Buying acrylic pen blanks

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Joan Overhouse

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Joined
Oct 3, 2013
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6
Location
Dubuque, Iowa
I buy my own acrylic pen blanks and have been for about 3 years now (but am interested in making my own). Just recently I purchased some acrylic blanks that turned like glass but I noticed the colors of these blanks were a lot prettier. I called the place where I bought them and discovered that they were Polyester Acrylic blanks instead of just regular Acrylic blanks. They chip very easily and I can't describe what the colors look like. They were just more intense. Does any one know why the Polyester blanks are so much more beautiful than regular Acrylic blanks?

Thanks,
Joan
 
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Hmmmm...I too am a little confused. Acrylister maybe? I'm sure I spelled that wrong and spell check didn't help me. That stuff is scary brittle and I don't always see a good difference between that and well cast PR. Casting your own is major fun!!!
 
The commercial acrylic blanks are made in large batches. People casting polyester resin usually do it in small batches and can make them much more interesting.

Some people add more hardener to their castings than others do and that can make them much more chippy. The "chippiness" will vary with each maker and probably with each batch.
 
The blanks I ordered are from Penn State and they were called polyester acrylic. Not fun to turn. I want to make my own blanks but don't know where to start.
 
Joan Overhouse said:
The blanks I ordered are from Penn State and they were called polyester acrylic. Not fun to turn. I want to make my own blanks but don't know where to start.
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The easiest way to start is probably getting casting craft fro Michaels, or Hobby Lobby. There are some good articles in the library section of IAP.

Have fun!!
 
french1

Joan, got to wood n whimsies. He has material and a video on making blanks. Only limit, your imagination.
French1
 
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