Plexiglas Ornaments

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Gang;
Xmas ornaments out of plexiglas are quick and easy to do and look great- but pulling the paper off an inticate ornament can drive you nuts if you don't have fingernails or patience. I find that the quality of the ornament is better if I l;eave the paper on both sides when cutting. Does anyone has a quick and easy way to get it off?- soak in hot water?-microwave?
Thanks
Best regards;
George
LaserArts

[Joe Pelonio]

George,

The older the acrylic the harder it is to remove. The first thing is to always store out of the light, it (especially sun) makes it way harder to take off.

For ornaments, especially intricate ones, I remove the paper first then apply transfer tape before cutting. That way no marks from the heat but it comes right off, and peeling the original paper is easier on a rectangle.

Finally, the fingernail substitute that I'd suggest is the new edge of an Olfa knife. Lay it on the edge of the paper and cut in slightly (gently) and it will start the paper enough to grab it without scratching the acrylic. I have many of the Olfa "silver" here, they have to AB10B break-off blades and are really handy.

[Lee DeRaud]

What Joe said.

I'm also discovering lately that, for clear extruded acrylic, I can't see any difference between putting transfer tape on both sides and bottom-only...which leaves half as much to remove.

[Ed Newbold]

Hi Gang;
Xmas ornaments out of plexiglas are quick and easy to do and look great- but pulling the paper off an inticate ornament can drive you nuts if you don't have fingernails or patience. I find that the quality of the ornament is better if I l;eave the paper on both sides when cutting. Does anyone has a quick and easy way to get it off?- soak in hot water?-microwave?Hi George,

I just use an old exacto knife to get it started.

I have never left the paper on both sides, engraving in revers with paper only on the bottom. I think my results are pretty good.

Cheers,

[Joe Pelonio]

I agree with Lee and Ed, transfer tape on bottom only for cutting. I forgot that because I do the top also for my biggest customer, strictly to prevent scratches during shipping (I leave it on and the customer removes it).

[Jerome Klutts]

A few years ago I got a deal on some 1/4" smoke colored Plexaglass. The paper has been on it for years and I have tried a number of ways of removing it. Recently I tried a new method that works better than anything I have tried. I filled a spray bottle with acetone and I spray the paper with it. Let it soak for a minute or two and the paper comes right off. I plan to test lacquer thinner but I haven't tried it yet. Of course it goes without saying this should not be done near any open flames.

[Joe Pelonio]

I'm guessing that if that acetone comes into actual contact with the acrylic it could start to melt it as acrylic cement does, so be sure to just spray the paper, not soak it. Maybe you could test my theory next time you use it?

[George M. Perzel]

Hi guys;
Thanks for the tips and advice. I fooled around with the settings and was able to laser without any paper on either side.
Do not use mineral spirits, lacquer thinner,etc. on plexi that's been lasered-many discussions on this site regarding this issue and predisposition of lasered plexi to craze and crack- see Rodne's extensive dissertation on this subject.
By the waym microwaving doesn't help loosen the paper but soaking in hotwater makes it easier to remove. Of course, if you do it right the first time by removing the paper then you won't have this problem
Best regards;
George
LaserArts

[Jerome Klutts]

Joe

I will experiment with some other plexiglass to see if the acetone damages it. The stuff I used the acetone just wiped right off with no problems.

[Ed Newbold]

Hi guys;
Thanks for the tips and advice. I fooled around with the settings and was able to laser without any paper on either side.Hey George,

How do you avoid the flash back from the cutting grid when you don't have paper on the bottom? Man, I'd LOVE to avoid cutting through the bottom layer of paper too.

Cheers,

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Ed;
I don't do much plexi stuff-hence the start of this thread as I sought advice.
Dumb luck-who knows? I cut 1/8" plexi with a 60 watt Laserpro Mercury at 4 speed and 100 power-very high (1500) PPI setting and 300 dpi. I have an eggcrate grid-no smoke or flareup damage-noticed a slight shadow on the scrap surrounding the ornament but nada on the ornament. I'm doing a bunch of names as individual icicles, if that matters.
Best regards;
George
LaserArts

[Bob Tate]

You know it is the metal vector grid that reflects the laser, right? So build a pin table. I built one that is 12 X 18, same size as my table, from 1/4 inch Acrylic. It could be any size. I used the laser to Raster pockets that were 1/8 inch deep. I then cut 1/8 diameter, 1/2 inch long. Stick them in the holes and you have a pin table. The wood dowels don't reflect light so all is well. Really easy to build. If I haven't put a good enough picture in your mind, look on Epilogs web site at theirs. Their table looks too clumsy bein up that high. Whatever works for you. Mine never marks Acrylic, or Wood.

[Bill Cunningham]

Joe

I will experiment with some other plexiglass to see if the acetone damages it. The stuff I used the acetone just wiped right off with no problems.
I'm not sure if what you are using 'is' plexiglass.. I use Acetone to 'Weld' acrylic by setting the edges in acetone, then when they start to disolve I clamp them together and let them sit for a while.. As a matter of fact, it works well enough to build under water camera housings, I've used it for lots of those.. It also works very well for gluing the plastic back pins to namebages.. I've been using it for that, for almost 20 years... Are you sure it was acetone? Are you sure it was plexiglass?

[art baylor]

I'm not sure if what you are using 'is' plexiglass.. I use Acetone to 'Weld' acrylic by setting the edges in acetone, then when they start to disolve I clamp them together and let them sit for a while.. As a matter of fact, it works well enough to build under water camera housings, I've used it for lots of those.. It also works very well for gluing the plastic back pins to namebages.. I've been using it for that, for almost 20 years... Are you sure it was acetone? Are you sure it was plexiglass?
If memory serves, I think the best formula for bonding acrylic is di-acetone alcohol with some ethenol alcohol to retard the evaporation. It's been a while. Use a syringe or needle squirt bottle to apply.

Art

[Mike Null]

Let me put in my 2 cents worth here.

I engrave acrylic awards which must be assembled (base added) and polished before packaging for delivery. I always leave the protective wrap on the fronts (I engrave the backs) to avoid scratches. On the engraved portion I run a test for positioning then remove the paper. Depending on how much weeding will be done I may then apply transfer paper just to avoid the extra cleaning and polishing when the rastering is finished.

Acetone attacks acrylic. It can be used as a solvent cement but it is not as good as other chemicals.

Leaving the paper on the bottom of the acrylic is always a good idea to avoid flashback and also to avoid scratches. You can minimize flashback by using power settings just enough to get the job done rather than overpowering the job.

If the job permits you can place 1/8" thick strips of wood on your cutting grid under the work to further minimize flashback.

[Ed Newbold]

You know it is the metal vector grid that reflects the laser, right? So build a pin table. I built one that is 12 X 18, same size as my table, from 1/4 inch Acrylic. It could be any size. I used the laser to Raster pockets that were 1/8 inch deep. I then cut 1/8 diameter, 1/2 inch long. Stick them in the holes and you have a pin table. The wood dowels don't reflect light so all is well. Really easy to build. If I haven't put a good enough picture in your mind, look on Epilogs web site at theirs. Their table looks too clumsy bein up that high. Whatever works for you. Mine never marks Acrylic, or Wood.I think I get the idea. The dowels extend down thru the vector grid, right? I couldn't locate the photo on the Epilog site that you referenced.

Thanks,

[Vicky Orsini]

I think the pins extend upwards. Your piece sits on top of the pins. I could be wrong, but I thought that was how the concept worked. :confused:

[Bob Tate]

Hi, yes, the pins extend above the table and your work rest on top of them. I am attaching a link to the Epilog picture. I hope that is OK. If not, tell me and I will delete it.

http://www.epiloglaser.com/vector_pin_table.htm

Sorry, I would post a picture of mine but I am the worlds worst photographer. You would not like my picture anyway.

Bob

EDIT: I tried long pins like theirs. They were too wobbly. With my shorter pins the laser does tend to engrave my pin table surface, but that is OK. It is a sacrificial table.

[Paul Williams from Nunavut]

I cut 1/8" plexi with a 60 watt Laserpro Mercury at 4 speed and 100 power-very high (1500) PPI setting and 300 dpi.

Would anyone hazard a guess at what a 30 watt laser, at 500 dpi, would need to be set at for a 1/8" plexi, and would it be a rastering setting or a vectoring setting (power & speed vs. power/speed/frequency)? Ta, muchly.

[Rodne Gold]

Use a piece of duct tape (sticky side) to pull the covering off or at least to "start" it, alternatively ask your plexi supplier to supply it with another protection , we can get paper or Polyethylene plastic. DO NOT use solvents like acetone on lasered acrylic , it will promote stress cracking.

[Peter Odell]

I take the paper off of both sides then I use dish washing liq on the bottom it works great then you just wash it off

[Dee Gallo]

This is an old thread, but a good topic. I use a plastic razor blade (available from Lee Valley). Works as well as a metal one but will not scratch the plastic.

[Duncan Crawford]

George,

As others have noted, if you have old stock the paper can be difficult. The most effective--and safe-for-material-- way I've found over the years is to use a heat gun. A really hot hair blowdryer *might* work, but a regular heat gun (they can reach 1K degrees) is the best. You want to get the plastic/paper up to about 130-150 degrees, no hotter; start at a corner and work in 3 to 4 inch square areas, peeling as you go. Careful of your fingers from the heat :-) You can clean off a 8x10 inch piece (stored for 20 years) in about 5 minutes or less, no danger of solvent cracking or scratching. Just wait for everything to cool down before lasering, as heating on just one side will cause thinner material to warp when warm. The warp is quite temporary if you don't overheat.

duncan

[Ed Maloney]

I use a needle to pull up on the paper and if you hold it on a angle almost parallel with the surface it won't scratch.

Boy - If I could get those plastic blades at a wholesale price it would be a great thing to send to my customers who order with the paper on.

[Chuck Stone]

Boy - If I could get those plastic blades at a wholesale price it would be a great thing to send to my customers who order with the paper on.

Do a search. I think you can get a 100 pack for around $3.
OR you can get them at the auto parts store 5/$5 !

[Bill Cunningham]

Would anyone hazard a guess at what a 30 watt laser, at 500 dpi, would need to be set at for a 1/8" plexi, and would it be a rastering setting or a vectoring setting (power & speed vs. power/speed/frequency)? Ta, muchly.

Hi Paul; Welcome to the creek.. DPI is associated with raster engraving, and not cutting. The higher the dpi, the more overlapping of the the beam spot, and depending on power and speed, the more burn/depth you get. I cut 1/8 plexi on my epilog (35-45 watts) using 100% power, 10-15% speed and a pulse frequency of 5000 (the epilog like most lasers will cut hairlines only..Mine recognizes a cut line as anything under .005.. I don't know if this information will be of any use to you.. You should list the equipment you have in your signature so anyone trying to offer answers will know what your running, and give you more accurate information for your equipment...

[Larry Bratton]

Would anyone hazard a guess at what a 30 watt laser, at 500 dpi, would need to be set at for a 1/8" plexi, and would it be a rastering setting or a vectoring setting (power & speed vs. power/speed/frequency)? Ta, muchly.

I cut 1/8" acrylic all the time. As a matter of fact I cut 500 key tags this week. I have a 40 watt Epilog and I use 10s/100p/5000f. I could go a bit faster but I like to be sure I get through everything, so I go slower. I cut 1/4" at 6s/100p/5000f. Your 30 watt will be less, so just try 10s and go down. Ten might get it, as the Epilog manual suggests 15s for the 40watt.

[Paul Williams from Nunavut]

Thank you, Larry. I'll give it a whirl.

[Glenn Miller 1805]

Delvies Plastics recommends Goo Gone. I have been using it for several years. It works great.

[Greg Bednar]

Krud Cutter. Spray it on and watch the material, you'll know when to peel it off.

[Vaughan Raymond]

Even with years old paper, a quick run across it with a heat gun and it peels off easily.