Thread: Anyone ever tried turning G10 or Micarta?

G10 or Micarta is continuous glass fibre impregnated with an epoxy resin. G10, the stuff I have seen is a yellow to light green colour. 3/4 rod in this runs about $11.20 per foot. It certainly would be worth a try for pens, but being a glass based reinforced with epoxy good ventilation and a good respirator when using it and wet sanding would be a must. If you ever have a go at it jdkno it would make an interesting pen.

Cheers
Darren

Yeah I can get Micarta or G10 in alot of different colors, I like Micarta better simply because I can get multi color patterns in almost any color/material I could imagine as I know a company that will custom make the stuff to your specs. Not only that but I could either sand it to a slick mirror like finish or I could bead blast it with glass beads to give it a matte velvet texture. I just was not sure how the material itself would react to being turned, I think I was more worried about it chipping off as its being turned. Nothing ventrued nothing gained right, I guess I will have to find a block and experiment with it.

I have dual cartridge respirators and we have a dust collection system so I should be good in that area. Now we are just waiting for the electrician to come hook up power for all of the equipment as other than the drill press and the dust collector everything else runs on 220+V of power.

When shaping knife handles and rifle stocks it would mainly be a done by hand. I am just wondering how well the resin impregnates the glass and if there would be any fibres exposed when turned.

If there is not, then it would be fine to finish the same way with Micro Mesh to a nice high gloss finish for pens and then buff out with White Diamond or Dialux. Just have to see how hard it is on chisels, but i don't think it would be any harder than turning other resins.

I don't think it would chip, as long as you have your gouge, round nose scraper or skew is sharp. I wouldn't take too heavier a cut, just light controlled cuts until you see what tolerances that is within the resin.

Well it shouldn't leave any loose fibers. I have gotten pieces of Micarta to play around with and you can gut, grind, sand, etc. and it will just take whatever shape you are trying to get to. I have run some pieces through a router with a flush cut bit and it cut it nice and smooth.

I am thinking it might be nice to do a beadblasted micarta pen, it would have that matte look and it would be nice and grippy in the hands. A 5/8"x5/8"x 10" block of Micarta should be enough to turn a pen right?

5/8 x 5/8 x 10 block is a good size. 5/8 x 5/8 x 6 is an average size for a slimline pen, also should be good for the streamline style of pen. 3/4 x 3/4 x 6 is the regular size for pen blanks as a rule. The shorter lengths will be good for single barrel pens like the Polaris, Sierra, Vertex Click and Elegant Beauty to name a few. The bead blasted finish would be interesting to see.

I am trying to find a supplier for micarta. Would you mind telling me the name etc of your supplier. I am also thinking of making a pen.

Thanks.