The Letterville BullBoard: Plexi cleaner after flamming edges?

This is topic Plexi cleaner after flamming edges? in forum Letterhead/Pinstriper Talk at The Letterville BullBoard.

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Posted by Brenda Daley Giuseppin (Member # 37) on :

Hey Letterheads! Long time since I've been here! [Wink]

Sold my business a few years ago and now working for another company. [Smile]

So....here I am! [Smile]

I have a question regarding plexiglass. What cleaners do you use for cleaning plexi before and after flamming edges so there is no cracking for spider cracks?

Posted by Brenda Daley Giuseppin (Member # 37) on :

Just noticed after posting I'm going to have change my contact number below. lol

[ June 29, 2012, 12:13 PM: Message edited by: Brenda Daley Giuseppin ]

Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :

flame the edges always makes stress within,, minute cracks will start and often jump to huge cracks after using alcohol cleaners..

Posted by Sam Staffan (Member # 4552) on :

I use knoe cleaners. I make sure I have the acrylic as smooth as I can possible get first with emery cloth and water. Then the way I have stopped the fine stress cracks is with the heat. I used to just use a propane torch and usually had fine stress cracks. Now I only use Mapp Gas it is hotter and crack are a thing of the past.

Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :

What Sam said re: MAPP gas . . . That's what we do - with great success.

Our torch kit is a Mag-Torch MT 535 PK and it has connections for both Oxy and MAPP gas cylinders . . . It requires both.

Posted by Donald Miner (Member # 6472) on :

Several years ago, I screen printed plex panels for a company that made display racks for International Dinnerware. They used a hydrogen flame to polish the edges, told me it was the best way to go. I never saw any cracks in the material.

Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :

So if you are drilling holes in the plex, do you drill them before or after you flame the edges?

Posted by Nikki Goral (Member # 7844) on :

Also, does anyone anneal the panels prior to flaming and drilling? My husband feels we should anneal them (heat them slowly over a period of days) before we flame them and drill them. In 23 years of this, I have never annealed panels...

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