ACRULITE FF what is this stuff?

[Bert Kemp]

Any searches brings up Acrylite FF ok maybe its acrylite and no u as the Y may have been cut off
My sheets are marked Cyro Acrulite FF I was told from the guy I got them from they were cast acrylic SZo this morning I tried to engrave and Cut this stuff. The engraving looked funny from the start but I let it go Then it went to cut and it had a really bright flame as it cut and produced a lot of carbon 4 passes would not cut thru it and it didn't smell like any acrylic I cut before 381041381042So I ask what have I got here

[Matt McCoy]

I believe it's Acrylite, which is an acrylic product and the FF is extruded. Their website lists laser cutting as a fabrication method.

[Bert Kemp]

so being extruded is why all the carbon and won't cut? if so the guy lied to me and I'm stuck with a bunch of this stuff :mad:

[Glen Monaghan]

You can see from your picture that it is Acrylite, not Acrulite; the y's descender is cut off but clearly too long for a u. And, as Matt said, it's extruded acrylic. That means it won't engrave to a frosty white, and it will tend to melt and reflow when cutting. I'm guessing the "carbon" was from the paper? Hmm, actually, it looks like you were cutting without the paper... How thick is the sheet and what sort of speed/power mix were you using?

[Joe Pelonio]

Though a different brand I have a regular job that I do with extruded regularly, about ten 12x24”sheets each time. It cuts beautifully, in 1/8” thickness.” The engraving on it works well for paint fill, bu not for that frosted glass look. The stuff I use has a blue plastic film on it , rather than paper. Extruded is cheaper so if it works for thejob, your profit goes up. I pay about $70 for a full 4’x8’ sheet cut to 12x24s.

[Joseph Shawa]

Try HIGH pressure air and short focal length lens if you want to cut. That is what I use to cut polyester which tends to make the same smoke show. Not sure if that will help with engraving.

[Bert Kemp]

I was cutting with out paper, its a little less the 1/4 and I was using same settings I use for cast. 70% pwr 10mmps spd.full air Never had any problems like this with cast 1/4. I don't know why all this carbon and not cutting weird.



You can see from your picture that it is Acrylite, not Acrulite; the y's descender is cut off but clearly too long for a u. And, as Matt said, it's extruded acrylic. That means it won't engrave to a frosty white, and it will tend to melt and reflow when cutting. I'm guessing the "carbon" was from the paper? Hmm, actually, it looks like you were cutting without the paper... How thick is the sheet and what sort of speed/power mix were you using?

[Joseph Shawa]

Bert, Could it be that by chance, your lens failed? I had this happen once after a long engraving session on high power.

[Kev Williams]

FWIW the rest of the "y" tail is right under the "r" ;)

I've cut lots of extruded with no problem, other than the gooey edges. I've never cut it paper-off however. I too am wondering Bert, if your lens or a mirror has 'an issue'...

That said, here's a piece of the same stuff I cut not long ago.
It's a different brand and it's "SG" (sign grade) rather than "FF", but they're essentially the same...
381077

All extruded I've ever cut comes out good like this one...
381076

However, this crap doesn't laser engrave good at all.
--and I engraved this at 15% power 500mm/s at .07 gap,
that much power barely engraves black Romark...

here I have my shop light blazing across the surface,
the engraving is 'ok' but there is no 'frosty' look to it, the stuff just melts,
and there's very little contrast...
381078

And here I put the edge right into the light,
cast acrylic engraving would light up like gangbusters,
but this stuff doesn't edge-light whatsover...
381079

For your purposes Bert, you need cast acrylic, period. With any luck whoever sold you this stuff will trade it back in...

[Bert Kemp]

OK so to basically check out the laser I threw in a piece of 1/8 cast and cut it the threw in a piece of 1/4 and cut it. Same setting as I tried with the extruded. So I guess my lens and mirrors or ok as you can see its fairly fine cutting. I also engraved a bunch of cast yesterday came out fine.
So will I get better cut results on the extruded if I leave paper on?:confused:381123green is 1/8 clear 1/4

[Clark Pace]

I used to work at a Plastics Company this is a very common brand it's just extruded acrylic. It cuts just fine I have used the stuff for over 15 years. Does not extrude because it's extruded. Use cast instead

[Bert Kemp]

why am I not able to cut it then

[Bert Kemp]

So any ideas why I can't cut this stuff?



I used to work at a Plastics Company this is a very common brand it's just extruded acrylic. It cuts just fine I have used the stuff for over 15 years. Does not extrude because it's extruded. Use cast instead

[Joe Pelonio]

When you said “full air”how many psi? I had a severe charring issue with 1/16” ABS suddenly, and tried a lot of things like cleaning and focus checking. Finally after some wasted time it turned out to be the air pump worn to the point where the usual 25 lbs was only 16. Changing to a compressor did the trick, but then I found by experimenting that 35 lbs. was even cleaner. If you can, try more air and see if it helps.

[Bert Kemp]

No I have one of those cheap ones that came with it, seems to put out a good flow tho. I have no problem with any other material, cast, wood, leather , what ever just this stuff.

[John Lifer]

It's different. :)
I've a few pieces of the same stuff, that is about 15 years old, I can cut it decently, but engraving is junk. It takes more power/slower than cast.
I don't use it for anything but fixtures.....

[Dave Sheldrake]

25 - 30psi through a 1.5mm nozzle with a 2mm standoff nozzle height away from the work Bert and it will cut nicely. The Koi pumps that come with the usual chinese machines are no good for this stuff, they only produce about 7psi maximum and more usually 3psi, they give good volume but hopeless pressure. And don't try gluing it with any solvents, it will craze and edge crack for fun

[Clark Pace]

Extrude has a lower melting point and should cut easier. But engraving does not frost.

[Bert Kemp]

Thanks for the replies, I guess I'll just scrap this stuff, not going to buy a new compressor

[Kev Williams]

Try no air at all, you might be surprised. The only reason I ever use air is to keep flareups down and to help blow the smoke away from the lens. My air nozzle is at least and inch and a half from the cut, and too big to generate any force.... what comes out is akin to gently blowing with your mouth- just enough to prevent flames and move smoke, it in no way 'assists' the cutting...

[Dave Sheldrake]

Problem is Clark, Extruded melts as you say, it doesn't ablate that's why the edges roll over

[Bert Kemp]

Ill try it no air paper on see what happens , I have cut extruded before just no this brand


Try no air at all, you might be surprised. The only reason I ever use air is to keep flareups down and to help blow the smoke away from the lens. My air nozzle is at least and inch and a half from the cut, and too big to generate any force.... what comes out is akin to gently blowing with your mouth- just enough to prevent flames and move smoke, it in no way 'assists' the cutting...

[Bert Kemp]

UPDATE
after once again trying and failing to cut this stuff, I sent a piece to Kev to see if he could cut it. He informed me that this is LEXAN, aka polycarbonate. So I guess this I can't cut with my CO2.
So now my ?is can I do anything with this stuff of should I just take it to the dump???
I have 13 pieces about 3 to 4 feet long and 6.5 wide.:confused:

[Mike Null]

Bert

You can engrave it and then cut it with woodworking tools. It's a great material and I'm sure you can find uses for it.

[Joseph Shawa]

I have cut on this but only 1 mm thick. Nasty smoke and brown char. But if I left the protective plastic on it was fine. my recommendation is that you do not touch the the parts without gloves as it made my fingers numb. So probably a good idea not to breathe the fumes. How thick is the material you are using?

[Bert Kemp]

Yes it engraves ok. I was reading that a fine tooth table saw blade will cut it. I'm wondering if a led light base will lite it up nice like regular cast acrylic:confused:
Bert

You can engrave it and then cut it with woodworking tools. It's a great material and I'm sure you can find uses for it.

[Bert Kemp]

!/4 inch thick


I have cut on this but only 1 mm thick. Nasty smoke and brown char. But if I left the protective plastic on it was fine. my recommendation is that you do not touch the the parts without gloves as it made my fingers numb. So probably a good idea not to breathe the fumes. How thick is the material you are using?

[Trey Tull]

Guys, lexan releases chlorine gas when lasered. I wouldn’t recommend messing around with that stuff.

Cut it with a router or saw blade but not the laser.

[Paul Phillips]

Yes it engraves ok. I was reading that a fine tooth table saw blade will cut it. I'm wondering if a led light base will lite it up nice like regular cast acrylic:confused:
Hi Bert,
It will cut fine with an Acrylic saw blade, it's not nearly as good as acrylic for transferring light through the edges though. Maybe you can use it for protective covers or something? It's very tough stuff, used to use it mostly for large lighted sign cabinet faces. I use scraps to make scrapers, cut it to 1"x6" and put a bevel on the belt sander and make a chisel for scraping old vinyl and things like that. I always did a comparison for customers and took a piece of Acrylic and piece of Lexan and hit it with a hammer, the Acrylic shatters, the Lexan bounces!

[Kev Williams]

Stack two of those 1/4" sheets together and they'll stop a .22 long rifle, 4 sheets will stop a 9mm... Delvies use to have (may still) a 2" thick chunk of Lexan with a 30.06 bullet stuck in it- makes great motorcycle windshields too... It has its uses, but it's hard stuff to work with.

[Bert Kemp]

Well 6.5 inch wide kinda short for an M/C windshield:rolleyes: Now you tell me its not good for edge lite and its gassy, Yikes . I guess the dump is the next best thing Darn.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

Someone would find a use for them. Even if it's used as a window (light source) in a storage shed. You could post a "free" item in craigslist and they'll be gone within a day.

[Paul Phillips]

Stack two of those 1/4" sheets together and they'll stop a .22 long rifle, 4 sheets will stop a 9mm... Delvies use to have (may still) a 2" thick chunk of Lexan with a 30.06 bullet stuck in it- makes great motorcycle windshields too... It has its uses, but it's hard stuff to work with.

Hey Kev, you're the master engraver, have you had a chance to work on any transparent Aluminum yet?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DduO1fNzV4w

[Kev Williams]

Not yet, and at $3 per sq inch for the bullet-resistant stuff, probably won't anytime soon either! ;)

[Bert Kemp]

Kev I might just try that out use what I have for target practice :D
Stack two of those 1/4" sheets together and they'll stop a .22 long rifle, 4 sheets will stop a 9mm... Delvies use to have (may still) a 2" thick chunk of Lexan with a 30.06 bullet stuck in it- makes great motorcycle windshields too... It has its uses, but it's hard stuff to work with.

[David Sharp02]

Hi Trey. From what I can find on the web, PC is made up of only Carbon Hydrogen and Oxygen, no Chlorine. So I don't think it release anything other than CO2 and Water when it is lasered. You may be thinking of PVC.

[Bert Kemp]

Correct what the MSDS says its not real harmful, just use a good exhaust and should be ok.



Hi Trey. From what I can find on the web, PC is made up of only Carbon Hydrogen and Oxygen, no Chlorine. So I don't think it release anything other than CO2 and Water when it is lasered. You may be thinking of PVC.