Making acrylic pen blanks?

I’d rather work polycarbonate.
Methyl methacrylate (Lucite Acrylic Perspex) takes on stresses when machined and they develop later as crazing: a whitish cloud of micro cracks

You can anneal it but it takes a 8 hours and temp must be ramped

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Good to know – not the best project to take on, then. Thanks!

I don’t know all the proper scientific names, but I have turned a product called with the marketing name of corian. It is usually used for kitchen countertops.

Turning it went well. However, to get the right look you need an some special finishing products and an ultra fine sanding mesh. It’s been a while so I can’t give you details on what you need to properly finish the pen.

Note – I am a recovering penalcohoic.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

double post because I’m redundant

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There are plenty of Pen people who work Methyl methacrylate and seem to like it.
I’ve done endless hours of machine tool operations on the stuff making laboratory equipment and it stress crazed like who dun it unless we annealed it in a custom oven Then one day the engineers found Polycarbonate and it was like God let us back into the Garden of Eden.

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I make pen blanks out of polyester resin, some use alumilite and woodcraft Sells acrylics. I do not know the exact scientific name that they are using but they turn well with sharp tools. Also, they polish up great…look at my projects to see my Xmas pen.

For a few dollars I would give it a try.

Grub

-- Science Teacher by Day, Wood Butcher by Night!!