Lace Acrylic Slump Bowl

[Jules]

This is just a share.

I designed a 3D Printer file a while back for creating a lacy bowl quickly, and someone with a laser just posted a make of it out of acrylic, so I already know it works.(Yaaaay!)

It’s a “slump” bowl. (Sounds terrible, but turns out kind of cool.) It’s cut flat, and heated over a Pyrex bowl covered with aluminum foil, to shape the plastic. (We used to do similar things with old records.)

Anyway, I thought the technique was fun, and that some other folks might want to play with it, so here’s a remade version of the file. (The original was on the small side - smaller printer bed.)

I wouldn’t try to use really thick acrylic on this - probably 1/8 inch or under. I’m pretty sure they used a heat gun on the acrylic. (I used to just pop the PLA flats into a warm oven for about 30 seconds and down they went.)

Laser Version in Acrylic:

PLA Examples:

They come out differently every time you shape them, and depending on the size bowl you use underneath, they can be broad or floppy.

Files:

Lace Acrylic Bowl 3.zip (44.8 KB)

[steph]

So cool!!! Love the patterns.

[cynd11]

I love this!!! What a nice fruit bowl it would make–perfect Christmas present! Thanks so much for posting the file.

[keli]

That’s pretty cool!

[sqw]

So, safety of lasering actual vinyl LP’s anyone?

[andistarnes]

Sadly, not safe at all.

[jbv]

Don’t laser vinyl, or anything with vinyl in it (PVC).

Can still find a way to make what you want, tho. Just takes some doin’:
http://community.glowforge.com/t/can-glowforge-cut-record-album-silhouettes/1041

[paulw]

Ooh, adding slump makes for all sorts of possibilities. How hot do you have to get the acrylic (i.e. what materials can you use for the “mold”)?

[Jules]

No idea, cause I haven’t actually tried it yet.

I suspect that a heat gun will be necessary for the acrylic, and you wouldn’t want to slump them over anything but heavy Pyrex. (Or a tin can or something like that.)

The PLA slumped easily in a toaster oven, but I wouldn’t recommend doing acrylic in your oven.

Might make your toast taste funny.

[wesleyjames]

Used this at my old job for heating stickers for easier removal and now I own one for home usage.

Amazon.com: Wagner Spraytech Wagner 0503008 HT1000 Heat Gun 2 Temp Settings...

[marmak3261]

Looks like another tool acquisition is in store for me. Garage sales are perfect for these sorts of smaller tools.

[andistarnes]

These are so handy and cheap. Worbla is also laser-able and a heat gun helps immensely in working with it.

[paulw]

Yep, so many things you can do with heat guns. Also soldering.

[smcgathyfay]

I have some worbla like material (no name brand) but haven’t tried laser cutting it yet. That needs to happen soon…lol
and I already have a heat gun

[andistarnes]

I’ll be interested to hear how it goes! Especially if it happens to be cheaper.

[jbv]

i generally stay away from harbor freight for anything that plugs in, rotate, or needs to last for more than a month, but I gotta say that I picked up their $10 heat gun about three years ago and it still functions great. Certainly beats using a Bic for heatshrink.

[smcgathyfay]

Harbor freight is like WalMart. Good for certain things but not always quality. Although I will say I love the walmart brand salsa more than others…lol

[johnwills]

That’s good to know. I almost bought that heat gun a couple months ago but questioned the quality.

[smcgathyfay]

I got it from my son in law that does DAG…he makes lightweight armor and stuff.

[jbv]

Well it ain’t no Steinel, but for the price I’m happy. Of course, I may have lucked out… they tend to iterate with small changes (and possibly alternate factories). I have the one branded “Drill Master” and marked as “Item #92869”.