Cutting Corian

[Greybarn]

I need to cut some Corian countertops for our boats and am wondering if I can use some double sided tape to hold the Corian to the spoilboard. The width of the countertops is essentially the the same width as the sheet of Corian. I am worried that just the vacuum pressure won't keep the sheet from sliding as the bit comes "off" the edge. Has anyone ever tried using double stick tape with Corian?
Regards
Peter

[cip]

I cut Corian all the time with just the vacuum hold down. The back of the Corian is rough and the spoil board has enough texture to it that I have never had it slide.
Although don't try to cut small pieces unless your vacuum is really strong. They will slide and that's a bad thing.

Onsrud super "O" at 2.2 ips with 1/4" step down per pass and a .05 final pass. That final pass is what helps to keep the pieces from sliding.

Mike

[myxpykalix]

I have made alot of lithopanes on corian which is a bit different however if it was me i'd use some clamps for holddown. Better to be safe then sorry.

[jerry_stanek]

I use double sided tape to hold corian down to cut lithos.

[Greybarn]

I am going to try a scaled down test piece tomorrow without any double-sided tape. We need to cut out a lid from within one of the holes too so, for one fo the cuts, we are going to use a 1/8" diameter O-flute bit. We need the small diameter bit so that the reveal is kept small. In addition, using a larger bit, we will be pocketing for some barrel down butler hinges and a couple of other pieces of hardware. I will let you know how do.

[FSICM]

Vacuum and do not cut all the way thru then sand I am in solid surface bus cuuting this way 2 years. Skin .006

[cnc_works]

I've cut a lot of Corian using both vacuum and double-sided tape with success both ways. I tend to like double-sided tape more because I don't have to leave my vacuum on for the extended length of time it takes to cut a lithophane. I will often screw or clamp a piece of melamine to my table to give the double sticky tape a smooth surface to adhere to. The only problems that I have experienced is when somehow heat is generated into the Corian which can soften the bond between the tape and the substrate. Eighth inch tools do not generally generate enough cutting force to be a problem.

[Greybarn]

We cut the first countertop today and everything worked pretty well. We broke one 1/8" bit in a test piece with a move speed of 0.63 IPs and 10,000 RPM and it cutting one full diameter. I backed the move speed off to 0.4 IPS (wow is that slow), increased RPM to 12,000 and had it only cutting a depth of 0.09". Luckily there is not much cut length with the 1/8" bit. The 1/4" bit worked fine. Both bits were straight O-flutes.
We held the piece with vacuum only with some peices of plywood also held down by vacuum around the edges. I left tabs on the parts too so that the whole thing did not come loose with the final cuts.
I think I am going to try some upcut bits so that the kerfs get cleaned out better when they are cuttiing.
More Corian to cut tomorrow!
Thanks for the help.
Regards
Peter

[bleeth]

I have ended up after much experimentation sticking to straight O flutes. Centurians 1/4" single flute worked great for me. Cut loads of small parts for laying up tight radius corners and eliminated any issue with parts jumping and it was a pretty close nest. I think I run around 1-1.5 ips at around 8-10k and ramp into the part. Two passes plus a final pass as a skin but no tolerance.