# Turning Corian - Best Practice



## rpasto92 (Jul 25, 2006)

I have turned maybe 1/2 dozen corian pens and I am in the process of making 24 more for an order.  My dilema is, it takes me FOREVER to make one.  It's like trying to cut wood with a butter knife...so my question to all of you is, have you any suggestions on speeding up the process of taking corian down to final shape?  What is the best tool to use (scraper, skew, gouge)?  Should I try to sand it down on the lathe?  ANy tips will be greatly appreciated.


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## Dario (Jul 25, 2006)

I never turned corian so I am now curious.  I always thought it turns like regular PR blanks...which actaully turns a bit slower than wood for me but finishes a lot faster.

I'll be watching this thread []


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## clewless (Jul 25, 2006)

I take the corners off on the belt sander, then use a 1/2 inch shallow gouge to get it to the final stages then switch to the skew.  I turn at the 2nd highest speed on my Jet mini.

Once over with each of the micromesh grades and a quick buff with White Diamond.

Voila!  I think it's faster than PR becasue there's less waste to remove when starting with 1/2 inch blanks.


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## Rifleman1776 (Jul 25, 2006)

For more info on turning corian, check out this thread:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15986&SearchTerms=corian


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## jthompson1995 (Jul 25, 2006)

I've only turned 1 corian pen, but it did not seem much harder to turn than a dense wood.  Like Joe, I used a skew and the shape came pretty quick.. MM'd to 12000 and that's it.  I've had some success with other acrylic blanks just sanding to 400 then buffing with tripoli and white diamond and got very nice results with a lot less time and labor than MM.  I may have gotten lucky with it, but after reading all the posts here, I was almost chanting "sharp tools, light cuts" as I was turning it and it worked fine[].

Jason


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## rpasto92 (Jul 25, 2006)

so it souds like if I run it fast and build up friction heat it will probably get softer and tutn easier?


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## bonefish (Jul 25, 2006)

Run slow or fast, but avoid friction heat. If heat is building, something is wrong--dull tools, making heavy cuts, holding tool at wrong angle, etc.

Take JT Thompsons advice and you shouldn't have any problem. 

Something that might help is to keep a squirt bottle handy and wet the corian with water as it turns. This will both lubricate and cool.

Some people do not like to wet their turnings with water, because it gets on the lathe.

When I finish turning, I just wipe it off. 

Something else to try would be to lay a towel over the lathe bed, under the turning. The towel would absorb some of the moisture.

Bonefish


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## clewless (Jul 25, 2006)

> _Originally posted by jthompson1995_
> <br />almost chanting "sharp tools, light cuts" as I was turning it and it worked fine[].
> 
> Jason



Jason hit the nail on the head...heat is always your enemy...I've never had it get hot..think sharp tools, light cuts"


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## Butcher (Jul 25, 2006)

Knock the corners off on the belt sander or bandsaw.  SHARP tools and LIGHT cuts is the best.

Heat is the enemy.  If you get way carried away it will start to melt (DAMHIKT [B)]).

I wet sand up through the MM and then plastic polish as the final step.

It does take a little longer then a good hard wood but the results are worth it.


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## elody21 (Jul 26, 2006)

Ryan, I have literally done thousands of corian slimlines for the company. I would be happy to send you or post pictures and directions for a very fast way if you like. I am busy in my bakery this morning but can get my son to take the pictures this afternoon or late morning. Alice


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## thewishman (Jul 26, 2006)

> _Originally posted by elody21_
> <br />Ryan, I have literally done thousands of corian slimlines for the company. I would be happy to send you or post pictures and directions for a very fast way if you like. I am busy in my bakery this morning but can get my son to take the pictures this afternoon or late morning. Alice



Alice, please post your techniques (or PM me) - I am working (hoping) on an order for about 500 pens and could use all of the help I can get!

Chris


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## dwilasnd (Aug 1, 2006)

Ok, my question is where do you get a 500 pen order!?!?!?!!?


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## its_virgil (Aug 1, 2006)

And my question is "Why would you want to do a 500 pen order?" I've done a couple of 50 pen orders and I'll never do that many of the same pen again. I hope you land the order(if you really want it) and if so,  I hope you enjoy turning pens aftet you get those 500 done. Give yourself plenty of lead time and require 50% up front. A 500 pen order would be nice, but orders that large are not for me. Good luck.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by dwilasnd_
> <br />Ok, my question is where do you get a 500 pen order!?!?!?!!?


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## 53Jim (Aug 1, 2006)

I have done a couple of corian pens.   This was the first one.




<br />

The only tools I used were a roughing gouge, till I got near the final shape, than I switched to a skew.   It deffinately took a bit longer than wood, but it weren't bad.

I know most of the joints could be tighter, and the photo stinks, but hey, I was a rookie back than.   If I had more ambition, I'd try it again.

Good luck with your corian.


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## Firefyter-emt (Aug 2, 2006)

I just got in the mail a large box of Corian (a pile about 12" x 12" x 4") I tried some el-cheapo CA and clamped it with 2 wood vice clamps. I let is sit about an hour and it split about 80% of the way while drilling. (light handed too) What is the best glue and where do I get myself some of it??


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## woodbychuck1 (Aug 3, 2006)

Ryan, 
I have turned a fair amount of corian pens ( appx 125) and for me the thing that works the best is a sharp 3/4" roughing gouge till I get down close to the profile I want then mini skew or mini roughing gouge then the sanding and finishing
Charles


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## rpasto92 (Aug 3, 2006)

Thanks for all who replied...I have taken some advise and did some of my own trial and error and they are getting easier.  When I made the post I had made less then 6 corian pens...since then I have made 17 more and experience alone is helping me find what works best for me.  Last night I turned 4 corian cigars in 1 hr and 15 min.  7 more to go to complete this project and then I think I will stay away from corian for a little bit.

On a side note, I got a perfect sized cigar box, from a local tobaco store, for $1 yesterday.  It will be perfect for handing out these corian "cigars" when the baby comes.


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