Corian or Acrylic? Pros and cons

[Sallen1215]

I just made a lithophane out of 1/4 in corian and 1/4 cast opaque acrylic and the results are very different. The Acrylic is more clear and makes a better resolution picture in the project. However i like the corian much more for a wedding portrait because of the tan overtones of the less translucent material. I would just like to know other peoples thoughts and concerns over the color quality and what you use the different types of materials for.......



Stephen "the not so new guy"

[Kenm810]

I've used several types and colors of Hard Surfaced (Corian) materials and Cast Acrylics, even a few Plastic Cutting Boards from Lowe's.
I still think my over all favorite is 1/4" Bone Corian for it's colored appearance and finished effect when carved.

[quarrydesigns]

Would like to see one of those Lowes cutting boards that had been carved.. any pics?

Daniel

[Kenm810]

Hi Daniel,

This is the Post by JLT that caught my attention and got me started with Poly Cutting Boards
Lithophane of a Gainsborough

[chebytrk]

Hi Daniel,

This is the Post by JLT that caught my attention and got me started with Poly Cutting Boards
Lithophane of a Gainsborough

So are these Poly cutting boards expensive? I imagine you find those in the Kitchen appliances?

[Kenm810]

Hi Jerry,

I bought several 12"x 18" back in 2008 for about $9.00 ea, here's the Thread from Oct-08 Lithophanes as a window accent...

[Gary Koval]

Hey folks,
Just went to my local Lowes, and found out they stopped selling them about 1-2 months ago. They marked them down and sold out of them. Said they weren't getting any more of them in not a big seller I guess.
Gary

[CADRAFTDESIGN]

I am looking for some information on which acrylic to order for Lithophanes. There are 3 common white cast acrylic panels that seem to be consistent among suppliers. They have the number 2447, 3015 and 7328 (coinside with their transluscency). Anyone had any experience to know which is best for backlit lithos?

[DStimpson]

Hey all,

I have a considerable amount of experience cutting Corian, cast acrylics, non-cast acrylics, poly, and other similar materials .... using these materials almost exclusively with my Carvewright. I have gleaned the following facts, or FAQs, if you will:

1. NEVER.....NEVER......NEVER.....use non-cast acrylics for carving......PERIOD !!!!! They don't "carve" as much as "melt". When they melt they stick to your cutting bits, glob up, and cause bit breakage, wailing, and gnashing of teeth...... These materials are most notably represented by the well-known and readily available trade name "Plexi-glass". Avoid them...

2. If you want a clear acrylic for your project, the best material, in my opinion, is a cast acrylic with the trade name "Lexan". This material is strong and very clean cutting, has better scratch resistance than other softer materials. One of it's better known uses is as the canopies of F-16 fighter jets.

3. For semi-transparent applications (designed to be backlit) or opaque applications (engraving), you can't beat Corian. FYI, the Corian tradename is owned by Dupont, and interestingly was originally developed as a human bone replacement material!! How it ended up as a solid surface countertop material beats me. There are a zillion colors of Corian......solid colors, pastels, swirls, flecks, patterns, etc. It is most commonly available in 1/2" thickness, and less commonly 1/4". I have cut both....with 1/2" resulting in better detail and 1/4" being MUCH easier on the machine.

4. Poly cutting boards and similar materials are lower cost alternatives.......with somewhat less acceptable results. Depending on your need, they may just fit the bill. I have used them in the past to "proof" an important project prior to commiting a more expensive piece of Corian or Lexan.

5. All acrylic materials generate a large amount of shavings or dust (depending on your cutting resolution, IE draft, better, best, etc.) and this stuff is tenacious......it sticks to EVERYTHING!! All fancy, high-tech, hot "flavor-of-the-month" dust collection systems not withstanding.....this stuff is difficult at best to get rid of. And it is essential to get rid of, as it doesn't compress well, so when it gets into the cogs and gears, it can cause much grief.

6. Corian, Lexan and the like are pretty hard on your machine. They stress the cut motor more, and the thicker they are, the worse on the macine they are. AC cut motor brushes typically last 250 cutting hours average..........cutting acrylics frequently (as I do) can shorten this to maybe 200-225 hours. Bits need monitoring for dullness.......apparent in the final carve when the project has a kind of "fuzzy" or "blurred" characteristic to it.

7. I normally use only the 1/16" carving, 1/8" carving, 60 degree V, and 90 degree V bits for acrylic carving. No ball-nose, cove, ogee, etc. bits. They remove too much material at once and you will get a "check cut motor" error if there is too much side pressure on the head assembly during the carve.

8. On the positive side.......these materials can be thermo-formed, some can be machined using standard shop equipment, for the most part they can be sanded and painted.

So, I hope this helps......if I think of more, I'll add to this thread.

Good luck, and happy carving!!

[CADRAFTDESIGN]

Here is what I have found, based on my question related to the type of white cast acrylic to use.
2447 is just milky and wont work.
3015 was great except 2 different manufacturers gave 2 different result. 1 is great for a sun cathcer and the other has darker contract and is great when back lit. These are the 2 small pieces in the photo.
7328 is just too light of contrast.
The is all based on .180 and 450 height on 1/4". I bought mine from estreetplastics and have done the math. Based on the sizes and custom shapes I am doing, they run about $3 per 6"x12" piece when you buy (3) 12"x24" sheets shipped to Georgia (maximizes shipping costs per piece)Attachment 46039.
Bottom line - get some samples from your supplier and test it out - unless you have an in to get Corian at a good price - which I don't.