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Thread: Cutting acrylic with adhesive?

  1. #1

    Cutting acrylic with adhesive?

    Hello!

    I do mostly vinyl work for cars and just use my laser mostly for gifts for friends but have had a request from a customer to see if I can make him an emblem out of laser cut acrylic. I live in a small town so everything I get has to be online and mailed to me. I think I have found some sheets of colored acrylic on Amazon for $200 for 20 different 12"x24" colored sheets where I might be able to specify which colors I want... maybe. LOL I'm not sure if this is good acrylic or not or a good price so if you have a recommendation for the best place to get acrylic I'd love to know what you recommend! Then, the other part of this is since it's going to be an emblem on the exterior of a car, I need good weatherproof thin and preferably black adhesive that will hold up to getting wet. I've looked for some 12"x24" adhesive sheets on Amazon that I can just apply to the entire sheet of acrylic but not having any luck. I have found some 4" stuff in a 33' roll that looks like it'll work if I just butt the strips next to each other.

    Anyway, any advice from you experts or where to get this stuff and if they even sell colored acrylic with the adhesive already installed or if I'm better buying the acrylic and putting on the adhesive myself in either an entire sheet or layer 4" strips? And then of course if you have a link where you get yours that would be awesome!

    Thanks!!!
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  2. #2
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    I've a customer for whom I buy acrylic sheets in a couple of thickness from McMaster-Carr. They are usually a bit higher than other locations, but for this customer, they specified a thickness that is between what most other suppliers carry, and they had already specified the MC part number in their RFQ. So I buy from them. They have a lot of colored also. I used some double stick adhesive that is not 3M on a batch of tags the other day. This was on back of gemini two color material. The adhesive was applied and then I lasered. NOT again. The adhesive OR the backer stinks to high heaven when lasered. I'll just hand cut next time. I've got good extraction, but not good enough for that odor. Worse than leather.
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  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by John Lifer View Post
    I've a customer for whom I buy acrylic sheets in a couple of thickness from McMaster-Carr. They are usually a bit higher than other locations, but for this customer, they specified a thickness that is between what most other suppliers carry, and they had already specified the MC part number in their RFQ. So I buy from them. They have a lot of colored also. I used some double stick adhesive that is not 3M on a batch of tags the other day. This was on back of gemini two color material. The adhesive was applied and then I lasered. NOT again. The adhesive OR the backer stinks to high heaven when lasered. I'll just hand cut next time. I've got good extraction, but not good enough for that odor. Worse than leather.
    I will check out McMaster-Carr and be aware of the fumes! Thank you!
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  4. #4
    Sounds like you need a few scraps of thin- 1/16"? - cast acrylic or maybe some outdoor-rated Rowmark or similar, rather than $200 worth of you-don't-know-what stuff--?

    Basic plexiglass is near bulletproof for outdoor use, as is Rowmark's Lasermax.

    Do you need bright glossy, or more of a matte? What colors? Does light passing thru matter? (probably not for an emblem). Rowmark's lasermax (usually matte) or 'slicker' series (glossy) should cover what you need---

    Look up Delvies Plastics online. They're 5 miles from me, been my main source of engraving supplies for near 1/2 a century. They'll have anything you need. They'll also apply 3M's ADA signage adhesive to anything you want. Pretty sure they'll ship to you. Once you have a good idea of what you need, call them-- once the machine picks up, press 2 - that's Debbie's extension- when she answers (if not leave a message), explain who and where you are, and that Kevin suggested you call...
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  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Kev Williams View Post
    Sounds like you need a few scraps of thin- 1/16"? - cast acrylic or maybe some outdoor-rated Rowmark or similar, rather than $200 worth of you-don't-know-what stuff--?

    Basic plexiglass is near bulletproof for outdoor use, as is Rowmark's Lasermax.

    Do you need bright glossy, or more of a matte? What colors? Does light passing thru matter? (probably not for an emblem). Rowmark's lasermax (usually matte) or 'slicker' series (glossy) should cover what you need---

    Look up Delvies Plastics online. They're 5 miles from me, been my main source of engraving supplies for near 1/2 a century. They'll have anything you need. They'll also apply 3M's ADA signage adhesive to anything you want. Pretty sure they'll ship to you. Once you have a good idea of what you need, call them-- once the machine picks up, press 2 - that's Debbie's extension- when she answers (if not leave a message), explain who and where you are, and that Kevin suggested you call...
    Awesome! Thank you! I'm looking for glossy, probably several colors because I can offer this to others too, prefer solid appears where light doesn't pass through.

    I will check them out. Thank you so much!
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  6. #6
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    The 3M 468 PSA works very well with acrylic and can be pre-applied and cut without any issues. But I'm not sure I'd trust it for automotive/exterior use. The stuff that is normally used for car emblems/trim/etc is much stronger, but I'd check out its liner material very carefully for PVC before using it in the laser.

    There's also the problem that, while thin acrylic is quite flexible, unless you're able to pre-mold it to the surface it will be applied to, it will be continually pulling at the adhesive around the edges, especially on compound curves. And there are very few truly flat surfaces on most cars.
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  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud View Post
    The 3M 468 PSA works very well with acrylic and can be pre-applied and cut without any issues. But I'm not sure I'd trust it for automotive/exterior use. The stuff that is normally used for car emblems/trim/etc is much stronger, but I'd check out its liner material very carefully for PVC before using it in the laser.

    There's also the problem that, while thin acrylic is quite flexible, unless you're able to pre-mold it to the surface it will be applied to, it will be continually pulling at the adhesive around the edges, especially on compound curves. And there are very few truly flat surfaces on most cars.
    Thanks! I'll definitely keep that in mind about the adhesive containing PVC. Where I'm looking to use this is actually flat so should work ok. Thanks!
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