Instructions / Assembly

FAb
Polymershapes LLC | 9930 Kincey Ave, 3
rd
Floor | Huntersville, NC 28078 | 704-948-5000
Edge Finish Guidelines for Customers
SCRAPING Scrapers are sharp tool steel devises used to eliminate machining marks and ease sharp
edges (See Fig. 10).
SANDING All methods of sanding will result in the removal of machining marks, and produce a matte
finish. Variety of choices include of hand, palm, random orbit, disc, belt, or drum sanding. Like
sanding wood, work from coarse to fine paper. Use light pressure, and keep the part or sander
moving to avoid heat buildup (See Fig. 11). After sanding, the edge is ready for buffing or flame
polishing.
FLAME POLISHING A hydrogen-oxygen torch, with a #4 or #5 tip, gently melts the sanded or
machined edges of sheet, providing a smooth glossy look. Low line pressures create a torch flame
that is 2-3” long, bluish, nearly invisible, and narrow enough to prevent overshooting onto the face of
the acrylic sheet (See Fig. 12).
Remove the masking, and guide the torch along the edge at a rate of approximately 3-4” per second.
As with other cutting and machining processes, avoid excessive heat build up. Bubbles, stress, and
crazing will occur if the flame is moved too slowly. Do not cement a flame polished edge.
BUFFING A well machined edge is required to polish without additional sanding. Preferably, use
stationary machines with polishing wheels dedicated to buffing acrylic. Wheels 8-14” diameter, 2-3”
wide, of bleached muslin with bias strips, run cooler than ones fully stitched. With light pressure, keep
the sheet moving across the wheel to prevent excess heat buildup (See Fig. 13).
Finish quality depends on the polishing compounds used. A medium cutting compound will result in a
good finish in one operation. A high luster finish can be achieved by first applying a fast cutting
compound, to remove machining and sanding marks, followed by a fine compound on a finishing