Flame Polish Video

[Ron Thompson]

Want to see how to Flame Polish your Acrylic. Watch this video, makes it look so easy..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqDirGbQ8J0&feature=player_detailpage Ron

[Rodne Gold]

If you have a proper flame polisher (the Hydrogen/O2 ones) it *is* dead easy , takes about 5-10 minutes of practice and maybe a few messed up pieces to get the hang of it.
The polisher he uses is not the right one , its too gross a flame and it wont get to the temps a real flame polisher will , making it a lot more difficult and far less precise....

[Vicki Rivrud]

Hi Rodney,
We have been trying to learn how to flame polish . . . by chance is this what is called MAPP Gas here in the US??

your post are greatly appreciated!

Vicki

[Rodne Gold]

You need one of these or equivalent to polish properly (google chinese flame polishers)
The flame gets much hotter than those gas type torches and you need a thin flame.
263092

[Frank Corker]

I agree with Rodney, the flame on the mapp gas burns way too hot, you will get a lot of distortion and a very high possibility of crazing if it comes anywhere near alcohol. Plus he was not very safety cautious creating his work and I'm surprised he never got burnt. The flame polishers like the one above are worth the money if you do a lot of acrylic work. The tiny flame gives a really nice finish and with practice very little distortion even on the very thin acrylic.

[Vicki Rivrud]

Thanks a bunch for sharing the info . . . we will look into this and see what we can do to improve! Vicki

[Mike Null]

Vicki

Here's an old thread which tells about a group purchase made by an SMC group. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?119322-Acrylic-Flame-Polisher-Group-Buy

[Vicki Rivrud]

Hi Mike,
Yes I did read this long ago, when I first came upon the Creek. I really didn't see much about what the group thought about its application and if it was worth the $$

I bump the thread with a question . . . so I await some useful responses.

Thanks again,
Vicki

[Dan Hintz]

If anyone decides to do another group buy on the generators, I'm in. I unintentionally traded mine for another item, but I'd like the use of it again.

[Mark Maslonkowski]

I would be interested as well if a group buy is looked at.

Mark Maslonkowski

[Bill Cunningham]

Hi Rodney,
We have been trying to learn how to flame polish . . . by chance is this what is called MAPP Gas here in the US??

your post are greatly appreciated!

Vicki

You can get mapp gas just about anywhere they sell the propane torch tanks. Mapp is in a yellow cylinder.. Mapp is too hot for a decent job, if you don't have, or can't get, or afford a hydrogen/oxygen torch, a small Ronson torch and the butane tanks they use work very well for clearing acrylic. As a matter of fact, you can usually move the flame up the piece and watch the acrylic clear as it moves.. 5-10 min. of practice is all it takes. It's been working well for me for over 40 years.. I Used to make a lot of underwater camera housings and this is what we always used to clear the edges.

[Doug Novic]

Have always used standard bottled gas for plumbing with a quick light tip since 1985. Not sophisticated, expensive or elite but it works well. Did a lot of acrylic fabrication back then and the tricks of the trade have stayed with me.

[Vicki Rivrud]

Thanks Bill, I learn something new almost everyday . . . so we are experimenting with what you have suggested.
Can't see buying a swanky item if something simple will do.

Vicki

[Mike Null]

Here is a link to more sophisticated equipment -- and more expensive. http://store.cyberweld.com/smlitoou.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ECISmithEquip&utm_term=the%20little%20torch

[Dennis Watson]

There are videos of people polishing acrylic with several different gases and getting good results. There is one woman using oxygen and hydrogen cylinders with a micro torch. Some use oxygen and acetylene some use propane and some mapp. And of course the water and alcohol method.
I see where Tap Plastics is using mapp. Back and forth about one is to hot and one is not hot enough.

[Chris Parks]

I use oxy acetylene and a No 8 tip. I have never had any issues and always get a perfect finish. I watched a demo on YouTube and it looked simple enough to do so I had a go. It is a dead simple process and just needs a few minutes practise.

[andrew zen]

I like how the guy had no hand protection as he was using MAPP gas. MAPP Gas burns at a million degrees or more, ten times hotter than the sun or so I hear.. The broad flame he was using is great for melting the edges and the top and bottom surfaces to give this texture all my customers noticed. I had to build custom nozzles for my MAPP gas torch. However, my experience with MAP gas is not as successful as I hoped. To bring up a VERY DEAD thread. I am in for a group buy of the HO gas thingy.

When I am down and out, I always read the Carbon Filter thread and the HO Torch Gas Group Buy thread. Makes me happy, well maybe tired.

[Dan Hintz]

MAPP Gas burns at a million degrees or more, ten times hotter than the sun or so I hear..

<chuckle> Not quite. MAPP gas is around 3kC... just the cool surface of the sun is 5kC+.