Casting acrylic and swan tool questions

[Alex Zeller]

I'm making my first box and want to make the knob on top of the lid a ruby (cast from acrylic or epoxy). It'll be a birthday (July's birthstone is a ruby) gift so I wanted the ruby top. I've never tried casting acrylic. I was thinking of using a diamond mold but I'm not sure ow to attach it. If I use a screw from the underside of the lid the threads will be seen. I thought maybe I could cut a hole in the bottom of the mold and put an acrylic rod into the hole so I could make a mortise in the lid and use the rod as a tenon. Any thoughts? Also which product is easier to use? Should I stick with acrylic or would something like liquid diamonds be easier for my first attempt?

My second question is I don't have a swan neck tool. I do have both the hunter osprey carbide tool and a clone with the same style of carbide but mounted flat. Now that I've got some time using them (you don't use them like a scraper) I like them. Looking at the hunter swan neck tools they come in two different styles. The top one has the cutter mounted at an angle so get at the hard to reach area. To use this style cutter you rotate it to adjust how much it removes. The tool tool has the carbide close to how you would use it. The second tool down I'm thinking that as you rotate it you would defeat the swan neck bend. Does anyone else have a hunter swan neck tool? The second pick down is where I'm at with the box. It's ready to dry before it's final turning. But I'm going to need to get under the side of the box.

box.jpg

[John K Jordan]

Alex,

I've turned quite a bit of cast acrylic rod but never cast any myself. I don't know what a diamond mold is. Do you mean it's a mold that makes facets on what you cast so it looks like a cut diamond? If so, it wouldn't be too hard to start with acrylic rod and file and polish facets. I've also seen acrylic "gems" for sale. Or do you mean you are going to use a real ruby and cast something to hold it? This is not clear to me.

When I attach acrylic to wood I usually just make a tenon on the acrylic and glue it into the wood with epoxy so nothing shows. I haven't made box knobs but some other things, such as ornaments. One ring keeper has an acrylic flame glued into the wood.

acrylic_IMG_5655.jpg ring_keepers_olive_small_IMG_7555.jpg

I have those Hunter tools and others. I use the angled one just under the rim where you can't tilt the bit. The others I tilt as needed. You can call Mike Hunter and he will tell you which one he recommends to use for which situation. Or I could call John Lucas later, I think he tested them while under development and may even have a video on them.

JKJ

I'm making my first box and want to make the knob on top of the lid a ruby (cast from acrylic or epoxy). It'll be a birthday (July's birthstone is a ruby) gift so I wanted the ruby top. I've never tried casting acrylic. I was thinking of using a diamond mold but I'm not sure ow to attach it. If I use a screw from the underside of the lid the threads will be seen. I thought maybe I could cut a hole in the bottom of the mold and put an acrylic rod into the hole so I could make a mortise in the lid and use the rod as a tenon. Any thoughts? Also which product is easier to use? Should I stick with acrylic or would something like liquid diamonds be easier for my first attempt?

My second question is I don't have a swan neck tool. I do have both the hunter osprey carbide tool and a clone with the same style of carbide but mounted flat. Now that I've got some time using them (you don't use them like a scraper) I like them. Looking at the hunter swan neck tools they come in two different styles. The top one has the cutter mounted at an angle so get at the hard to reach area. To use this style cutter you rotate it to adjust how much it removes. The tool tool has the carbide close to how you would use it. The second tool down I'm thinking that as you rotate it you would defeat the swan neck bend. Does anyone else have a hunter swan neck tool? The second pick down is where I'm at with the box. It's ready to dry before it's final turning. But I'm going to need to get under the side of the box.

box.jpg

[JohnC Lucas]

John answered most of your questions. Here is my video on using the Hunter swan neck tools. Hopefully it will help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFW5ODChWkI&t=8s

[Alex Zeller]

This is what I'm talking about. It's a silicone mold in the shape of a diamond. Nothing fancy like casting something into the epoxy/ acrylic just thinking of mixing in some red dye. I've seen the ones already made but how to attach it to the lid is where I'm stumped. It's going to be translucent so a screw would be visible.

Having never done it I'm just relying on what I've read. My original thought was just to get a flat back acrylic gem and glue it to the top of the knob. I then thought about just getting a short piece of acrylic rod off ebay and just make the whole knob for the top from it. But I read that rods are extruded and it's more likely to melt and chip vs cast acrylic. Melting wouldn't be too much of an issue, just add some more time cleaning it up but chipping would be frustrating. I also don't have jaws for my chuck that could hold the rod (maybe pen blank jaws would work?) so while I like the idea of expanding my skills/ learning something new I wasn't looking on investing a lot of money into something that I may not like the look of. Someday I may start making pens but as of now it's not a big interest. I'm just trying to come up with something a little different than just a wooden lid.

[Alex Zeller]

Interesting video. This laptop doesn't have good speakers so I could only watch but will watch it again when I can listen too. I've been rotating the tool more than what the video shows so it cuts less aggressively. The non Hunter carbide tool is pretty much the same as the straight Hunter tool. I'll play around with it after watching the video again and maybe pick up a few tips. While this box has a 6" diameter hole I could see making something with a smaller hole in the future. I think both would be useful but maybe the one for doing the hard to reach area would be the one to start out with.

[Chris A Lawrence]

Just cut a 1/16 to 1/8 deep recess in the lid that matches the diameter and angle of the casting bottom. Then epoxy it in. Thats what i would do with something like that.

[John K Jordan]

... But I read that rods are extruded and it's more likely to melt and chip vs cast acrylic. Melting wouldn't be too much of an issue, just add some more time cleaning it up but chipping would be frustrating. I also don't have jaws for my chuck that could hold the rod (maybe pen blank jaws would work?) so while I like the idea of expanding my skills/ learning something new I wasn't looking on investing a lot of money into something that I may not like the look of...

You can't believe everything you read. Acrylic rods are available extruded and some are cast acrylic. I only use cast acrylic for turning and machine, as per advice from the experienced. Cast acrylic is available in a wide variety of color, shapes, and sizes. I don't like working with extruded acrylic.

Cast acrylic stock turns well, machines well, files well, sands well, polishes easily, and the finished surface is more durable than extruded acrylic. I've had no chipping. The clarity is exceptional. Most of my rods are 1.5" in diameter and I cut them down as needed, into quarters when I want to make something small. I keep a wide variety of colors. I hold pieces of cast acrylic with a variety of methods, usually in chuck jaws but also in collets. I cut with a variety of woodturning and woodworking tools.

acrylic_top_yellow_small.jpg acrylic_green_bell.jpg aluminum_brass_plastic.jpg acrylic_IMG_5667.jpg acrylic_IMG_5714.jpg

Read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_acrylic
If you can turn and work with wood you can work with acrylic (or aluminum or brass).

JKJ

[Alex Zeller]

From what I understand most shapes (like rods) are extruded. For what I want a cheap cut off would work just fine. The problem is finding someone who can verify that it's cast without buying an 8' length of something I only need a few inches. I certainly would like to try turning cast acrylic.

[JohnC Lucas]

From what I understand most shapes (like rods) are extruded. For what I want a cheap cut off would work just fine. The problem is finding someone who can verify that it's cast without buying an 8' length of something I only need a few inches. I certainly would like to try turning cast acrylic.

John I don't know if this was cast or extruded. It was from a 3' x1" piece of clear rod I purchased years ago. It turns quite well. You have seen my miniature cake stand but maybe some others haven't.

[John K Jordan]

From what I understand most shapes (like rods) are extruded. For what I want a cheap cut off would work just fine. The problem is finding someone who can verify that it's cast without buying an 8' length of something I only need a few inches. I certainly would like to try turning cast acrylic.

Either cast or extruded rod is equally available. You can know exactly what type it is if you buy it new.

You don't have to buy an 8' length. I bought rods in 4' lengths, quite reasonable compared to the rest of this hobby - especially in smaller diameters. (I'd like some 3" diameter but they are pretty high.) I don't remember where I bought rod but Sir Google shows lots of sources, including these:

http://www.delviesplastics.com/p/Col...rylic_Rod.html (Probably where I bought some)
https://www.emcoplastics.com/acrylic-rod/
http://www.sdplastics.com/castacryliccoloredrod.html

and more.

I see it advertised on Ebay too.
Maybe someone is selling short pieces.

If you know other turners, all you have to do is show a few things you've made at a turning club and you can likely sell all of the rod you don't want to keep.

JKJ