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Bert Kemp
02-06-2017, 6:10 PM
I ordered some 1/16 cast acrylic to be engraved and the put in a picture frame. I did some research and people say that 1/16 is prone to warping when engraved. Has anyone engraved 1/16 cast and if so did it warp. Also would clamping it down on a piece of 1/4 BB before engraving keep it from warping?

Joe Pelonio
02-07-2017, 7:14 AM
I have cut a lot of 1/16 cast including non-glare for picture frames and even thinner without the material warping.

Scott Shepherd
02-07-2017, 9:08 AM
I've never seen it warp from engraving (if it does, you are using way too much power), but it will warp when cutting if the objects you are cutting are small and/or close together. Imagine if you were cutting 1/2" squares, 100's of them. If you put them 1/8" apart, it would most likely warp while cutting. However, if you put them 1/2" apart, then it would stay pretty flat. What happens that can cause problems is when you put items close together, engrave them, and then the cutting warps the material, which pulls or pushes the material around the table, meaning your cutting isn't going to be lined up with your engraving.

However, it's a cheap material, so easy to solve it by just finding the magic distance that doesn't warp for your particular parts.

Overall, it's not a big issue.

Bert Kemp
02-07-2017, 1:54 PM
Thanx that relieves my worries a little. I'm not doing small object but engraving a 8x10 area.

Keith Downing
02-07-2017, 3:03 PM
Not sure, but would more air help here? I know it helped a ton when I was getting some minor warping in the RTIC cups I worked last year.

I'm not sure much heat can build up when you've got 20-30psi pumping across the surface. Now your pieces may blow away, but that's a whole other problem. LOL

Bert Kemp
02-07-2017, 3:12 PM
No pieces to blow away LOL and my air is not adjustable but now I'm thinking maybe spray some cold water on the acrylic to help keep it cool.

Kev Williams
02-07-2017, 3:22 PM
it will maybe warp WHILE it's engraving. But even if it does, it'll just go back.

Plex will slowly bend to any shape if given some 'shove'... Anyone (else) who's ever made a 1/2" thick plex half-lid for an aquarium will vouch for this! ;) - once a week we had to flip it over, or it would continue to bend under its own weight until it hit the water. And it'll bend the opposite direction the same way... it's rigid, but not...

Doug Fisher
02-07-2017, 3:58 PM
>> my air is not adjustable <<

This is a popular simple modification to typical Chinese lasers like you have for little money. It won't increase your airflow but it will allow you to vary the airflow if you already have too much for certain materials.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=6mm%20Pneumatic%20Ball%20Valve%20Connector&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=1&_trksid=p2045573.m1684