I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.

I had planned to drill the 1/4" center holes, and then cut the 1" OD
somehow. Is this sheet flexible enough to stamp them out with a die in
an arbor press, or will I have to cut each one out using a hole saw?

----

By the by, I'd prefer to use stainless steel, but cannot find the size
I'd need.... 1/4" ID, 1" OD and from .01" to .03" thick, but they all
need to be consistent.

Also the cost of stainless might be prohibtive,,,, as I'd need 192 of
them. McMaster wants $5 for a bag of 10.

There is stainless shim stock of course, but I don't know if I could cut
it very well with anything I have, or could make.

DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.

I had planned to drill the 1/4" center holes, and then cut the 1" OD
somehow. Is this sheet flexible enough to stamp them out with a die in
an arbor press, or will I have to cut each one out using a hole saw?

Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.

A coworker here recently made a cutter for some Viton gaskets where he
needed to hold about three thou - he just cut one (cutter) out of some
piece of ordinary A36 steel he found in the cutoff bin, and used it in
the press.

But if "acetal" is rigid like styrene or acrylic or polycarbonate, then
just mill it - for quantities in the thousands, you might farm it out to
an NC shop.

Good Luck!
Rich

In article ,
Rich Grise wrote:

DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.

I had planned to drill the 1/4" center holes, and then cut the 1" OD
somehow. Is this sheet flexible enough to stamp them out with a die in
an arbor press, or will I have to cut each one out using a hole saw?

Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.

A coworker here recently made a cutter for some Viton gaskets where he
needed to hold about three thou - he just cut one (cutter) out of some
piece of ordinary A36 steel he found in the cutoff bin, and used it in
the press.

But if "acetal" is rigid like styrene or acrylic or polycarbonate, then
just mill it - for quantities in the thousands, you might farm it out to
an NC shop.

Good Luck!
Rich

Again I say try Bokers

CP

On 8/7/2011 3:10 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
In ,
Rich wrote:

DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.
...
Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.


Acetal is Delrin, basically. Which is pretty rigid in thicker pieces,
but thin film I dunno. My question is if it would crack/split when cut
with a die in a press or not.


Again I say try Bokers

CP

They look great--except that they appear to be a manufacturer and not a
retailer, and I only need about 200 of the things.

DougC wrote:
On 8/7/2011 3:10 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
In ,
Rich wrote:

DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.
...
Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.


Acetal is Delrin, basically. Which is pretty rigid in thicker pieces,
but thin film I dunno. My question is if it would crack/split when cut
with a die in a press or not.


Again I say try Bokers

CP

They look great--except that they appear to be a manufacturer and not a
retailer, and I only need about 200 of the things.

You still might want to talk to them. That's what they do, make weird
washers other places don't stock.

DougC wrote:
On 8/7/2011 3:10 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
Rich wrote:
DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.
...
Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.

Acetal is Delrin, basically. Which is pretty rigid in thicker pieces,
but thin film I dunno. My question is if it would crack/split when cut
with a die in a press or not.

Delrin machines like a dream, but I'd definitely rather machine it than
try to cut it with a die in a press. It wouldn't necessarily crack/split,
but the die wouldn't last for more than a few hundred, if it actually
cuts and doesn't just gorilla its way through the material.

Why not just try it, record the results, and report back? Some people
call that "science." :-)

Have Fun!
Rich

Wonder if you could turn down a cylinder and then bore out the center -
then use a HSS cutoff tool to slice off washers.

Hum.

Martin

On 8/7/2011 7:18 PM, Rich Grise wrote:
DougC wrote:
On 8/7/2011 3:10 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
Rich wrote:
DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.
...
Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.

Acetal is Delrin, basically. Which is pretty rigid in thicker pieces,
but thin film I dunno. My question is if it would crack/split when cut
with a die in a press or not.

Delrin machines like a dream, but I'd definitely rather machine it than
try to cut it with a die in a press. It wouldn't necessarily crack/split,
but the die wouldn't last for more than a few hundred, if it actually
cuts and doesn't just gorilla its way through the material.

Why not just try it, record the results, and report back? Some people
call that "science." :-)

Have Fun!
Rich

I've worked with 0.03" acetal and it's pretty brittle. Cuts and machines ok
but fold it close to 90 degrees and it splits into pieces. Tends to crack
when punching holes with simple arch-style metal punches. I'd hate to try
punching holes in 0.01" material. Anneals at about 320F in 30-60 minutes -
I coil 1" wide strips and stuff them inside 1.75" tubing and put that into a
toaster over. Turn on the timer for 60 minutes and set it for 320F and let
it go, it reaches temp in 10-15 minutes and soaks for 45 then cools, and I
get nice strips that fit tightly on the outside of 3" pipe as a decorative
color band.

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames
"Martin Eastburn" wrote in message
...

Wonder if you could turn down a cylinder and then bore out the center -
then use a HSS cutoff tool to slice off washers.

Hum.

Martin

On 8/7/2011 7:18 PM, Rich Grise wrote:
DougC wrote:
On 8/7/2011 3:10 PM, Pilgrim wrote:
Rich wrote:
DougC wrote:

I need to make some spacers out of .01" acetal sheet. I've not worked
with it before.
...
Personally, I'd first look up the properties of "acetal," whatever the
heck that is.

Acetal is Delrin, basically. Which is pretty rigid in thicker pieces,
but thin film I dunno. My question is if it would crack/split when cut
with a die in a press or not.

Delrin machines like a dream, but I'd definitely rather machine it than
try to cut it with a die in a press. It wouldn't necessarily crack/split,
but the die wouldn't last for more than a few hundred, if it actually
cuts and doesn't just gorilla its way through the material.

Why not just try it, record the results, and report back? Some people
call that "science." :-)

Have Fun!
Rich

Martin Eastburn top-posted:
[top-post repaired]

On 8/7/2011 7:18 PM, Rich Grise wrote:
DougC wrote:

Acetal is Delrin, basically.

Delrin machines like a dream, but I'd definitely rather machine it than
try to cut it with a die in a press. It wouldn't necessarily crack/split,
but the die wouldn't last for more than a few hundred, if it actually
cuts and doesn't just gorilla its way through the material.

Why not just try it, record the results, and report back? Some people
call that "science." :-)

Wonder if you could turn down a cylinder and then bore out the center -
then use a HSS cutoff tool to slice off washers.

Hum.

Oh, it's certainly feasible, but you'd wind up with more chips than
parts! =:-O

Cheers!
Rich