Looking for sheet acrylic supplier - Oregon

I have been buying .187" black extruded acrylic from my local Professional Plastics warehouse for years, but they have changed suppliers or something, but I can no longer use the stuff they stock and the local guy doesn't seem to be able help me.

The problem is the film mask. The newer stuff is thicker and darker blue than the product I was using. I cut small parts with my 40W ULS and the dark blue mask is very difficult to peal because the laser either welds it to the acrylic or the lip formed with the heat prevents lifting the edge of the mask.

So, I'm looking for a supplier of acrylic sheet with the thin light-blue film mask. The thick stuff takes too much time to remove and it doesn't give as nice a cut either. The flame polished surface looks like it has small sand particles embedded in it. I'm guessing that's residue from the thick mask.

Does anyone know what brand acrylic comes with the thin mask? Any recommendation for a supplier in the Portland, Oregon area?

Thanks!

(scratches head) Everything I've ever heard/read about cutting acrylic in the laser says to remove the factory masking, whether film or paper, and (optionally) replace it with transfer paper. Even if I hadn't heard that, the prospect of welding the film to the acrylic (not to mention not knowing what the film is made of) would have kept it away from the laser.

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Originally Posted by Al Stewart

The thick stuff takes too much time to remove and it doesn't give as nice a cut either. The flame polished surface looks like it has small sand particles embedded in it. I'm guessing that's residue from the thick mask.

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That would be my guess, too. Do as Lee suggests... replace the stock mask with transfer tape before any vector cutting. Yes, it takes an extra step, but you'll be much happier with the results.

I can't help with the masking issue, it looks like Lee already gave you the best advise. I can share a little tid-bit with you concerning how I get almost all of my clear acrylic nearly free each year though. I visit one of my local frame shops every year or when I have a large project and need a lot of clear acrylic. I purchase their drops from the frame shop, a couple of days ago I got a huge load of acrylic, most of the pieces were larger then my engraving table.....all for ten bucks. I had to put the seats down in my little Scion and push the passengers side seat as far forward as it would go to accomodate the longest pieces. I know that the load is more than a years worth of acrylic for me and I have to cut 600 two inch by four and a half inch windows for a door sign job at CNU next week.

It seems a shame to purchase full sheets of acrylic and then cut them into small pieces for engraving and cutting jobs :)
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Originally Posted by Dan Hintz

... replace the stock mask with transfer tape before any vector cutting. Yes, it takes an extra step...

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And note that you really only have to do one side: it's just there to keep scratches and bounce-back burn off the bottom surface.

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Originally Posted by Al Stewart

Any recommendation for a supplier in the Portland, Oregon area?

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I have ordered quite a bit from MultiCraft Plastics in Tigard. They may or may not have what you want but they've always treated me well.

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Originally Posted by Keith Outten

I can't help with the masking issue, it looks like Lee already gave you the best advise. I can share a little tid-bit with you concerning how I get almost all of my clear acrylic nearly free each year though. I visit one of my local frame shops every year or when I have a large project and need a lot of clear acrylic. I purchase their drops from the frame shop, a couple of days ago I got a huge load of acrylic, most of the pieces were larger then my engraving table.....all for ten bucks.

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Thanks for this tip, Keith - it makes a lot of sense and I'll bet the frame shop is glad to get rid of it. I do the same thing with mat board drops, but never asked about acrylic. One question: would you assume (danger!) that they are extruded or cast - can you tell the difference just by looking at it?

:) dee

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Originally Posted by Dee Gallo

One question: would you assume (danger!) that they are extruded or cast - can you tell the difference just by looking at it?

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An easy way to find out would be pop it in the laser, go to the system test page and shoot a test shot at it, see if it frosts or not. They're probably not going to be mixing cast and extruded.

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Originally Posted by John Noell

I have ordered quite a bit from
MultiCraft Plastics in Tigard. They may or may not have what you want but they've always treated me well.

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For acrylic they are my last resort. Multicraft is very high compared to almost anywhere else. I would try Delvies.

Gary

Well, that may well be as I have mostly just purchased Rowmark from them. Got a better supplier of Rowmark?

Dee,

All of the acrylic drops I get are extruded. There isn't any reason for a frame shop to pay more for cast acrylic for large framing jobs. It still has the paper on it and you can tell from the manufacturers marking, "Acrylite FF marked in blue" for instance. Acrylite uses red markings for their cast acrylic.
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Originally Posted by John Noell

Well, that may well be as I have mostly just purchased Rowmark from them. Got a better supplier of Rowmark?

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It's funny, but they have the best prices I have found for Rowmark. When you buy small quantities like I do, they are pretty reasonable. Some of the other suppliers may be a bit cheaper per sheet but when you factor in shipping they end up being more than MC.

Gary

Isn't there a tap plastics in Portland: http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=24&

They've always had everything I need made of plastic and then some.

For cheap clear acrylic go to Lowes. I got a 16"x24" piece x 1/4" yesterday cut to 4x 8"x12" for $13. They sell 1/8"x 8"x10" for $1.


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Dee

Whenever I've bought acrylic the extruded comes with a plastic protective cover while the cast has a paper cover.

Calsak Plastics is here in Portland and they sell large sheets - might be worth a shot if you strike out elsewhere.