Working with Acrylic

[MyNameIsUrl]

Is anyone experienced with using transparent acrylic who can suggest how to solve an issue?

As part of a DIY project I need to insert pieces of 8mm dia transparent acrylic rod into 12mm dia acrylic tubes with 8mm internal diameter. The dimensions are such that I can push a rod into a tube about 10mm, but I need to push them in 100mm.

Forcing it is not going to work, so I'm thinking i need to take a tiny amount off the diameter of the rod. Light sanding is a possibility, though I'm wondering if I could dip the rods into solvent and that would dissolve away a bit. Or would the solvent be absorbed and increase the size? What solvent could I use on acrylic?

I should mention the rod does not need to rotate after assembly.

[kiloran]

Is anyone experienced with using transparent acrylic who can suggest how to solve an issue?

As part of a DIY project I need to insert pieces of 8mm dia transparent acrylic rod into 12mm dia acrylic tubes with 8mm internal diameter. The dimensions are such that I can push a rod into a tube about 10mm, but I need to push them in 100mm.

Forcing it is not going to work, so I'm thinking i need to take a tiny amount off the diameter of the rod. Light sanding is a possibility, though I'm wondering if I could dip the rods into solvent and that would dissolve away a bit. Or would the solvent be absorbed and increase the size? What solvent could I use on acrylic?

I should mention the rod does not need to rotate after assembly.

How about heating the tube to expand it, and cooling the rod to make it contract? That might cause enough change in size to do what you need.

--kiloran

[Itsallaguess]

Is anyone experienced with using transparent acrylic who can suggest how to solve an issue?

As part of a DIY project I need to insert pieces of 8mm dia transparent acrylic rod into 12mm dia acrylic tubes with 8mm internal diameter. The dimensions are such that I can push a rod into a tube about 10mm, but I need to push them in 100mm.

Forcing it is not going to work, so I'm thinking i need to take a tiny amount off the diameter of the rod. Light sanding is a possibility, though I'm wondering if I could dip the rods into solvent and that would dissolve away a bit. Or would the solvent be absorbed and increase the size? What solvent could I use on acrylic?

I should mention the rod does not need to rotate after assembly.

I've no direct experience with acrylic rods like this,, but before you go down the 'mechanical intervention' route, and given the rather 'permanent' nature of sanding or etching, have you had a go at creating temperature differentials between the inner and outer items?

Warming up the outer sleeve, and cooling down the inner rod might just give you enough of a size differential to be a benefit, given that the rod is already going in by a tenth of the required distance.

Worth a go, given the non-permanent effort, so long as you're careful not to melt the outer sleeve!

Good luck.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[MyNameIsUrl]

Warming up the outer sleeve, and cooling down the inner rod might just give you enough of a size differential to be a benefit, given that the rod is already going in by a tenth of the required distance.

Worth a go, given the non-permanent effort, so long as you're careful not to melt the outer sleeve!

How about heating the tube to expand it, and cooling the rod to make it contract?

Great suggestion, thanks. I popped the rod in the freezer and the tube in hot water. It went in 25mm and jammed! Very neat job though! I'll try hotter water and being a bit faster and rougher with the next attempt.

[staffordian]

Is there any sort of lubricant you can coat the inside of the tube and/or outside of the rod with, which, together with the temperature differential, might help them slide?

I'm thinking of a clear-ish oil such as olive oil or similar.

[bionichamster]

Did the heating and cooling of the parts work?

Bh

[eepee]

Why is it only going in 10mm/25mm heated?
Is the circumference of the rod uneven?

If so mechanical correction would seem appropriate

If not it should go in so long as you do not force it in to the point of binding the interface through friction heating. Do it slowly with a rotation action.

For plastics use caster oil as lubricant.

Regards,
ep

[MyNameIsUrl]

Did the heating and cooling of the parts work?

Bh

Yes, eventually. The rod in the freezer, the tube in hot water at about 70C I guess. And instead of pushing it in by hand, I stood the tube upright in a hole in a block of wood, grabbed the rod out of the freezer and immediately whacked it in with a hammer. I had several to do and they were a nice neat job in the end.