Search for the best Acrylic Edge Polishing Machine

[WRAPPED Studio]

We have recently begun making our own acrylic facemounts and would like to make most of the production in house instead of outsourcing certain parts of the process. A part of that would mean polishing our own acrylic edges when we cut it in house. I was hoping someone out there would have some experience with these machines and would know which would work best for a small production studio. I have really only found about three machines when doing my own research(Hegner HSM 300, Bermaq Amt, and the CR Clarke machines) but I have a feeling there is more out there that I'm not seeing. Any ideas or any personal experience with these machines would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Is buying a laser cutter an option? Polished edges right off the machine.

 

[Smoke_Jaguar]

Looking on Youtube, seeing lots of machines. Prices are all over the place as well.

 

[WRAPPED Studio]

Is buying a laser cutter an option? Polished edges right off the machine.

That is something I should look into as well but they are pretty expensive and seem to need a lot more room than a small edge polisher.

 

[WRAPPED Studio]

Looking on Youtube, seeing lots of machines. Prices are all over the place as well.

Yeah there's some that start at like 3000 but they're from alibaba so idk how reliable they are. Most of the others I've seen are about 5k-10k but would like to know which is the best before dropping a crazy amount on something that isn't reliable and ends up costing me more in the long run. Or if there is a cheaper and reliable option out there that would be great too.

 

[Ryze Signs]

We use a laser it gives polished edges right off the bat. Before we would flame polish with a propane or mapp gas torch. I'm not sure any machine would be capable of polishing insides and corners of small letters.

Lases come in many sizes. Personally I wouldn't get one smaller than 4'x8'.

 

[WRAPPED Studio]

We use a laser it gives polished edges right off the bat. Before we would flame polish with a propane or mapp gas torch.

Can you send me a link of the laser cutter that you use? Also a link demonstrating the flame polish method. Thank you for reaching out.

 

[cornholio]

Laser and flame polishing leaves tension in some material. Be sure you can live with that. Make the test by cleaning the lasered edges with alcohol for example.

 

[Broome Signs]

for best results you need a diamond polished edge, but the machines can only do flat edges
next up CNC with special cutters that leave a polished edge, best in my option
Laser will leave small ridges unless its run at a snails pace or extremely hi power
Flame polishing can do all shapes with no restrictions on size, best to sand edges 1st
but remember with laser and flame polishing DO NOT use any alcohol or solvent based cleaner as this will lead to crazing of clear acrylic

we have all the above machinery and all have there uses

good luck on your quest

PB

 

[marunr]

We use the EF-200. We have 3 of them and they work well, but aren't cheap. I'm not sure of the price these days. The diamond cutters tend to last for quite a while and we polish 1/2" or 4 pieces of 1/8" at a time. They are much faster than laser cutting and you don't have to worry about the crazing.

 

[Superior_Adam]

we used a regular polishing wheel for pieces larger than out laser but sanding all the edges was not fun. Once we got a router it leaves a good edge and hit it quick with a flame. To get a good clean flame you really need hydrogen and oxygen mix as it burns clean. other gasses will do it but you might get a dirty edge.

 

[ikarasu]

for best results you need a diamond polished edge, but the machines can only do flat edges
next up CNC with special cutters that leave a polished edge, best in my option
Laser will leave small ridges unless its run at a snails pace or extremely hi power
Flame polishing can do all shapes with no restrictions on size, best to sand edges 1st
but remember with laser and flame polishing DO NOT use any alcohol or solvent based cleaner as this will lead to crazing of clear acrylic

we have all the above machinery and all have there uses

good luck on your quest

PB

The laser shouldn't leave ridges. We use a 100 watt laser, and I can cut half inch pretty easily and theres no ridges.

Too much air assist will cause ridges. as its rapidly heating then cooling the same spot.. Cutting over a honeycomb can cause flare up which gives the look of ridges, And maybe cheaper lasers that don't have good stepper motors can cause ridges if the laser doesnt move smoothly, but that should only be on really, really old chinese lasers..

 

[Ryze Signs]

The laser shouldn't leave ridges. We use a 100 watt laser, and I can cut half inch pretty easily and theres no ridges.

Too much air assist will cause ridges. as its rapidly heating then cooling the same spot.. Cutting over a honeycomb can cause flare up which gives the look of ridges, And maybe cheaper lasers that don't have good stepper motors can cause ridges if the laser doesnt move smoothly, but that should only be on really, really old chinese lasers..

Agreed, our laser is a boss 250 watt 4x8. I've never experienced ridges or cutting stresses in any material. I've never seen one in person, but Kern would probably be the brand I'd look at. They have some with massive tables and 400w of cutting power.

There are several YouTube videos on flame polishing. I have experienced distortion on thin parts using this method. You can also burn parts and create bubbles if you move too slow.

 

[Broome Signs]

RE LASER CUTTING

I THINK YOU ALL MISS UNDERSTOOD

when I say ridges I meet you can see the line of the laser pass on the side of the acrilic ever so slightly

we have two lasers Trotec speedy 400 co2 and Epilog fusion 36 fibre

not cheep jap rubish