www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Hello,

So far, this is the only online forum I can find for anything to do with acrylic. I have recently discovered how great acrylic can be as a medium for almost anything. I love art and sculpture. I have been surfing online finding many places where you can send your blue prints or drawings for certain companies to scan them, laser cut them etc.

My real question is this: If someone wanted to create a unique sculpture or some piece of retro decorative furniture, would it be suggested that I create a drawing to scale and send it to a reputable acrylic cutting and design company to create my work of art? For example, if I wanted to create an acrylic bar, would I just give all the dimensions to have them cut and then they send them back and I put it together for a larger piece? With a smaller piece, just give them the blue print or sketch and have them create it and send it to me? Not really sure how this all works or maybe I am totally in the wrong place for these questions.

Thanks for lending any support.

Jim Thompson

Jim,

The reason that there is an acrylic section on here is that the Admin worked at a factory that made acrylic in Darwen, so he knows a bit about it (not a lot).

dave

If the pieces are detailed it is much easier to get them laser cut as the edges will be much neater and require less finishing than if they are cut by any other method.

There are plenty of firms that can do such tasks, there are even firms on ebay that should be able to do this for you- http://bit.ly/npDwnw

In addition to my original post...please be sure to read and answer in addition to this post. I am sure I will have any of the pieces I use cut via laser. My real question is this: Lets say you have this awesome idea, acrylic happens to be the medium I am choosing right now, if I made a scale drawing, all the dimenstions to each piece, and I sent / emailed them to an acrylic manufacturing company, and they cut it to the scale and dimensions I want, is this the way it should be done. I have so many ideas in mind from creating a home bar out of acrylic, to actual art sculptures etc...I know this takes a lot of skill and money to operate this type of medium and equipment. But, if its my idea, and have a reputible company do it...is this how it works?

Thank You

Jim

Your best option is to contact the firm first and ask them which format they want the drawings in. If you are doing them by hand they might have to get them converted to images for a certain program that they need for the laser cutter. If you are making the images on your computer, if you can make sure they are in the required format for the laser cutter you could simplify the whole process.

If you are doing it to make money you might be as well looking at buying a laser cutter yourself.

jrthomp74 wrote:
But, if its my idea, and have a reputable company do it...is this how it works?

Thank You

Jim

The only way to stop someone nicking your idea (without a very expensive patent) is to not tell them what it is, however reputable they may be.

Lets say I did want to purchase a laser cutting machine. Just how much do these usually cost? What is the learning curve to operate one of these?

I would guess an artist who used acrylic as their choice medium would not outsource their cuttings but simply have a laser cutting machine and do it themselves. However, until one made enough money to purchase such a machine, would it be wise to begin with outsourcing the cutting of each piece, assemble it your self, sell, get the profit, save, save, save, and eventually purchase the equipment needed?

If I were just to create one piece of furniture, such as a home bar for a man cave, then the best way would simply outsource the cuts to a reputable firm, and assemble upon arrival? Any advice on this?

Jim

jrthomp74 wrote: If someone wanted to create a unique sculpture or some piece of retro decorative furniture, would it be suggested that I create a drawing to scale and send it to a reputable acrylic cutting and design company to create my work of art?

I never thought of that.

I bet that's what the Greeks had, only for marble instead of acrylic. Explains why Venus de Milo has no arms — the sculptor ran out of money so the marble co didn't make them.