Turning acrylic, Will this work?

[Stigmorgan]

So as I've mentioned on the show your last creation thread I've made 2 amphora inspired pieces and now want to make a couple of stands, ideally from clear acrylic as I have plenty of it and it won't take your attention away from the wood, I have a few design ideas in my head but the one that I keep coming back to will basically look like an upside down 3 legged stool, the problem I have is that all my acrylic is 3mm sheet, could I cut the sheets up and laminate them into a blank (using an appropriate acrylic glue) and turn them to shape on the lathe using traditional gouges and scrapers?

 

[Stigmorgan]

I've made a (very) rough mock up from a piece of scrap wood, I like the look of it in wood so now I'm not sure if I should do it in acrylic or wood.

 

[Adam W.]

I like the wood, but then I also prefer wood to acrylic any day of the week.

It might look nice darker or ebonised blackish.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Polycarbonate is less unpleasant to turn than acrylic is, in my limited experience.

 

[MARK.B.]

Go with the wood you heathen

 

[Fergie 307]

If you wanted to use a clear plastic stand to show it off then could you perhaps just use a flat strip, with a suitable sized hole for the tip of your amphora and then bent at right angles to support it at the back. If you stick with the current design then I would have to agree with Mark

 

[Stigmorgan]

If you wanted to use a clear plastic stand to show it off then could you perhaps just use a flat strip, with a suitable sized hole for the tip of your amphora and then bent at right angles to support it at the back. If you stick with the current design then I would have to agree with Mark

I have thought of that option with a flat strip heated and bent to shape, the only worry I have is because the pieces are solid wood not hollow the weight would cause the plastic to bend more over time and no longer support the piece, I may try it and see how it works with a scrap of plastic first.

@Adam W. If I do go with wood I definately want it darker, I have some black acrylic I could stain the stands with if I go that route.

 

[Adam W.]

Japanning would look nice too.

 

[Fitzroy]

I think you've already solved it with that wooden one! A darker colour as others have suggested would make it even better.

 

[Tris]

How about the wooden one but the other way up? Lovely turnings those

 

[Inspector]

Glueing sheets of acrylic will always show glue lines. Extruded acrylic materials are not easy to turn because of the softness. Cast acrylic is much better if you can find big enough pieces and it is expensive. If you want the clear plastic getting some clear casting polyester resin (PR) or deep pour clear casting epoxy would be the way to go unless you want to get a pressure pot and go with a polyurethane resin. They can be tinted and have sparkly bits in too if that floats your boat. You could also cast with a burl cap (not with PR) and tuned so the wood is on the table and the resin fingers hold the amphora, the burl's surface interfacing between the two. There are lots of people that will cast blanks that you could buy that have made all the mistakes and have the equipment if you don't want or unable to go through the process.

If you only want to make one occasionally then the advise of those before me of a wood stand is best.

Pete