Author Topic: Cutting Solid Plasitc Disks on a Wood Lathe  (Read 1690 times)

Offline J.L.

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Cutting Solid Plasitc Disks on a Wood Lathe
« on: February 28, 2018, 06:46:42 PM »
This trick works well for plastic discs. It automatifally finds dead centre and lets you cut any diameter within reason.

Glue the material to a sacrificial block that has been faced in the lathe's chuck (spray adhesive works well).

If a centre is required drill it first.

Measure your radius and mark several  places with a pencil.

Turn on the machine and mark the ghost images you see spinning with the pencil.

Upturn a #11 X-Acto knife and cut the circle.

Note: For larger circles, sandwich the material between two pieces of wood and turn a diameter with conventional tools. The resulting disk will have perfect, clean edges. This sandwiching technique works well for non-ferrous metals as well.

John



Offline Ian S C

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Re: Cutting Solid Plasitc Disks on a Wood Lathe
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2018, 01:09:11 PM »
With the bit of plastic sandwiched between two bits of wood, and held in place with the tail stock centre, you can cut a circle without a hole in the disc.
Ian S C

Offline J.L.

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Re: Cutting Solid Plasitc Disks on a Wood Lathe
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2018, 02:05:28 PM »
Right Ian, and with the cut circle method, you don't need a hole in the middle either.
John



 

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