I have a couple of questions about acrylic and polester resins

[M kirk]

Hi All,

Hope you are all well !!! Just a quick question about the above, Are these to products one and the same or totally different ? The reason I ask is I want to have a go at making some cast acrylic blanks but I am not sure that they are the same material ( I think they are not) I am hoping that one of you guys will no different?


Thanks in advance

[Flight Control CC]

They are different materials. 

[JGT]

They are 2 different materials all together in my opinion.  Polyester resin is softer than cast acrylic, at least the stuff I have turned.  To me cast acrylic turned easier as the PR wanted to chip out really easy.   Myself I much prefer acrylic although PR has its advantages in that you can get about any color made out of it.
One thing I never understood and I think confuses alot of folks is that people call PR cast acrylic when they seem to be 2 totally different materials to me. Maybe somebody can explain this. 

[M kirk]

 I thought they were, are there any supplies to get the casting materials for acrylic from as I can't even get blanks over here ?

[dogcatcher]

Do you have any hobby shops, craft stores or anything like that in your area?  If not, how about auto parts stores, you have to have them, ours handle fiberglass resin, basically the same thing, except it isn't clear, ours comes in various "cloudy" colors, mostly they look like an off milky green.  You will have to tint the fiberglass resin, the supplier should be able to give you an idea of what to use and where to get some. 

Marvin

[M kirk]

Is anything on this link classed as acrylic ? Sorry if it is a
Stupid question :

http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/Category/Resin-Gelcoat-and-Silicone/Casting-Resin.aspx

[dogcatcher]

That is poly resin, you cast your own blanks with this stuff.  True acrylic is already cast, and a different type of "plastic".  On the resins, n my opinion it is okay for barrels, but I have yet to find one that has good enough characteristics to make toneboards.  The hardness factor is lower on the polyester and polyurethane resins. 

Marvin

[M kirk]

That is poly resin, you cast your own blanks with this stuff.  True acrylic is already cast, and a different type of "plastic".  On the resins, n my opinion it is okay for barrels, but I have yet to find one that has good enough characteristics to make toneboards.  The hardness factor is lower on the polyester and polyurethane resins. 

Marvin

Ok thanks for that