Micarta, Alternate Material Source
 

I was wondering after seeing all the you tube videos on micarta if this technique could be used to replace aluminum or plastic pieces where source materials were not available. Micarta is polyester resin soaked cloth and or paper. The stuff was used back in the 1930s to made radio housing and car parts and knife handles. The cloth/paper can be cut to size then treated and then trimmed. If you use various colors the finished parts can be quite beautiful.

Are you referring to Bakelite?
It doesn't has the best of structural strength. no way it can "replace" aluminum. it does has good dielectric characteristics & reasonable heat resistance.
They are expensive.

No, this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micarta

Also this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufnol

Bakelite was a forerunner using wood flour. I used the above to make my reduction belt drives in the place of Aluminium, has held up well over the last 3 or 4 years. There are two types: paper based for use only as an insulator and fiber based which has more mechanical properties.

Cool
 

Alan thanks do you have any pictures of the process or end products.

Check out You Tube
 

The stuff I see at the gun shows is really tuff. The people pushing this as a replacement for wood/plastic handles on their equipment are the survivalist type.

Look at this
 

I was looking at this post and the member Paulus (spelling) was using a laminate material.
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...?t=4149&page=2

I always thought that bakelite (tufnol...etc), or/and paper/fiber resin board were replaced by modern plastic. Also, Aluminum has tens of times strength:weight ratio.
Surely if one can re-design the parts for such weak material.

Bakelite NO, Micarta YES
 

Bakelite was used as an early plastic. If you ever worked on bakelite electronics it smell like sulfur when it burns. Micarta uses modern day polyester resins either one to one or with MEKP catalyst. If used with fiberglass it is call fiberglass and used to make cars and boat. Here is a question for you. what little old chubby dude made the equipment that bonds all new Corvettes together. Yep, me. Did you know Chevy doesn't make fenders, hoods for Corvettes. They are made right along International and Mack truck parts. Except for the first couple years Corvette are made from SMC(sheet molding Compound. So replace fiberglass with colorful cloth and or paper and you made.

http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/...ps73e21522.jpg

I use Bakelite or the modern resin impregnated fabric for high current/heat electrical insulation on stick welders, generators & other electrical terminations, smell like crap when they get burnt. local tradesman call them "electrical wood". & these tradesman won't pay a single extra cent for colorful thingy. :(

Who still make their own parts nowadays :) Out sourcing is the key to laying off workers :(

IMHO, bumpers/fenders for vehicles are suppose to destroy itself when impact, if it doesn't, the people in the car will. Fiberglass composite works wonderfully in this aspect, along with other composite materials.

French drivers has an old saying, "the bumper is there for a purpose" :)

see here: http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showt...&postcount=317 for my build of my belt reduction drives.

Sexy clamps Alan C:D

Is that why most french cars are ugly?:confused:

they thought the Eiffel tower was ugly and wanted to tear it down. lets see hairy women, ugly cars, pour financial decisions yep that is France. Next country to go belly up.

Harmonic Dampener, I was watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFbCHpvFaZM He had mounted a harmonic dampener on his stepper motor. Does anyone know anything about using these to quiet the machine.

Hurshy, I actually enjoy the stepper motor sound, its music to my ears. ;)
BTW, once you start cutting, the motor sound is your least concern. The noise which I'm most concern are 1) dust collector fan, 2) vacuum table fan.