584,837 active members*
5,437 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > Other Machines > Engraving Machines > Engraving plastic, tips and material / supplier suggestions wanted
Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    87

    Engraving plastic, tips and material / supplier suggestions wanted

    Gents / ladies, I would like to use my CNC engraver to make some illuminated fascias for my DIY flight sim 'cockpit'. I've been able to make some really nice fascias that are essentially black painted engraved MDF, with the lettering filled with suitably coloured paint, and have CNC engraved circuit boards that mount to the back of the fascia that the switches, potentiometers and encoders all mount onto really neatly. So I am most of the way to where I want to get to, but what I really want is to be able to mount some surface mount LED's onto the circuit board, and have the front of the fascia made from a material that lets the light show through the lettering.

    To that end, I have tried coating some clear acrylic sheet with black paint (tip - you really need to sand the surface of the acrylic to get the paint to stick firmly, more later) and then engraved the lettering plus cut out the holes and external profile with the CNC router / engraver, using multiple steps to 'build up' the details. Unfortunately this is not going well. The letter engraving is not bad, although it could be better. As you can imagine, by engraving through the black layer of paint, any light behind will shine through what has been engraved. For some reason it is not a good finish, and initial attamts showed that the paint would be chipped off from around the engraved areas, hence the need to really give the paint a good key - using a laser for the lettering doesn't give much advantage as it ends up with raised edges, making it impossible to finish smoothly without eradicating some of what you try to achieve.

    When it can to cutting out the component holes and the outline, things got worse. The component holes I could live with as essentially I can drill though from a pilot hole smaller than the final hole, but the outline? Oh dear, no - rather than just cutting, the milling cutter ends up melting the acrylic into blobs that clog up the cutter and also spin round on the surface screwing up the area around the cut. Additionally, some of it blobs of and welds itself to the rest of the workpiece so that when the next pass comes it pushes the cutter out of line.

    So really I would like some advice on what materials would be better suited to this. I accept that I am probably going to have to find another way to cut out the outline of the panel as I can't see any way round the melting issue. However it did occur to me that I have seen some plastic sheeting used for signs that comprises two layers, a white substrate with a black layer overlaid. When engraved, the white layer is exposed and that would work for me, I think. However I can't find anything on fleabay or amazon, and locally here in Hungary I would not even be able to know where to begin.

    Also, while I assume that those plastics are more suitable, I think I would like to know a bit more before committing. I also would welcome any alternatives to my ideas, as it may be that I am overlooking a simple solution.

    As ever, any help or suggestions gratefully received!

    Cheers

    Les

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    14
    Hi Les, Well you can use plastic sheeting used for signs consist of 2 layers. The best place to buy these sheets is Amazon or Ali Baba, use any platform to order them. They are better suited and easily engraveable as compared to metal.
    Last edited by alexjames; 03-25-2019 at 06:18 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    87

    Re: Engraving plastic, tips and material / supplier suggestions wanted

    Quote Originally Posted by alexjames View Post
    Hi Les, Well you can use plastic sheeting used for signs consist of 2 layers. The best place to buy these sheets is Amazon or Ali Baba, use any platform to order them. They are better suited and easily engraveable as compared to metal.
    Thanks - I looked on Amazon, and wasn't able to come up with anything, but I do know that their search function can be fickle - can you tell me what you found it under, or what search words you used to find it?

    Cheers

    Les

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by lesthegringo View Post
    Thanks - I looked on Amazon, and wasn't able to come up with anything, but I do know that their search function can be fickle - can you tell me what you found it under, or what search words you used to find it?

    Cheers

    Les
    You can search on Google " Plexiglass and Polycarbonate Within Signage" and they are best used with laser cutter and engraving machine. They can provide you required cutting and engraving you need! When coupled with LED lights acrylic and polycarbonate sheeting display excellent light transmittance. You can also search with PVC Plastic Sheet. They are avalable on Amazon and ali baba and different manufecturers are selling.

Similar Threads

  1. some personal suggestions from a supplier
    By Andy_CNC in forum Want To Buy...Need help!
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-12-2016, 03:23 AM
  2. thin plastic material for engraving
    By monkeyfist in forum Laser Engraving / Cutting Machine General Topics
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 05-16-2015, 09:39 PM
  3. Thin plastic engraving material
    By brian257 in forum Engraving Machines
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 03-01-2013, 10:14 AM
  4. Plastic / aluminium bit supplier?
    By Rhodan in forum Canadian Club House
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 04-17-2009, 09:51 PM
  5. Engraving Plastic Sign Material
    By Dingo745 in forum Engraving Machines
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 08-18-2007, 12:39 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •