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Thread: 3D Carving in Plastic

  1. #1
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    3D Carving in Plastic

    I am making some 3D parts that will be used to make a mold. Before molding one needs to get the parts virtually perfect since the urethane replicates even the finest details. I have made a few 3D parts in wood, but the time to get them ready for molding is a bit more than I like. I have made a number of 2.5d pieces using King Starboard, and it works fantastic since you can easily sand off the tool marks and machine the wood using normal woodwork tools. I am considering milling the 3D parts in Starboard as well now, but I have not tried 3D milling in plastic before. Any thoughts, experiences or another material suggestion?

  2. #2
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    It will carve fine...but you need to be careful of heat. Adjust your speeds/feeds and tooling to be appropriate for the material. I've cut some things in solid surface material (Corian and similar) but haven't experimented with other plastics to-date other than a small dimensional sign in PVC. (I didn't like cutting PVC)
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    Thanks Jim. I decided to try some rigid SM insulation. It is cutting very well so far. I have some coating material for that that is sandable and I found that with careful application I should not have to sand much. I am a bit concerned with removing tool marks from a complicated plastic part, plus its a bit pricey for a one time use. Its fun to experiment and I do not have a timeline for this project.

  4. #4
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    If sanding and coating is kosher, HDU machines really wonderfully and is often used for positives in mold making. The heavier the weight, the more detail it can hold. You can cut in layers for things that are thicker than your machine can support, glue them together (polyurethane glue like Gorilla brand works well) and then sand them out. I absolutely LOVE cutting things in HDU...and it also cuts quietly, too.

    If you want to see a layered application, Jim McGrew did some "life size" chess pieces years ago that are simply amazing. Aspire permits slicing to accomplish this.
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
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    Thanks Jim. I will see if I can find someone that carries HDU in my area.

  6. #6
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    Many sheet goods suppliers carry it as well as sign making suppliers. You can contact major manufacturers to find distributors in your local area. Duna, Signfoam and Precision Board are the biggies.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #7
    If your looking for the ability to have a super hard/smooth polished finish I would consider solid surface though if your profile is thick you'd have to do a good job face laminating your material. Ive done a fair amount of machining in Acrylic, Lexan, and PVC though not in Starboard and the finishes I can get on solid surface beat most anything I get in any other material.

  8. #8
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    Mark, I have some scrap solid surface scraps in 1/2". I might give that a go if I have enough epoxy. Do you slow down your machine much to mill that with a ball nose?

  9. #9
    I dont but I also have never done any mold type work where I was shooting for as close to a perfect surface as possible. But its not uncommon visually to get a very nice finish. The only balnose work I do occasionally would be drainboard stuff and some lettering. Still has to be clean but I'm sure it's not mold level finish. Id think at that level you'd be cleanup passes as thin as you can and wide open at 24k but just a guess.

  10. #10
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    I occasionally get promotional email from the Precision Board folks, one of the HDU manufacturers. They've often shown photos of the material being used in mold making operations. In fact, they will sell custom size/thickness material specifically for that kind of thing to reduce the need to slice and assemble where there is sufficient machine Z axis capacity to cut thicker.
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
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    Thanks Mark. I found some cutting suggestions for solid surface and will give it a try at some point. I don't need a hard surface, but smooth and the ability to sand out fine tool marks would be helpful. This part of the project is a bit of compilation of simple mistakes so far. I have been working on the wood versions I made, and I have them to the point where they will work for making the molds.

    Jim, I saw a few that offered HDU samples or custom services. Same ol problem. I don't need heaps of product, so they are not overly interested. I found that Roger has been known to sell small pieces so I might reach out to him sometime. I also found some dense castable products that are used for milling. I do like the solid surface idea since I can get free scraps from some of my clients.

  12. #12
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    Really, do some "shopping" for off-cuts from shops that use the stuff regularly. The samples from the manufacturers are way too small to cut anything...like 2" rectangles in many cases. But Roger is a possible source for you since you are on the same side of the border for sure! He may even know of shops in your general geography in BC and give you a reference to contact for off-cuts.
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #13
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    I will do some more digging Jim. I would like to try some to see. The coating process with the product I have for the Rigid SM is not great timewise since the surface is 3D. I ended up throwing that piece away.

  14. #14
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    I hope you can find some. And again, the "heavier" the weight, the more detail it will hold, although even 15 or 18 lb isn't too shabby in that respect. It's just grainier. The heavier stuff requires less fill coating to get a really smooth surface.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #15
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    It is not easy to find in my area. I found one guy in the interior of BC, but he lost interest when he understood he would need to pack it up. The wholesaler for sign foam was quite helpful, and seems to be willing to setup an account since I have my own CNC. I am not sure I need a 4'x8' sheet. It was interesting to hear that they do not have any big users in the major western cities. They typically bring it in from Toronto when they have someone that wants it. Price wise it is not that far off from the Starboard. I gather you are a fan of it.

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