Lithophanes

[garyb]

Has anyone used LG Hi Macs acrylic solid surface material for lithophanes?
Interested in the pro's and con's in comparsion to using corian.

Bill P, I would guess this one to be right up your alley!!!

[billp]

Gary,
I've never heard of it! Where can I get info? Usually ANY transluscent material will work for lithos, as long as you don't have the imbedded "patterns" which are sometimes used to simulate marble grain, etc.
Acrylic works fine, but is usually thinner than solid surface sheets so you'll lose some of the contrast value since you have thinner stock.
Got a link we can look this stuff up through?

[scottj]

Bill,
LG Hi Macs is Koreas answer to Corian, it is basically the same formula as LG used to pour for Dupont

[billp]

Scott,
Thanks for the lead...
Gary,
After looking at their sample color page I'd think either the "Arctic white" or "Cream" would work, depending on which "look"you were trying to accomplish. The cream would give more of a Sepia tone.
From their online blurbs I can't see why it wouldn't work, BUT you might want to try and cut a small piece off and test it's "fragrance" first. Some solid surface materials are polyester based, and your shop will smell like Bondoville for days...

[garyb]

Just got back to the shop with a 16x30x1/4" sample in arctic white. Putting it side by side with a piece of corian there doesn't appear to be any difference, feel and flex is about the same, thichness matches the corian, peel the name labels off and I don't think you would know the difference I guess the cutting will tell.

Bill I see you found a link, sounds about the same as I read and with Scott's comment I would expect it to cut pretty much the same as corian but at a more economical price.
Will update you after I cut some later this week.

Good point about the bondo smell, when I first read your post I read it as bordello, thought that wouldn't be so bad in the shop!!!!!!!

[stickman]

Other brands of solid surface are as follows:

Swanstone
Staron by Samsung

I am looking forward to getting a chance to play with the lithopane... but I haven't had time to get back to the shop...

[elcruisr]

Jay,
if you use swanstone remember there are fiberglass strands in the matrix. I dulls your tools faster and the dust is "itchy". I use the stuff from time to time, it is about the toughest solid surface material there is!

Eric

[kr_fitz]

Is anybody aware that there is a lithophane museum in Toledo, OH? It is located at the botanical garden. It wasn't open the day I was there, so I will have to go back sometime. The web site is:
http://www.lithophanemuseum.org