First Delrin Experience Could Use A Primer

[jeepinerdeep]

I have a 1.5" square bar of delrin coming my way.

Can I cut it on a wood miter saw and use a small radius router bit?

Will it take a wood screw with a pilot, or does it need to be tapped?

If I need to drill 1/4-1/2" dia holes, is a regular norseman and a countersink sufficient, or should I be using a forstner bit(also have)?

Just trying a new experience. I've fooled with a little HDPE, but that's pretty soft.

 

[Walkers]

It is not that much different than HDPE. It will do everything you want with what you have.

 

[APEowner]

Delrin is a great material to work with. If you use a slightly larger pilot than you would with wood you can run a wood screw into it. You can drill it with just about anything. Keep the speed down to avoid melting

 

[paulsomlo]

As far as cutting it, I would ease into the cut - I once lost a tooth on a carbide blade cutting some uhmw plastic. I would be more in favor of tapping and threading, than wood screws.

 

[larry_g]

As Steve said, keep your speed down. In that light I would suggest that you cut it by hand or with a slow speed recip saw. With the miter saw and the wrong blade it will melt, gum the blade, and then the 'fun' starts. When routing make sure that you are throwing chips and not burning your way through. Delrin machines wonderfully IF you have the feeds and speeds and sharp tools.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[jeepinerdeep]

As Steve said, keep your speed down. In that light I would suggest that you cut it by hand or with a slow speed recip saw. With the miter saw and the wrong blade it will melt, gum the blade, and then the 'fun' starts. When routing make sure that you are throwing chips and not burning your way through. Delrin machines wonderfully IF you have the feeds and speeds and sharp tools.

lg
no neat sig line

Alrighty, I could just cut it on my band saw in that case, I thought I WANTED fast SFPM of the miter saw, turns out no...good thing I asked. I can turn my router down pretty slow its VS, a M18.

 

[larry_g]

Alrighty, I could just cut it on my band saw in that case, I thought I WANTED fast SFPM of the miter saw, turns out no...good thing I asked. I can turn my router down pretty slow its VS, a M18.

If you use the miter saw, use a coarse blade with a wide kerf. Same with the band saw. You want to get the shavings out of the cut area.

lg

 

[no704]

Have good luck killing and turning it. Treat it like Al. Reacts well with wd40 for a cutting fluid. Does get pretty good Bud’s, vargus tool wore well if u are not too agressive

 

[king nero]

Haven't used woodscrews in delrin, but threading goes fine.

 

[Terra Nova]

Just last weekend I worked with Delrin a bit at home. Used my wood miter saw to cut it without issue. Eased into it but it cut well. Drilled easily as well. Standard deburr tool worked awesome to ease the edges. Didn't try using a router, but I think it would work just fine.

I will echo the comment on pilot hole sizes for screws, go a bit bigger than you would expect. I snapped the heads off a couple screws trying to run them in with a 1/4" impact driver with undersized pilot holes. I will definitely use it again if the need arises.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

Its nothing special but I got a long square bar of delrin. I cut it with my femi band saw, filed it with a coated aluminum file, drilled and counter bored it with twist drills, and then rounded the 2 front edges with my M18 router. I hit it with 240 grit because I don't have a mill to make a nice finish.