Machining Plastic

[mkeuer]

Does anyone have experience with one of these machining plastic? Wondering about speeds and feeds to not melt the plastic.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

[Loudspeakerboy]

I just cut some HDPE last night (the stuff the sharks are made out of). I was using a slow, 25 inches per minute feed rate and it was just fine. Everything I do with my Shark involves small bits of ebony, and rosewood so I tend to run slower feed rates. I believe the sign making folk run their machines much faster.

There are several threads about cutting Cast Acrylic on this forum. Have a look around...

I also wanted to mention how nice it is to hang out on a forum where people don't get flamed for asking basic/beginner questions.. Thanks M

[sk8nmike]

Check the Vectric Forum, there is loads of post there about carving plastic, acrilic and lexan.

http://www.vectric.com/forum/

[winreboot]

I cut some plastics and it all depends on the bit. In my try and error I use O down cut flute .125 and have my colt set on 2 for some what clean cut. Feed rate 100 ipm or more. What I notice the best is fast feed rate and about 20k rpm's do the trix. Then for the edges use some 220 sand paper follow by 500 and pencil torch to make edges very shiny.