Corian Handles?

[Rlewisrlou666]

Hi Guys and Gals back again with another strange question.

I've not turned any Corian/Acrylic/Resin as of yet.......but I have found a local kitchen fitter that has some offcuts that he is willing to let go for cheap.

My question is have any of you used anything other than wood for making handles and is Corian or something like it strong enough to be used as a handle for turning tools.

I have 7 old tools sat waiting for new handles.

Thanks for the help in advance Ryan.

[Bryan Milham]

Now I've never turned Corian so what I say here is as I see it, not based on a known example.

Wood has fibres, and the handles we have on our tools are turned spindlewise along those fibres. That makes them strong and resilient.

Corian is a harmonious excretion of plastic, that is no grain. That may be okay for small items like pens but I'm not sure it would stand up to the rigours of a turning tools life experiences.

[Les Symonds]

I agree whole-heartedly with Bryan on this......think about those cheap and nasty, hard plastic handled screwdrivers that you find dumped in a box in every garage in the country owned by a less-than-skilled DIY'er. They'll have either snapped off, or chipped away around a central core of steel rod. OK, there's plenty of good-quality, plastic handled screwdrivers out there, but they use a grade of plastic that has a degree of 'plasticity' to help it flex and absorb impact. Corian ain't like that!  Don't go there, Ryan!

Les

[Rlewisrlou666]

Thanks for the advice Guys.

I'll steer clear of Corian handles and use it to make pretty stuff instead.
Just thought I'd ask in case it was one of those hidden secrets that people discovered and never shared.



Kinda like this guy.

[woodndesign]

Thanks for the advice Guys.

I'll steer clear of Corian handles and use it to make pretty stuff instead.
Just thought I'd ask in case it was one of those hidden secrets that people discovered and never shared.



Kinda like this guy.

Aaaah ...  Sméagol ..

[julcle]

Don't forget that Corian is only 12mm thick on kitchen tops so you would have to laminate quite a few together to get the thickness for a tool handle. I use Ash as it's cheap, easily turned strong and feels good in the hand, I have recently turned to using Beech as I have some to hand and it seems to perform just as well. Oh and let me know if your kitchen top off cuts are about 12" square I may need to pay you a visit.  Julian

[David Buskell]

Corian is not the other plastic on the market. Look out for Hannex and Avonite -similar to Corian but again only available in small sizes.

When you talk to the manufacturers, they realise they have not considered the small user market and are intrigued to find we can make pens from their stuff. That doesn't stop them only selling large sheets to you so if you can find someone who will let you have/sell you some offcuts, then it is worth it.

David

[bodrighywood]

Try contacting some kitchen makers. They often have cut out pieces left over from the sinks they insert and the corian etc is either re used to make chopping boards or ditched.

Pete

[David Buskell]

If anyone is in the Dartford, Kent area there was a guy who had a load of corian. His father-in-law worked for DuPont so he was able to buy in the large sheets.

The main stock item was pen blanks, table mats, coasters etc. All the scrap bits were throw away. I got a car boot full some while back which went to penmakers and others.

If you talk to Corian they may send you a sample box.

David

[Rlewisrlou666]

Dupont won't send out sample boxes unless you are a registered Architect or Show Room. Hurumph  

[Bryan Milham]

Dupont won't send out sample boxes unless you are a registered Architect or Show Room. Hurumph  

The voice of experience?

[Rlewisrlou666]

Yep I tried the local Kitchen fitters and found one not to far away that has "Plenty" of off cuts I'm hoping to go see him this week.
Then I tried Dupont a lovely lady emailed me back today and said that the Samples are limited to 6-8 of their kitchen range per customer and the site says that if you are an architect you can order a sample box.

She also send me the Dupont Colour Pallete if anyone is is interested to know what colours they do? It's a .pdf

[David Buskell]

Things must be tight in the kitchen fittings business now.Last year at 100% Design Corian were handing out boxes of samples like sweeties and this year, nothing.

Hannex and Avonite promised a box of samples but these have not materialised.

David

[Rlewisrlou666]

Maybe they cottoned on to Turners asking for samples and decided not to hand them out.

I suppose the problem with making a surface that is so good is that once you have it installed you don't need it replaced for a long time.

[malcy]

I got some offcuts of Corian from a kitchen fitter in Evesham via Ebay. Good price but I had to go to collect it, abou 200 miles round trip. Malcolm.