Where do you find the best quality acrylic blanks?

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Shibumik

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I have been searching for a great resource for high quality acrylic blanks. I have noted that Penn State has reviews on many of their blanks (awesome even if many are poor), but few other companies do. I have looked at Berea, Penn State and Woodturningz.

I also am woefully ignorant:neutral: of the various acrylics available and their respective qualities also, so any enlightenment or where to find it would be appreciated also.

Thank you so much for your kind direction.
 
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Any of the vendors here have acrylic blanks and are of equal quality. From one vendor to the next, most have the same ones as the other. Now for custom made blanks, Jonathon Brooks is the master caster, and there are some others that are pretty darn good also.



Harry
 
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If you buy from the vendors here you will get great quality, great service and the best prices. If there is an issue with quality our vendors will try to make it right for you.
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Everyday I'm vertical is a great day
 
There are a lot of views on "high quality" -- in part because some blanks that make spectacular pens are difficult to work -- and failure with expensive difficult materials makes for grumbling and complaining.

Experience, practice, and skills all make a difference with the world of plastics and manufactured materials.

I like TruStone -- and acrylic product that replicates the appearance of semi-precious stones. Some of those are easy to work with, and some more challenging.

There are some imported resins, and some antique resins that make spectacular high quality pens, that are quite challenging to me -- and I only have a few thousand pens behind me. I am sure they will be getting easier with practice.
 
... I like Trustone... I like blanks from BSea... I like blanks from Robutacion...I like blanks from Old Fox... I have held a pen from Brooks803, JohnU, and a few others... and suspect their blanks are...amazing, ... There are many, many folks on IAP that will "Do you well"! Have FUN!!!:beer:
 
Try ebonite, Italian resins, Inlace Acrylester, mastodon ivory, segmented blanks, and the list goes on for good stuff to make outstanding pens -- and they are all a bit different and some are more challenging.
 
KenV said:
Try ebonite, Italian resins, Inlace Acrylester, mastodon ivory, segmented blanks, and the list goes on for good stuff to make outstanding pens -- and they are all a bit different and some are more challenging.
Click to expand...

If you do this, you are likely to "blow up" many blanks. No, they are NOT defective--you are LEARNING!! When you master the tool so that you adjust to the material, you have become EDUCATED.

The "blown up" blanks were the cost of your education. All education has SOME cost.

Good luck---when you reach the destination the "bumps" become "funny stories".
 
Kevin; Acrylic covers a vast range of materials, hardness, brittleness, and opacity. ALWAYS paint the inside of the drilled hole with a rattle spray can before gluing the brass tube in. On a first purchase I get more than I will need in case I mess the first one up.

Check out the Wiki link at the top of the page for acrylic types and general descriptions.
 
Slabs,blanksandboards!

Look at this site! I have two purty decent lookin' pens posted there on his ppt. show...blanks are awesome....(but definitely different than workin' with wood!)
 
The term "acrylic" most properly refers to a methacrylate polymer, which is widely known under the tradenames "plexiglass" and "lucite". There are commercially available pen blanks made of acrylic.

Many people, however, use the term "acrylic" synonymously with "plastic". That is, they will call any resin or thermoplastic material "acrylic".

That can be misleading, because the properties of methacrylate polymers are different than those of polyester, urethane, and epoxy resins which are also frequently used to make pen blanks. Other, less common plastics, such as ceboplast are also available.

If you aren't clear as to which way you're using the term, you may get confused by the responses.

Regards,
Eric
 
Lots of Info...

Thanks again for all of the invaluable input. I have been learning and reading and becoming inspired and inundated in great ways! This has been such an informative and enriching experience. The way everyone chimes in constructively in here is something this collective has a right to be proud of.

Thank all of you so much!

Kevin
 
One thing I have seen a more than once on PSI is a poor review of a blank... because it was hard to turn. It really has nothing (sometimes) to do with the quality of the blank and sometimes the reviews even say as much despite the low rating.

It's just something to keep in mind.
 
+1 on Robuticon and Mutt Blanks and Exotic blanks. I have used many from each and have had excellent results. I haven't turned any from other sources but the vendors in the link have all proven themselves to IAP members.
As said previously by a very educated individual above, the more you turn the better they will be and easier to turn and that is the development of your education. Practice!!
gordon
 
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