Machining Delrin with woodworking tools?

Delrin machines fine with most any end mill, bit have no idea how it would work with a router bit or a lathe. I'd suspect that you'd be ok as long as you make sure the tool is sharp, and watch your cutter speed and feed rate.

BTW, great stuff that Delrin...

I've heard of Delrin being used to fabricate gears. What are you doing with it? In what form are you obtaining it? sheets? Where do you get it? Thanks,

Myx

I'm making hubs to mount a drum to a rotating shaft - part of something called a plankton wheel. I'm getting the Delrin from McMaster-Carr in a 3" thick X 9" diameter disk. Pretty much all I have to do is machine in somw screw holes to mount the drum, a hole for the shaft (1"), and a hole to pin the hub toi the shaft. Should be pretty simple, but doing it in stainless will cost be about $1,000, and it will be exposed to seawater, so Delrin it is (ata cost of about $40 and a couple hours shop time...)

--JD

You might also want to machine in a keyway to prevent spinning on the shaft - unless you want it to spin on the shaft

John

... in that case it would be an axle...

I've decided against a keytway because I don't think the delrin will hold up. Instead there will be a through bolt (Much larger distribution of load)

--JD

Marine Biology . . . specimen sampling, I would guess.

I know they use Delrin as the sheaves in line blocks . . . more for Sail then Power . . . so you should be safe. The material is similar to what is used to make 'Nylabone' synthetic dog bones. You shouldn't have much trouble using normal wood-working tools. I know I have used the 'leftovers' from our two Malamutes for 'stops', 'bumpers', etc.

When / if turning take note that the material isn't as 'stiff' as a metal . . . especially when 'friction heat' takes effect. It will tend to 'bend away' from the cutting tool. 1}go VERY slow, 2}keep it VERY cool {keep flooded with 'cutting lube'}, 3} stop FREQUENTLY and measure . . . 'sneak up' on the final dimension.

Regards & Good Luck, Ron Magen Backyard Boatshop

Thanks evryone. Sounds like I shouldn't have any problems. The application is for a plankton wheel - basically a big drum that you strap 2 litre bottles to. Each bottle contains smaples of plankton/larvae. You turn the drum to keep the critters from settling to the bottom. very low turbulence, but no settling....

--JD

I just finished turning and cutting some white delrin rod for my father-in- law's boat trailer. I have and use a metal lathe and was going to turn it on that, but I was in a rush so I turned it on my ww lathe.

It turns fine, just like really wet green wood. It does catch so you need to be mindful of it. I used a gouge and scraped and sanded it, with no problems. You might want to research its properties to UV light. From what I read it breaks down from direct sunlight.

Aloha, Russell

Well, I did it. I needed to turn 2 8" disks out of delrin, so I chucked the stuff into my wood lathe, and had at it. Here's what I found: scrapers work great if you can keep them from chattering (requires a solid grip). It throws off long stringy shavings that really stink (smells like formalin).

the finish you can get is very good - nice smooth shiny surface.

sharp toiols and a moderate cutting speed are essential - turn to fast or witha dull tool and you get either catches or chatter and dust..

I managed to turn 2 parts - 8" disks 1" thick, with a shoulder at about 1" out from the center, and a 1" hole bored through the center. Kind of like a lathe faceplate but without threads in the center hole.

If you can stand the smell, its easy to turn...

--JD