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Thread: "TG Masking" on Plaskolite acrylic

  1. #1
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    "TG Masking" on Plaskolite acrylic

    I have some Plaskolite 3/16" clear acrylic that has an odd masking on it called "TG Masking". It's vaguely paper-like, but with a smooth outer layer, sort of like resin-coated photo paper. Any clue what it's actually made of, i.e. safe to laser? (Not having any luck getting an answer back from Plaskolite.)

    I'd like to avoid peeling it off and replacing it with transfer paper if possible: there's a lot of it and I already killed most of an afternoon doing that with some other sheets that had that nasty blue poly masking.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
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  2. #2
    Me, I'd just test it on a small bit of a corner. I'd raster it first, low power, just enough to make a mark. If there's any PVC in it, it will turn a rust color, and likely leave some rust looking residue behind. If there's any polycarb in it, you'll get a yellowy residue. I doubt the paper contains either of those--

    found these online, first one is a link to their Product Guide, second one is a Fabrication guide, both PDF's-- in the fab guide, page 9, explains the stuff lasers good, and that paper masked or 3mil film masked works best, doesn't mention TG, but it also doesn't say to NOT laser thru TG...

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...DAoniWmoQ6GqPw

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...90xvjE6q6GLU6e
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Williams View Post
    found these online, first one is a link to their Product Guide, second one is a Fabrication guide, both PDF's-- in the fab guide, page 9, explains the stuff lasers good, and that paper masked or 3mil film masked works best, doesn't mention TG, but it also doesn't say to NOT laser thru TG...
    Yeah, read that, also saw where you can get the stuff from them with either poly, paper, or TG masking. Quite a bit of ambiguity there. Haven't measured it (yet), but the TG stuff certainly feels like more than 3mil.

    Plan was cut-only, probably taking off top layer first anyway: I just use the masking to avoid flashback from the honeycomb. A small test square shouldn't hurt anything too bad...
    Last edited by Lee DeRaud; 05-08-2021 at 2:15 AM.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  4. #4
    A few years ago I lasered 6000 PVC parts trays with very little detriment to my machines, whatever that masking is, I doubt a 1/4" long cut will hurt much

    --after more searching (I wish google would actually search out what I actually asked about rather than some advertisement for it) -- I think I found the patent for the TG paper- I'm fighting the clock at the moment and can't read it just now

    https://patentimages.storage.googlea.../US8911855.pdf

    ^ link to another PDF
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Williams View Post
    I think I found the patent for the TG paper...
    Heh. Remember me saying the surface looked like resin-coated photo paper?
    If I'm reading this right, that's exactly what it is: resin-impregnated paper.

    And, as it turned out when I peeled it back, it's both ridiculously thin and ridiculously strong.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  6. #6
    you'd think something like that- seems like GOOD stuff- would have a little more marketing presence? Unless it's laser resistant, you should have good luck with it!
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Posts
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    And, in case anybody cares at this point, it lasers fine.

    I just need to remember to leave one fingernail unclipped so I can get it peeled off.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

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