Turning Polyester VS Acrylic

[Bad Badger]

Can anyone who has turned both for shaving handles chime in on how easily Polyester turns and polishes VS Acrylic?

I've turned Acrylic before and it was a mega mess sending chips all over my shop... that said, it did polish up beautifully.

I'm hoping to learn that Polyester turns much nicer and still polishes up well.

Thanks in advance!

 

[stone and strop]

Can't say I've ever turned Acrylic. Very sharp tools will help. Chippiness will be ever present I would think.
Polyester turns very nice as does cast epoxy resin in the right hardness.
Polishing polyester can be finicky in the sharp transition profiles. You'll almost get there finish sanding then it heats up out of nowhere and becomes rough necessitating re-sanding from the lower grit back up only to happen again and again. A lower speed then normal for sanding I would recommend.
Quick short bursts of sanding thin or sharp transitions will get you there. Otherwise it polishes nicely.
TGN polyester rods I have used successfully.

 

[CigarSmoka]

There are a few different types of acrylic blanks, and IMO all of them polish a little better than poly, which will polish noticeably better than Alumilite. Most acrylic is more brittle than poly too. Light passes with razor sharp tools at high speed are the key to success, and expect some blowouts. Roughing them to round is a chore and where chunks tend to fly off. If you cast poly blanks in pvc they’re already a cylinder which makes them a lot easier to turn from the start. IME the little difference in shine that you *may* achieve with acrylic isn’t worth the hassle compared to poly. Besides, making your own blanks is half the fun and they’ll look far different from the commercial acrylic blanks so your work will stand out from the others.