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Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

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Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#1

Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

Craig Daymon

This the largest thing I've turned from acrylic and I don't have a hollowing rig, nor do I hollow very often. As my intention is for the globe to be complete transparent, mistakes are not an option. It is also going to be part of an ornament, so it needs to be somewhat thin/light.

Trying very hard to stay out of the line of fire in case it shatters, or I just go too far, which I suspect will result in a shatter and not a torn opening, like I've seen from wood.

It's a bit smaller than 3". That was the size of the cylinder I cut the acrylic from.

Anyone done this before (or did everyone else just go buy an globe that would work)? How thin is it safe to go? I don't want it to be fragile, but do want it to be light enough to hang on the tree.

Oh, and the round shape and polished outside does wonders for distorting the wall thickness when I look at it. (Outside did polish up nice after slow sanding to 1500 and then using toothpaste to buff.)

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#2

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

john lucas

How are you going to polish the inside? Maybe you could do it in two parts like two bowls glued together to form a globe. Of course you will still have the line in the middle that will show.

Not sure what your doing but I would opt for buying a sphere of the appropriate size and then drilling if necessary.

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#3

Yea, I want to see the inside get polished

Dick Coers

It will take sanding and polishing on the inside if you want it transparent. I say you call a glass blower.

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#4

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

Craig Daymon

I'm coming in through a 1.5" opening. I can get inside to sand and polish., May reach in and buff with a WeCheer carver with buffing wheel installed. Shouldn't be an issue getting inside. (I reach in frequently to gauge wall thickness.) Taking fine cuts inside and it's coming off pretty smooth, so it should polish up pretty easy. A bit challenging cutting at the max depth.

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#5

I'd still like to see pictures

Dick Coers

Still a bit pessimistic about the outcome. As a model maker, I polished a fair amount of acrylic. I would never had attempted working through an 1 1/2" hole with all the grits and compound!

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#6

Re: I'd still like to see pictures

Craig Daymon

Is that a safety concern? This is why I was asking about wall thickness.

If I don't get it too thin, I'm not real concerned with sanding and polishing the inside. (May wear a kevlar carving glove if there is a big chance of shattering. The outside was polished with a very light touch.)

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#7

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

Gbalock

Craig,

You are always pushing the envelope. I remember the scraper incident!

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

#8

Re: Nerver-racking, turning 3" acrylic globe

Craig Daymon

That was pushing stupidity, no envelope needed. Still have the scar to remind me.

I did take that scraper into work and had one of the guys cut a couple discs out of it, about 1.25" in diameter, that I could put on the end of a Sorby Multi-Tool. Allows me to do what I tried to do with my hand from safely outside the bowl. Don't use it often, but I have it.

The globe is still on the lathe, polished clear on the inside and most of the outside. Working on carefully refining the shape and parting it off. Considering turning a quick plug for the tail stock end to help catch. Bit of chatter while working the inside has resulted in a somewhat hand blown glass look.