Flame polishing

[Bob Savage]

Hey everyone!

Long time no see... so I've got my shiny, new flame polisher from the group buy 1.5-2 years ago sitting there begging me to use it now that I've started doing a little acrylic cutting on the CNC and am looking for input from the experts here on setup tips, gotchas and general use.

Any tips, tricks or warnings you all can help with before I get this thing fired up?

Thanks

[Frank Corker]

Small flame fast movement across with a consistent pace from left to right if you are right handed. On thick acrylic apply heat on one half of the edge facing away from the flame as you move across (10mm thick upwards), this will stop you applying too much heat to the acrylic face nearest to the gun. Don't waste your time on thin acrylic you will distort it. Keep your flame confined to the edge and don't dally or you will distort the acrylic. Be prepared for the occasional 'pop' which sometimes occurs when the flame shoots backwards and hits the fire arrester, don't worry about it but if you do hear it, it will suprise you. It's easy to believe that you have messed up or broken the machine, you haven't. The flame will have extinguished itself, the pop sometimes happens as you turn the hyrdogen torch off. This flame is small, it is thin and in bright light it might not be visible. Working on acrylic you only need it to be the tip of the flame touching the edge - don't have it blasting out at 500 psi with a flame of 4", it only needs to be about an inch to an inch and a half long. Be careful if after you have used the flame polisher, that it does not come into contact with alcohol or alcohol based cleaning fluid as some acrylics are prone to crazing, you will know it if you see it, the cracks are deep inside the acrylic and not removeable. If you want the acrylic clean, the do the cleaning before you do the flame polishing. When completed wear a pair of sunglasses to stop the glare of that dazzling finish you get when you do a great job :)

[Dee Gallo]

I wish I lived next door to you, Frank. That was a great explanation!

:) dee

[Frank Corker]

Thanks Dee

[Chuck Stone]

Do you need to anneal the acrylic after flame polishing?

[Frank Corker]

Personally I don't Chuck. I suppose it depends on what you intend to do with it later. I've had no issues with leaving it.

[Bob Savage]

Excellent information! Thank you very much Frank and I'm glad you've eased my concern about the pops because I recall quite some time back where you or somebody else mentioned it. I've never done any welding, etc. so torches tend to intimidate me a bit since I don't know much about them.

Thanks again!

[Bob Savage]

Frank, I forgot to ask, what's "thin" from the perspective of flame polishing? 1/4"?

[Bob Savage]

Frank... I've finally got the methanol to fire this thing up. The instructions sent with this thing are terrible. How do I mix the "special solution" to fill the water tank? There's a container of solution but the instructions don't give the quantity of solution to water ratio. Also, is it O.K. (and safe) to mix more than necessary and then store solution? These instructions are nuts...

Thanks,

[Frank Corker]

203507203508 Well here are the instructions, let me know if there are any other issues.

[Bob Savage]

Thanks Frank. That's definitely more than came with my polisher. Now I just need to figure out the metric measurements. :)

Whoah, do you clean yours out every 15 days? I may stick with wood work...

[Frank Corker]

I do clean it out every now and then because the alchol goes a tarnished colour although it still works fine. You don't need to fill with electrolyte for absolutely ages either.

[Bob Savage]

I do clean it out every now and then because the alchol goes a tarnished colour although it still works fine. You don't need to fill with electrolyte for absolutely ages either.

Awesome news! Thanks again Frank, you've been a great help.