# Inlace acrylester



## crabcreekind (May 20, 2011)

I am wondering if inlace acrylester is worse than acrylic acetate. They recomened that i dont drill through the end of the blank, which is dumb and i have a colt bit so that doesnt matter. 
So what im trying to say is should i be scared from buying inlace acrylester blanks because they are to easy to break?


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## jimm1 (May 20, 2011)

I don't go near inlace acrylester anymore.


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## PenMan1 (May 20, 2011)

Yes, IA IS worse than AA. No, stopping short isn't dumb. And, I think I have every Colt bit made, through the entire 5 Star series and every Colt Pen Maker's bit. When you go through the back end of the blank (even at 200 rpms), you think life is good until you see the little "earthquake" start at the little chip and work its way to the other end of the blank.

ON MY BEST DAY, this stuff is a royal pain! Then, once you finally succeed it making a pen from it, it's nothing special. There is a world of wonderful materials out there that DO make wonderful pens. Give that crap to newbie!


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## Buzzzz4 (May 20, 2011)

Take it easy and slow. Doesn't matter what kind of bit you have. If you do want to drill all the way through have it tight against scrap wood underneath. It is brittle stuff.


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## PenMan1 (May 20, 2011)

I'll bet $100 that if you are successful in making even a slimeline pen with it, it cracks within 6 months. I have better luck with walrus tusk (notorious for cracking) than IA.

In the odd chance that you do get it drilled without an immediate crack, don't even think of touching it with a pen mill!


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## ldb2000 (May 21, 2011)

I love Inlace Acrylester . It is by far the most brittle of all the acrylics but it also has the greatest depth and shine as well . Inlace is just another formula of Polyester resin but it is much more brittle . Don't think for a minute that your Colt drill bits give you any special powers when working with this stuff , the only thing that works is sharp tools and GOOD technique . Drilling short and cutting off the excess IS good technique , the type of drill bit don't really matter , I use a HF set of bits and I haven't blown out an inlace blank in ages . 
When turning it , do not get aggressive with your cuts or it WILL chip and shatter . A SCARY sharp skew is the best tool to use with a good shearing cut . Avoid chip out at all costs because if it chips , it fractures deep and will shatter at the drop of a hat .
If you ever think of going kitless , Inlace is NOT the best stuff to learn on . It is difficult to turn without support from tubes and it does NOT thread easily . With kit pens it's a little more forgiving but not much and you MUST paint your tubes and the inside of the hole or the tubes will show through .
With all that said , Inlace blanks are worth learning to turn . The final results can be stunning and will create some of the best looking pens you will ever make .


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## ldb2000 (May 21, 2011)

PenMan1 said:


> I'll bet $100 that if you are successful in making even a slimeline pen with it, it cracks within 6 months. I have better luck with walrus tusk (notorious for cracking) than IA.
> 
> In the odd chance that you do get it drilled without an immediate crack, don't even think of touching it with a pen mill!


 

Andy , can I take you up on that bet ??? I have a KITLESS fountain pen made with it and it has been a daily writer for over 2 years now . It has been dropped numerous times and still looks as shiny as the day I made it . 
When drilling inlace the most important thing to remember is to take your time . Don't force the bit , let it CUT the hole . If you force it it will fracture from the inside and will shatter while you are turning it .

Edit:
As for "pen mills" my personal opinion is that they are NOT good technique . You are far better off either "Facing" the blank on the lathe or using a sanding mill . Pen mills are way too aggressive to be used for getting a clean face on any blank .


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## nava1uni (May 21, 2011)

I have done inlace.  After learning about not drilling through the end I haven't found it anymore difficult then some other PR blanks.  I have learned to do gentle cuts on everything and it all works much better.  Sharp tools, light cuts and it finishes great.


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## Spats139 (May 21, 2011)

I am also a fan of the Inlace Acrylester blanks. I've turned dozens of different colours and nothing else that I've done matches them for depth and beauty when carefully finished. There are lots of materials I haven't used yet that may be as good, but for now, when I want something special I'm never disappointed with IA.


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## CREID (May 21, 2011)

PenMan1 said:


> Yes, IA IS worse than AA. No, stopping short isn't dumb. And, I think I have every Colt bit made, through the entire 5 Star series and every Colt Pen Maker's bit. When you go through the back end of the blank (even at 200 rpms), you think life is good until you see the little "earthquake" start at the little chip and work its way to the other end of the blank.
> 
> ON MY BEST DAY, this stuff is a royal pain! Then, once you finally succeed it making a pen from it, it's nothing special. There is a world of wonderful materials out there that DO make wonderful pens. Give that crap to newbie!


 
Noooooooooo don't give that crap to newbie.
They may never turn again. I have never had a good result with inlace. The blanks look like they will be great when you turn them but ya get disappointed from all the work and the results.

Curt


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## Hess (May 21, 2011)

I cut more IL them anything else

drill it low and all the way.

Turn about mid speed with the tool ken makes and take light light cuts.  I have not had one single crack AFTER the turning

Yep a PIA but very well worth it most the time

And I use a pen mill on each one you just have to be nice to it dont push it


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## arw01 (May 21, 2011)

Is the Inlace we are talking about here the stuff that Rockler sells?


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## hunter-27 (May 21, 2011)

Well  now I need to go to the shop and turn one just to prove I still can.  I used to use it regularly when starting out.  No problems that I recall, just have not used it in awhile.  I think I'll change that this weekend.  MY PITH blank needs re-done after its failure, so while it is drying I'll toss an Inlace blank on and give it a spin (literally).


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## its_virgil (May 21, 2011)

So I suppose drilling short and trimming to length is just one of many dumb things I do. I drill short and trim most all blanks. Don"t like inlace blanks,
Do a good turn daily!
Don




crabcreekind said:


> .mmm, which is dumb....?


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## witz1976 (May 21, 2011)

I hear everyone say how Inlace is not for beginners, however in my warped twisted mind, I feel it is one of the BEST materials to work with.  Here is why.  It is by far one of the cheapest yet most challenging stuff to work with.  I learned on inlace and yet as frustrating as it was, I was able to learn how the importance the basics are.  From remembering to use scarey sharp tools to taking light cuts while riding the bevel on the skew.  Once you learn how to turn inlace all the other materials turn easier and you are not sweating bullets when you go to turn your first $20 blank.

Just my $0.02 worth.


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## tjseagrove (May 21, 2011)

CREID said:
			
		

> Noooooooooo don't give that crap to newbie.
> 
> Curt



THANK YOU for sticking up for me....  

Tom


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## bnoles (May 21, 2011)

I sure hope you nay sayers are wrong... I just received 10 of these blanks from Woodturningz today and was looking forward to having a go at one.  Barry Gross made it look doable for a rookie like me.... hmmm time will tell and more to come


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## hunter-27 (May 21, 2011)

For all those that hate the "crap", PM me and I will provide you a place to mail it so it is not in your way anymore.


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## PenMan1 (May 21, 2011)

Sorry, I didn't mean to be so passionate about IA. The depth of the IA always diappiunts me when compared to Dawn's, Brooks or my PR blanks. They are difficult to work and particularly partial to VERY sharp tools and very slow sanding.

I should have just agreed with Don that "I am not a fan".


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## tjseagrove (May 21, 2011)

hunter-27 said:
			
		

> For all those that hate the "crap", PM me and I will provide you a place to mail it so it is not in your way anymore.



I was about to say the same so I can practice to refine my technique along with 2 of my sons...we have 3 times the practicing to do.  Now we need 2 more lathes!!!

Tom


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## thewishman (May 21, 2011)

I drill, usually leaving the blank a bit long, just in case. I use my pen mills - not a problem.

Inlace is beautiful and shines very well. Their is a slight "grippiness" to the finished blank that is a real plus for me.

If you DO chip out a chunk, you can take the dust, pack it in the hole with CA and you can almost never see where the chunk was. That is a real plus for Inlace Acrylester.


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## PenMan1 (May 21, 2011)

It doesn't like my tools, either. I only make wood pens on special order, so I have no use for HSS tools. IA doesn't do as well for me as PR, bone, Alumalite, aluminum, or brass where I use my carbide tipped cutters.


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## alphageek (May 21, 2011)

When I first started with Acrylics... I found that I loved the inlace ones because of their 'depth', but hated the chippy aspect of them.   I did turn a mixture of those and other PR blanks.

However, some of the best acrylics makers have worked out how to get pretty much the same depth without the pain.    I havn't turned an inlace blank in about a year because of that.


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## mtcsss (May 21, 2011)

I have worked with all types of acrylic and PR. I have found from my experience that IA is easy to drill as long as you don' go through the bottom and easy to turn with a sharp skew. The real trouble with it is that it is so brittle that if the finished pen is ever dropped, it will most certainly break. PR is just as easy to color and create really cool blanks with but is elastic enough to take some pretty mean punishment. AA is great to turn but you are limited to color choices on the market. 

Not drilling through the bottom of your blank is not dumb. It is just being cautious and not asking for potential problems. I never drill through the bottom of any blank ever. Since starting this practice, I have never broken a blank on the drill press since.


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## crabcreekind (May 21, 2011)

mtcsss said:


> I have worked with all types of acrylic and PR. I have found from my experience that IA is easy to drill as long as you don' go through the bottom and easy to turn with a sharp skew. The real trouble with it is that it is so brittle that if the finished pen is ever dropped, it will most certainly break. PR is just as easy to color and create really cool blanks with but is elastic enough to take some pretty mean punishment. AA is great to turn but you are limited to color choices on the market.
> 
> Not drilling through the bottom of your blank is not dumb. It is just being cautious and not asking for potential problems. I never drill through the bottom of any blank ever. Since starting this practice, I have never broken a blank on the drill press since.



I have found that when i drill blanks, i go reallly really reallly slow when i know im getting to the end. Also i havent blown up a blank since i got colt bits. I am still really careful with them to.


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## Dan_F (May 21, 2011)

My last experience with Inlace ended when I dropped a fully turned cap section, and it broke. This was not even assembled into a pen yet, and weighed practically nothing. I can't imagine a fully assembled pen, with the additional weight faring very well under any sort of impact. 

Dan


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## ed4copies (May 21, 2011)

its_virgil said:


> So I suppose drilling short and trimming to length is just one of many dumb things I do. I drill short and trim most all blanks. Don"t like inlace blanks,
> Do a good turn daily!
> Don
> 
> ...



Me too.  But, then I did waste hundreds of blanks BEFORE there was an internet source of information.  There are certainly alternatives to the "stop short and cut off" method.  But, that method has saved me a lot of "scrap blanks".

FWIW


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## Rob73 (May 21, 2011)

I ended up getting a lot of bookmark kits, turning the lathe up to 2K rpm and using up the rest of my IA blanks with those.   I cut them into 3/8 slices and probably get 4 out or 5 that don't chip.  It was that or just throw them in the trash lol.


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