to fill. You can find an example on my web page in the
Tourmaline and Onyx earrings.
Christopher Arnett
www.christopherarnettjewelers.com
Stephen:
My rule of thumb is that most clear plastics burn out ok but colored
ones don’t. You need to be very careful with ventilation, though,
because the fumes from plastic burnout are really horrid. I do mine
outside. You might try something else, though. I’ve been using a
laser engraver to etch acrylic that I previously burned out. Now I
make a mold using the new Castaldo VLT (very low temperature). It
vulcanizes at between 160 and 190 degrees, well within what most
plastic will handle. If you try it I’ve found that the vulcanizing
times need to be longer than they recommend - otherwise I’ve been
very happy with it (not affiliated - usual disclaimer).
Good luck.
Larry Loban