Threaded Corian Inserts

[Donovan Bailey]

I snagged a couple pieces of Corian with the intent of trying to make them into a threaded box/urn insert. If any of you have done this, I'd be interested in hearing how it turned out for you, what tools you used, how you mounted it on the lathe, machine or hand thread, etc. It is an interesting looking and stable material and it would be great if I can figure out the best way to cut it.

 

[George Kuipers]

I have made some pens and pencils from Corian and a few inlays. Basically glued to a glueblock in the chuck and used scrapers, sandpaper and polish.
It is possible to finish to a high gloss, but I don't like the smell of the stuff, too chemical and I would imagine not to friendly to your lungs.
When drilling use low speed, high speed melts Corian.

 

[Glenn Lefley]

I have made some pens and pencils from Corian and a few inlays. Basically glued to a glueblock in the chuck and used scrapers, sandpaper and polish.
It is possible to finish to a high gloss, but I don't like the smell of the stuff, too chemical and I would imagine not to friendly to your lungs.
When drilling use low speed, high speed melts Corian.

 

[Clifton C]

Making countertops, I had an almost unlimited supply. I've turned and hand threaded a couple of inserts but decided Corian was a little too hard on the threading tools, as in dulled them right quick, so I moved on to wood inserts, Mike Mahoney style. Still, sharpening a threading tool is just a matter of honing the top, either flat, or with a negative rake (my preference). So, as thick as a threading tool is, even with heavy use, there should be years of life.

 

[Bob Brown]

You might try renshape.

 

[Mike Johnson]

If you are using a carbide cutter to cut the threads you should have no problems with the Corian, some colors and composites turn better then others, all depends on what they mix the polymer with when they cast the material. You normally want to cut the threads in several successive passes cutting the threads deeper as you go. You also need to adjust the speed of the cutting tool and the speed of turning the work piece so you are not heating the Corian as you cut the threads. I glued cut rings into the box and lid and threaded them as you would a typical wood box and lid. The rings were usually 1/4 to 3/8 tall by 1/4 to 3/8 thick, you can cut these on a lathe or cut them with a hole saw on a drill press, you usually sand the surface to be glued with coarse grit sand paper to provide a surface that the adhesive can bond to.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

If you are using a carbide cutter to cut the threads you should have no problems with the Corian, some colors and composites turn better then others, all depends on what they mix the polymer with when they cast the material. You normally want to cut the threads in several successive passes cutting the threads deeper as you go. You also need to adjust the speed of the cutting tool and the speed of turning the work piece so you are not heating the Corian as you cut the threads. I glued cut rings into the box and lid and threaded them as you would a typical wood box and lid. The rings were usually 1/4 to 3/8 tall by 1/4 to 3/8 thick, you can cut these on a lathe or cut them with a hole saw on a drill press, you usually sand the surface to be glued with coarse grit sand paper to provide a surface that the adhesive can bond to.

The first line gives the impression that you don't mean hand thread chasing so you obviously must be using a metal lathe or one of the Bonny Klein type jigs and if that is true why not just cut the threads directly into the the wood without having to use inserts. The way that I have been successfully threading any wood that I use including white pine for more than 20 years is to have a small router mounted to the cross slide with a custom two flute carbide tipped router bit.

 

[Donovan Bailey]

You might try renshape.

Interesting! OK...any of you guys ever use "renshape" as a threaded insert? If so, I sure would like to hear about it.

 

[Bob Brown]

Experiments from a couple years ago. Comes in different colors and density. Turns and machines. Google it, pattern material for CNC.

 

[Dean Center]

Can someone explain Renshape without the industry jargon and technical details found on the web sites that turn up in a Google search? Where would one get some?

 

[Al Chavez]

If I remember correctly, Renshape is a polyurethane material that is made and poured in large billets. I used to work in a model shop and we would buy it as large slabs that we would cut into the blanks for our models. It has no grain and is easily machined like wood, including sanding and automotive paint. Our appearance models looked like real products (laptops, computers, medical equipment). It has different densities available so some can easily be worked with handtools and others must be machined. It seems like it would work for a threaded insert but it would not be in my top choices for materials to use.
It would be interesting to "play" with but again, the unfinished surface is very uniform and not very appealing to the eye.
Just my thoughts.
Al

I think Ciba Geigy was the manufactor. You might find it on Ebay.
It does not seem like Ciba Geigy sells directly to the public.
Here is a website that seems to offer smaller pieces https://www.freemansupply.com/produ...s/renshape-modeling-styling-board-trial-sizes