Styrene or ABS?
- Thread starter Sulla
- Start date
vaderman1701
Sr Member
It really depends on the thicknessof each. .090 ABS is pretty durable, but you may lose some detail. It would probably be best to do some test pulls using both. Keep in mind, ABS is a little tempermental and tends to get orange peel if heated too much.
Scott
AW Studios
Scott
AW Studios
Gatekeeper
Sr Member
I guess styrene would be easier to work with... cutting and shaping-wise.
HadronMM
Active Member
Hey Sulla. If you're going to be doing any work with high rpms on the plastic like cutting it with a table saw, a sander, or a dremel, I'd say go with the styrene. My experience has been that the melting point of ABS is so low that almost any friction from powertools turns it into a gummy mess. I suppose that's the same property that makes it good for vacuum forming.
MM (Matt McCormick from Astromech.net)
MM (Matt McCormick from Astromech.net)
JP Modelworks
Active Member
I agree with Matt. Go with the styrene. In reality, ABS is styrene with a more flexable base. It's also eaiser to cement than the ABS which requires a different type of adhesive.
i would use abs because paint will adhere much better to it ,especially if your spray paint is cellulose . if you use styrene you should always use a plastics primer first (also availble in a rattle can , note it is not the same stuff as grey or white primer ) or else risk the paint flaking off , also superglue sticks alot better to abs , styrene is quite "waxy "
abs and styrene machine and sand the same ..
for ease of painting abs all the way...
victorvulpine
Active Member
I like ABS so I can glue parts with Acetone. You can get at any Walmart for a couple of bucks.
MEK works fanstastic on both styrene and ABS as I recall.It might melt the styrene a bit more,but it welds the plastics very well.Not to repeate things alreadys said, but ABS is more durable than styrene and styrene would probably be easier to work with.The only downside to ABS is the funky texture on the opposte side,so if that is a deal breaker to you,then I'd use the styrene.
I think he was talking about acetone.You can probably get acetone at some Wal Marts.I don't know if that is something carried at every Wal Mart store.I feel better about going to the *local* hardware store.I'd rather give them my money than Wal Mart.Personally...I hate Wal Mart and all those other :angryEVIL:angry chains. They don't deserve the revenue, local businesses do.
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