# At what temperature should I stop turning resin blanks



## Teeball (Dec 15, 2013)

I have been turning for 6 months and everything has been going well. This past week all of a sudden the ACRYLIC BLANKS ARE STARTING TO CHIP RATHER THEN SHAVE OFF. the temperature has been in the low 40's. Do you think its too cold to continue . Should I wait till the temp. is over 50. My roughing gouge has just been sharpened, and then I go to my Easy Wood Tools including the pen turner. Give me your experiences please. Thanks Tommy :at-wits-end: :embarrassed: :beer:


----------



## Ed McDonnell (Dec 15, 2013)

If you keep your resin blanks in a warmer location until you are ready to work on them that should solve your problem.  The air temp you turn in won't matter to the blanks.  Just don't let the resin blanks themselves get too cold.  It will definitely make them more brittle.

If it's so cold you are shivering and shaking while holding the tools then that could be a sign it is too cold to continue....

Ed


----------



## toddlajoie (Dec 15, 2013)

My lathe is in my unheated garage, and I regularly turn acrylics all winter. The water I use for Micromesh often has a good layer of ice on it (which I dump and fill with warm water to use, mainly to keep my fingers warm, not to keep the MM warm...) and I can't say I've had any problems with chipping unless I get aggressive with cutting. I don't use a gouge other than rounding, and don't have carbide tools. I mainly use a small skew as both a cutter and scrapper. So I guess my point is, it is not necessary to not turn acrylics under normal-cold conditions (I can't speak to negative temps, but I can say I often stop turning only because my hands get cold and I think wearing gloves is a dangerous idea...) You may need to lighten your cutting, depending on your style, I have a light touch always, and prefer to go slow no matter what...


----------



## mredburn (Dec 15, 2013)

Preheating the blanks in the house will help.. We had a problem surface a couple of years ago where the blanks were shattering while drilling.  The thermal expansion from the friction of the drill bit in a cold blank caused them to shatter.


----------



## Leviblue (Dec 15, 2013)

I've not had any issues with turning acrylics in cold weather. But the reasoning others have provided sounds plausible. Keep the blanks inside until you are ready to turn them. Are the blanks PR, Alumilite or something like acrylister (spelling)?

I have had the issue where the blanks were made and they had a more brittle area that would chip out. My guess is that the resin wasn't mixed properly throughout.


----------



## KenV (Dec 15, 2013)

I have been turning long thin ornaments with acrylic blanks down to about 2 mm with beads and other details in a cold garage with single digit temperatures on the other side of the garage door.   40s at the lathe.

Tools need to be kept sharp and feed rates light or the dredded buzzzz of chipping can be heard.  Some are more sensitive than others, but cooler temperatures mean I need to focus on clean cuts and not tru to "hog off" the blank.  

If it is chipping look at your tool edges and technique.   Cutting uphill and taking not controlling the size of the cut are generally causes if chipping.


----------



## butchf18a (Dec 16, 2013)

I concur with all those that suggest keeping your acrylics inside. Warmer blank will have more resilience and far less brittle and reduce likelihood of chipping. Sharp tools always important.
 When cold I will drill blank outside then work inside to epoxy tubes into them. I will leave them inside until turned then back inside for assembly. Haven't had any problems working this methodology, sure they are other methods which work, this works for me.


----------



## Jim Burr (Dec 16, 2013)

Wondering if you poured these yourself Tommy. Sometimes, I get in a rush making blanks and add a few more drops of catalyst. This also makes the blanks more "chippy". Been in the 20's here in the mornings and I did a couple PR's, but no more chippy than usual. Just another angle to think about.


----------



## Teeball (Dec 16, 2013)

Guys thanks for all the answers. I don' t pour my own, probably on a future list. It must be my technique and trying to do more faster. I found out more and faster don't work, I do this for fun and enjoy it. So I will slow down , and keep the resins I want to work with in the house till I am ready to turn. Again thanks for your opinions, I get good tid-bits on a daily basis from this forum.


----------



## Mason Kuettel (Dec 18, 2013)

I regularly have my acrylic blanks in my pockets while in the cold shop (AKA garage).  If I plan ahead (yeah, right!) I bring some blanks inside the house for a few hours, if not, I start with a wood blank while the one in my pocket heats up a bit.


----------



## ianjwebster (Dec 18, 2013)

When your fingers go numb!!!!


----------



## Marko50 (Jan 6, 2014)

I turn in my garage as well. I find that a large cup of steaming hot chocolate does the trice!


----------



## edstreet (Jan 6, 2014)

ianjwebster said:


> When your fingers go numb!!!!



should be when the job is done


----------



## pensbydesign (Jan 6, 2014)

i would look at your tool to see if its sharp or sharpened the same way as when you started. easy to change angle a little  depending on what u use to sharpen. find i had to accept 40 dec will make a difference


----------



## randyrls (Jan 6, 2014)

I have a bank of 4 clamp lights just above my lathe.  During the winter, I swap one of the CFL's for a small heat lamp.


----------

