I have obtained a piece of Corian®, which I intend to cut with a scroll saw. I realize I’m not the first person to try this. Do you know of any literature or other tips that will give me insights on how to proceed with this project? – Bill Greaves
Tim Inman: Corian is a very hard plastic material. It is a brand name for a patented acrylic compound. There are now other “solid surface” resins available from other manufacturers. Typically, they are colored all the way through. An addition of some other compounds makes these solid surface materials harder than acrylics. Some solid surface materials include other particles to make them look like granite, etc. So, how do you cut it? Just handle it like it was very hard wood or MDF. Carbide cutters are always good. Remember, since this stuff is plastic, it will get soft and gooey when/if it gets hot. So go easy, make sure you’re cutting and not just burning your way through, and stop if things start getting hot. Be patient! Turners make really neat-looking things with it on their lathes — but complain like crazy because of how fast it dulls tools. Your saw blades will get dull fast, too. Change them often for best results. When done with the cuts, it sands/buffs pretty easily to a bright surface.
Chris Marshall: Bill, I ran across an online link that might be helpful for you (click here). Slowing down your feed rate and using the correct scroll saw blades should help you cut it cleanly and avoid overheating the material. Give it a read, and good luck on your Corian project!
