The big lite brite

[aunt betty]

My project is this.

[aunt betty]

They gave me these.
Now how would you cut them into 4" pieces.

[aunt betty]

It's for the children's science museum in Champaign.
The museum is in the old Orpheum Theatre...very old from Vaudeville days. The Marx Brothers and Houdini performed there. Champaign, has some awesome historical stuff. The Virginia Theater is priceless. Harold Red (The Galloping Ghost) Grange did the famous hand-shake deal there. That is where the Modern NFL we all love...started. Da Bears!

[aunt betty]

Up until Grange it was the NFL but...was small time and called "beerball".

[3legged_lab]

They gave me these.
Now how would you cut them into 4" pieces.

What are they?

[aunt betty]

Plastic colored rod.
Look. This is what I'm doing.

Polishing the ends is a PITA.
Using fine sandpaper.

[Goldfish]

If it's plastic, can't you use a lighter to "polish" it? It should melt away all the scuff marks making it clear, just don't hold it there too long, and a butain torch lighter would be better than a standard bic

[assateague]

Make a stop, and cut them in the miter saw a handful at a time. The do what Goldie said.

[cw1074]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Giant-Lite-Brite/step7/Cut-and-pollish-acrylic-rods/

[aunt betty]

Make a stop, and cut them in the miter saw a handful at a time. The do what Goldie said.

I'll try the stove burner.

[aunt betty]

Heat is causing the ends to swell. "Mushroom"

[aunt betty]

I'm polishing with fire, then using the wire wheel on my grinder to bevel the edges. Its working...now to make the one-man assembly line.

[aunt betty]

[Goldfish]

You're holding out there too long then I'd think. Watch a guy turn a call on a lathe and he uses a torch to "gloss" it

[aunt betty]

The red and green is a waste of time.
The rods are polarized or something. The white, blue, and yellow are fine...explaining it to the fat lady at the desk was infuckingpossible. I'll let her do the reds and greens. I mean if it ain't going to work...why bother. She gets paid to sit on her ass and watch a door.
The director...nice.
Door lady is a bitch.
Why she works at a children's museum???

[aunt betty]

Starting to get the hang of this. Teaching self, always a learning curve.

[aunt betty]

O yeah.

[aunt betty]

I have 19 more rods to cut up. Eight pieces per rod. That's 152 pieces more to go. Then go get another box of rods.
Taking ~2 minutes per piece to cut, polish, and bevel the edges on a grinder.

[rebelp74]

Arer they acrylic rod? If so, you can flame polish and they'll be clear. Just don't ever clean them with alcohol or any other type of spirits or they'll crack. Just like a duck call.

[aunt betty]

I think it's polycarbonate.
Bought this to polish them.
Had the hose and tanks but my old torch started leaking on me last time I sweated copper. (On my still)

[aunt betty]

Getting better at it. Wire wheel helps get them ready. After polishing I bevel the edges with my grinder.

Ain't perfect. If they wanted perfect they should have had God do them.

[aunt betty]

Too cold for the garage.