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luv4art
Guest
Is there a difference between Lucite glazing and acrylic glazing or are they basically the same thing? If not, where is a good place to acquire lucite wholesale?
As I recall, Lucite is a trade name for polycarbonate, which is not like acrylic. Acrylic is relatively stable over the long term; it will not discolor or become brittle in normal framing uses. Acrylic (cell cast, typically) is the product of choice for aircraft canopies and windshields.
Polycarbonate is stronger than acrylic, but it is also light sensitive; it will discolor and weaken over time in framing uses. The added strength of polycarbonate usually is not a significant benefit in framing.
Polycarbonate is stronger than acrylic, but it is also light sensitive; it will discolor and weaken over time in framing uses. The added strength of polycarbonate usually is not a significant benefit in framing.
Val
PFG, Picture Framing God
And what about the difference between Plexiglass and Acrylic?
Framing Goddess
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Someone correct me if I'm wrong
Val, Plexiglas is a brand name for acrylic.
Plexiglass acrylic= Q-Tips cotton swabs
Val, Plexiglas is a brand name for acrylic.
Plexiglass acrylic= Q-Tips cotton swabs
Val
PFG, Picture Framing God
Kleenex
Coke
etc.
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I see!
Coke
etc.
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I see!
CAframer
SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Lucite is a brand. Lucite International has a broad range of Acrylic sheet products.
Lucite® CP Continuous Process Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® CPX™ High Molecular Weight Extruded Sheet.
Lucite® CP Frame Grade.
Lucite® MYST® Frosted Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® Tuf Impact Modified Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® L Continuous Cast Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® Non Glare.
Lucite® Boxed Goods.
Lucite® CP Continuous Process Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® CPX™ High Molecular Weight Extruded Sheet.
Lucite® CP Frame Grade.
Lucite® MYST® Frosted Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® Tuf Impact Modified Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® L Continuous Cast Acrylic Sheet.
Lucite® Non Glare.
Lucite® Boxed Goods.
Thanks for that info, Andrew. I was not aware that the Lucite trade name applied to acrylic.
luv4art, do you have a customer specifying Lucite? Is there a particular reason it has to be that brand, or would Plexiglas or Acrylite be acceptable, as well?
CYRO (Acrylite) makes most of the acrylic in the distribution channels for framers. In most major cities you could check the Yellow Pages and locate a distributor for Lucite or Plexiglas or Acrylite -- and other sheet acrylic brands, too -- under "Plastics-Sheet and Tube" or similar listings.
I once bought acrylic sheets from a local plastics supplier, and found a lot of flaws. It was cheap, but it was junk from overseas. I guess there is no particular advantage or quality difference between the major brands made in the USA and available through framing distributors.
I prefer to buy as much as possible from my framing suppliers, so I buy Tru Vue acrylic products, most (all?) of which come from CYRO, in convenient package sizes for framing uses. Aside from the convenience of packaging and free deliveries from my local distributor, I know what I'm getting in terms of quality, and if there's ever a problem, I know the distributors' and Tru Vue's warranty policies are in my favor.
luv4art, do you have a customer specifying Lucite? Is there a particular reason it has to be that brand, or would Plexiglas or Acrylite be acceptable, as well?
CYRO (Acrylite) makes most of the acrylic in the distribution channels for framers. In most major cities you could check the Yellow Pages and locate a distributor for Lucite or Plexiglas or Acrylite -- and other sheet acrylic brands, too -- under "Plastics-Sheet and Tube" or similar listings.
I once bought acrylic sheets from a local plastics supplier, and found a lot of flaws. It was cheap, but it was junk from overseas. I guess there is no particular advantage or quality difference between the major brands made in the USA and available through framing distributors.
I prefer to buy as much as possible from my framing suppliers, so I buy Tru Vue acrylic products, most (all?) of which come from CYRO, in convenient package sizes for framing uses. Aside from the convenience of packaging and free deliveries from my local distributor, I know what I'm getting in terms of quality, and if there's ever a problem, I know the distributors' and Tru Vue's warranty policies are in my favor.
I think people often ask for "Lucite" but don't really care what brand it is. It's the generic reference, as pointed out above. I prefer the truVue products too- not much quality control problem, and the protective sheeting is easier to remove than some other brands.
Sometimes I think people say "Lucite" because it sounds more "decorator-y".
Rick
Sometimes I think people say "Lucite" because it sounds more "decorator-y".
Rick
Rob Markoff
PFG, Picture Framing God
For many years, my preferred brand of acrylic was Lucite L because it is a continuously cast product that cut better (with a saw), polished better and seemed to be more scratch resistant than extruded acrylic such as Cyro's FF-3. That was in the days when Lucite was a Dupont product. Dupont put a lot of marketing dollars into branding Lucite and that is why many still request it today. The same goes for Plexi, which is no longer manufactured by Rohm and Haas.
Since they (Dupont) sold out, Lucite is now manufactured by Lucite International, I have found it difficult to get.
It seems that the industry "default" is Cyro's FF product, which is extruded, and I think it has a lower molecular weight, and appears to be softer. Cyro also has a version called, FF-3 or "framer's grade" which is supposed to have closer tolerances on not having "black specks" and comes with a better "warranty" on replacing product that has been cut and then the specks are found as a part of the fitting process. We have been using FF-3 for some time now, have rarely found any defects, but still miss the "old" Lucite-L. In addition, it is hard to get paper masked FF-3 in the sizes we like, so we are stuck with film masked. The film is easier to get off, but tougher to work with if you are fabricating.
I find that continuously cast product is "flatter" and at .118 tends to bow less. With FF-3 we won't use anything thinner than .118 becasue on larger sizes it tends to "pillow" in the frame under its own weight.
Since they (Dupont) sold out, Lucite is now manufactured by Lucite International, I have found it difficult to get.
It seems that the industry "default" is Cyro's FF product, which is extruded, and I think it has a lower molecular weight, and appears to be softer. Cyro also has a version called, FF-3 or "framer's grade" which is supposed to have closer tolerances on not having "black specks" and comes with a better "warranty" on replacing product that has been cut and then the specks are found as a part of the fitting process. We have been using FF-3 for some time now, have rarely found any defects, but still miss the "old" Lucite-L. In addition, it is hard to get paper masked FF-3 in the sizes we like, so we are stuck with film masked. The film is easier to get off, but tougher to work with if you are fabricating.
I find that continuously cast product is "flatter" and at .118 tends to bow less. With FF-3 we won't use anything thinner than .118 becasue on larger sizes it tends to "pillow" in the frame under its own weight.
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luv4art
Guest
Awesome
You guys are awesome! Ok, so I guess the object is a Japanese scroll (I have not see it yet, but want to be prepared when I do meet with this client). She wants it done in a lucite (acrylic) box. If someone has done this before (I have not), where can you acquire these boxes wholesale, are they UV filtering, approximately how much does one cost, are they standard or custom sizes, is it difficult to build one, what is the best way to mount within the box? I guess those are just a few questions I have. Thanks for your help, grumblers!
You guys are awesome! Ok, so I guess the object is a Japanese scroll (I have not see it yet, but want to be prepared when I do meet with this client). She wants it done in a lucite (acrylic) box. If someone has done this before (I have not), where can you acquire these boxes wholesale, are they UV filtering, approximately how much does one cost, are they standard or custom sizes, is it difficult to build one, what is the best way to mount within the box? I guess those are just a few questions I have. Thanks for your help, grumblers!
Acrylic boxes are custom made to fit your project. Just before the holidays I framed a Chinese scroll that took an acrylic box about 93" x 34" as I recall. The price for the job was around $2,500 with UV-filtering 1/4" thick acrylic (CYRO #OP-3) and a very simple, matte black aluminum frame.
I wanted him to buy an Optium Museum acrylic box, which would have almost doubled the price, but Ooooh, it would have been SO cool. My only source for the Optium Museum Acrylic box would have been Gemini Moulding/Showcase Acrylics in Chicago.
I wanted him to buy an Optium Museum acrylic box, which would have almost doubled the price, but Ooooh, it would have been SO cool. My only source for the Optium Museum Acrylic box would have been Gemini Moulding/Showcase Acrylics in Chicago.
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luv4art
Guest
Jim, do you have a picture of the finished scroll?
Yes Jim. We want to see it... Please
It's about 175 years old, according to the customer.
I have photos of the front and back of it, which I have resized to less than 97 kb, but I can't upload them. Not sure, but maybe I need to take out some of the images I've uploaded in the past, in order to make room for new ones.
Stand by...
Maybe later.
I have photos of the front and back of it, which I have resized to less than 97 kb, but I can't upload them. Not sure, but maybe I need to take out some of the images I've uploaded in the past, in order to make room for new ones.
Stand by...
Maybe later.
Jerry Ervin
PFG, Picture Framing God
Come on Jim, lets see it. I bet that was a cool project.
What's going on?
I tried again to upload the low-resolution photos, but it still won't work. My accumulated attachments total 819.6 kb. If I need to remove some of them, how can I do that?
I'll post the question on the technical forum....
Maybe later.
I tried again to upload the low-resolution photos, but it still won't work. My accumulated attachments total 819.6 kb. If I need to remove some of them, how can I do that?
I'll post the question on the technical forum....
Maybe later.
Jerry Ervin
PFG, Picture Framing God
I have some space left in the MSN communities if you need me to host the pics and post them here.
E-mail them to me if you would like.
E-mail them to me if you would like.
Ok, here are those photos I promised.
Wouldn't this be awesome in an Optium box?
As I recall, thr height was 93". The mount board is 4-ply alphacellulose board with fabric applied by Lascaux 360, reinforced by 4 mm Coroplast. The Acrylic box is 4" deep and is attached to the frame by black acrylic edge-strips bonded to the perimeter of the open side, which fill the rabbet.
Thanks for repairing the program, Framer tg. It looks like everything works now, but I haven't tried to delete any of my previously-uploaded images.
Wouldn't this be awesome in an Optium box?
As I recall, thr height was 93". The mount board is 4-ply alphacellulose board with fabric applied by Lascaux 360, reinforced by 4 mm Coroplast. The Acrylic box is 4" deep and is attached to the frame by black acrylic edge-strips bonded to the perimeter of the open side, which fill the rabbet.
Thanks for repairing the program, Framer tg. It looks like everything works now, but I haven't tried to delete any of my previously-uploaded images.
Attachments
Very cool looking, Jim! Gotta love those flange boxes.
So, how did you mount the piece and keep the scroll ends and image area in place?
Rick
So, how did you mount the piece and keep the scroll ends and image area in place?
Rick
The information contained in the posts about Lucite, Plexiglas or Acrylite is for the most part correct, so I won't get into the details unless someone has questions.
As most of you know we manufacture acrylic box frames, custom sizes and can help with design ideas and/or problems.
Just give me a call and I'll happily provide you with a quote.
Lois
Superior Acrylic Frame Co.
Toll Free (877)422-7954
As most of you know we manufacture acrylic box frames, custom sizes and can help with design ideas and/or problems.
Just give me a call and I'll happily provide you with a quote.
Lois
Superior Acrylic Frame Co.
Toll Free (877)422-7954
...So, how did you mount the piece and keep the scroll ends and image area in place?
A dozen or so heavy Japanese paper 2"x8" hinges were NORI'd to the back of the scroll at right angles, then pulled through slots in the mount board & attached to its back with Lascaux 360.
The top end of the scroll was attached by passing a 1/2" wide Melinex 516 strap along the dowel, inside its fabric loop. Then the strap ends were pulled through slots and attached to the back of the mount board by 3M #889 double sided tape. To support the top dowel, I screwed a fabric-covered piece of 1/2" x 3/4" wood to the mount board.
The bottom end's dowel was short, and capped with short plastic cylinders to cap it, which look like ivory. Those caps have 1/2" diameter holes drilled in them, so I used bent-rod mounts at both ends of it.
Attachments
Ah, so! Thank you for that helpful illustration and explanation. One further detail question, if I may: How do you precisely locate the slots for all those hinges?
Thanks.
Rick
Thanks.
Rick