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Quoted from bluespin:Have you considered using polycarbonate (lexan)? It's never going to break in a pinball machine, so it's a superior material to PETG.
Harder to laser cut since it releases toxic fumes when burned, and can't be easily machined either
Quoted from cottonm4:I'm old school and cut my plastics by hand. Polycarbonate will not break. I'm told PETG will not break, but I thought pinball plastics were made of PETG; What ever the pinball makers used I have the broken plastics to prove that they do break.
I like .060" poly for the plastics and plastic protectors I have made.
Poly is more expensive than PETG. But I like it better. I'm not saying it is better but I have had good luck with polycarbonate for hand cutting and tooling.
I was under the impression petg was the newer, tougher material, and that old plastics used something else? Every time I see people selling protectors they're always bragging its petg.
Quoted from BobLangelius:CO2 Laser has no problem cutting clear acrylic. It doesn't like Polycarbonate. It has no problem cutting PETG.
My laser is a cheap Chinese Red sail model. The 80 watt laser can cut 1/4" acrylic, slowly, but it can.
Does it have any issues with rounded edges when it's going that slow? Any difference in speed for petg?
Quoted from BobLangelius:When you say rounded edges, you mean the edge quality? not cutting circular shapes? correct?
The edge quality can be rougher when you go really slow. It seems to have more time to heat the material and creates an edge that is wavy almost like a flame cut edge. A higher watt laser will cut quicker and make a nicer edge. No substitute for power.
Circular cuts can sometimes seem faceted, but that is more of a software problem. (curves being approximated by small straight segments)
PETG runs a little slower than acrylic for me....
Yeah, the edge itself, not the shape of the cut. I've read that cutting slower can make the 'corner' of the edge round as it melts, instead of a quick cut (or using a cnc) where the edge would be completely flat
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Rochester, NY