Creative Woodworks & crafts 2001-03, страница 44

MOFORMING

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by Barry Gross "/Wr. Corian" of BG Artforms

Who makes solid surface materials? Here we will discuss the different manufacturers of solid surface material, which products can be thermoformed easily, and which ones might give you problems. The following is based on my experience with solid surface material and in no way is the definitive word on the topic. However, it is based on hundreds of hours working with several different solid surface materials.

As mentioned before, there are several manufacturers of solid surface material such as Avonite, Surell, Fountainhead, WilsonArt-Gibraltar, Staron and DuPont. At first glance, all the material looks similar. However, there are differences between the products of different manufacturers. Let us look at the WilsonArt-Gibraltar series and DuPont's Corian (see Fig. 1). WilsonArt-Gibraltar is shiny on the back. Most people, myself included, would think that this is the top of the material, when in reality it is the back. Corian is not as smooth on the back as on the front and if you get lucky, the scrap of material you obtain will have writing on the back as well. Then it is a "no brainer" which side is the top and which is the bottom! With other material, such as Fountainhead, the back of the material is slightly sanded.

The material of choice for "Mr. Corian" is, of course, Corian. It should be pointed out, Mr. Corian does not work for DuPont nor does he own any stock in the company—but if DuPont wants to offer stock to Mr. Corian, he would gladly accept! As stated in a previous article, Corian is a material comprised of 30% pure acrylic polymer and 70% natural minerals (bauxite). It has a richness, depth, and translucency that is found in most solid surface material. However, Corian is solid all the way through and can easily be repaired if deeply scratched or burned. With its special blend of acrylic and natural minerals, Corian is the material of choice because of its thermoforming (heating and bending) qualities and the ease of cutting the material with a scroll saw.

Telling the difference between solid surface materials

For us scrollers, there is no easy, absolute way to tell one solid surface material from another just by looking at them at a glance. There are a few tricks you can use, however. Knowing the manufacturers' available colors is a useful tool. Try to obtain sample color charts of the solid surface material you will be working with. When a scrap is found, match it to a color chart and to the manufacturer.

The best and easiest way is to ask the fabricator you are getting the scraps from whose product they are using. DuPont prints the lot and run number of the particular color/design in black lettering directly on the back of each sheet. This way, a certified Corian fabricator can match sheets of Corian and receive a virtually seamless joint when making countertops. WilsonArt, Surell, Avonite and Fountainhead place labels containing similar information on their products. However, you will be lucky if you find the writing or the labels on the material you obtain because, after all,

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you are working with scraps.

Another way one can tell the difference is by listening to the material when struck lightly with a hammer or similar tool. There is a definite "ping" to other solid surface materials. Corian, when hit, rings a more solid sound.

If at this point you still cannot tell the difference between Corian and other solid surface materials, don't despair. When you begin to cut the material, you will be better able to determine the difference almost immediately. First, the smell of the cut material is different. Most other solid surface materials leave a sweeter smell when cut. Second, the debris left by these other solid surface materials is more powder-like debris than that of Corian.

Thermoforming your finished Corian projects Corian works best when you want to thermoform your finished project. Corian can be heated on a cookie sheet in a conventional oven at 340 degrees for approximately 10 to 20 minutes. This allows the Corian to be heated thoroughly. Note: for thermoforming smaller pieces of Corian, a toaster oven will work just fine. After that time, it can be "bent" into the desired shape. Other solid surface materials may break when thermoformed (see Fig. 2). These solid surface pieces look similar, but when heated, the dolphin made from Corian shaped easily, but the dolphin made from another solid surface material resulted in a fractured tail. There is nothing more frustrating than finishing a project only to realize that the piece you are trying to thermoform is not Corian (see Fig, 3). If you are still not sure whether your piece of solid surface material is Corian, take a small piece of the material and place it on a cookie sheet in the oven and bake it. If the material can be shaped without snapping, cracking or discoloring, you've struck Corian!

If you are using a form or jig to shape your Corian, make sure that it is ready in advance. For obvious reasons, do not heat your Corian and then prepare your jig. In addition, if you use a jig or a form, make sure that you do not place any pressure directly on the surface of the Corian while it is hot because it may leave an indentation when it cools. Do not use any clamps on the surface of the heated Corian—trust me, it will definitely leave indentations!

When working with heated Corian, you must wear thermally protective gloves to handle the product in a safe fashion. Oven mitts and other thick protective gloves will work equally well. You will have to hold the heated piece for a few minutes to achieve the desired shape if you do not have a jig to hold your material. Do not "force" the Corian into shape. Forcing will cause fracturing or possibly discoloration of the piece (see Fig. 4). After the Corian is heated and gently shaped, allow it to cool for at least 30 to 45 minutes before continuing to work with the product (see Fig. 5). Experiment and be creative. If you follow the guidelines as listed above, thermoforming your Corian projects will add a greater dimension to your work! Have fun!

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