Acrylic scale polishing pics

[oakeshott]

I've been waiting all summer for some time to make some acrylic scales and this last week finally had the time and material. Plus, another member wanted a different set of scales on a razor I sold him, so now I even had a purpose. I was a bit worried because I'd tried once before with plastic clipboards and that was a disaster. This time, however, I got some 6"x1.5"x1.5" blanks of cast acrylic which turned out to be a delight to work with. The same company also sold a micro mesh kit that went from 1500 to 12k grit which I also purchased.

The transformation of the inlace acrylic from its original appearance to final polish is amazing. Take a lolooks his is two different castings. The two middle pieces have hade some preliminary polishing up to about 400 grit. Compare to the outside pieces which are not sanded.

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A closeup.
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Here are pics from the second set I made(cracked the first ones through stupidity and haste):

just roughed and made flat on the belt sander.
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After final shaping, attached wedge and everything sanded to 220gr
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2k grit

 

[oakeshott]

This is the end result after working an entire progression up to 12k

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All I have is my iPad camera and it doesn't really capture how nicely these scales transform with some polishing, but I'm very pleased. Much more pleased than with my efforts in wood. In person, it looks like abalone shell.

 

[otto76]

Cool! I made some cast acrylic once but didn't put enough hardener in I think, didn't come out so well. Looks like yours went better.

 

[oakeshott]

Cool! I made some cast acrylic once but didn't put enough hardener in I think, didn't come out so well. Looks like yours went better.

You flatter me. This was, as we said on the farm, boughten. I didn't make the acrylic.

 

[MilkyLee]

Where did you get the blanks and micromesh kit from?

 

[otto76]

You flatter me. This was, as we said on the farm, boughten. I didn't make the acrylic.

Yeesh, I read your post too fast! Over caffeinated today, sorry about that.

Edit- Doesn't take away from the fact you made a really pretty set of scales with it, nice job!

 

[oakeshott]

Where did you get the blanks and micromesh kit from?

http://www.woodturningz.com/Inlace_Acrylester_Spindle_Blanks.aspx

 

[eaterofdog]

Nice, 6" pieces. Gonna have to try that stuff.

 

[Gamma]

Nice stuff. Looks real good, gotta get a blade in them now.