Can you CNC epoxy resin?

[katalina]

Hi, i am new here and i apologize beforehand if i don't ask this in the right place.

I would like to know if you can cnc resin?
(i have to mention i never used resin before).

All i could find is about resin casting and mold making. But i wonder if i already have like a ''block of resin'' if i can cnc it?

if anyone has any information about this process, i would be so happy to hear.

Everything would be much appreciated!

Cheers!

[awerby]

What are you actually trying to do? Do you have a big block of cured epoxy that you need to modify in some way? Or are you wondering if this is how people make things? "CNC" isn't a verb - there are lots of different kinds of machines that use numerical control in various ways.

[peteeng]

Hi Kat - Yes if you have a cured block of epoxy or any other plastic you can machine it. Buying a block of plastic will be cheaper then casting epoxy and will have better properties. Unless you want to particularly nett cast something then machine it. Peter

[routalot]

I'm curious that anybody would want to machine a block of resin.Its quite expensive and very gummy to machine.If I had to create a shape from epoxy,I think I would machine the shape in reverse and then use a casting resin to arrive at the finished article.Consider also that some of the best tooling block is epoxy based and that might be the approach to take for creating the shape in question if multiple articles are required.Epoxy tooling block does tend to be quite hard on cutters incidentally,due to the fillers used.

[katalina]

Thank you for your prompt responses. Indeed cnc isn't a verb, excuse my lack of expertise - to be more precise a cnc milling machine. Epoxy tooling block is not an option for me because i'd like to prepare my own 'composition'' with resin - something translucent is desirable. (or experimenting with different degrees of transparency).If it possible to machine the resin, which type of resin should i choose and what type of drill? Also what should i take in consideration during the process?

[awerby]

Unfortunately, the resins that are castable don't machine well. Epoxy, polyester, and urethane are the primary resin types I've used; if anyone has tried some other kind and had good results maybe they can chime in here. If you've got a milling machine and want to make translucent objects in resin, what I'd suggest is getting some big blocks of machinable wax, which machines beautifully. Make your object from that, take a rubber mold of it (either silicone or urethane rubber) and cast the resin into the mold. It will save you money, since you won't have to buy a lot of expensive resin and waste it, and it will save you time over milling the same forms over and over again.

[katalina]

Thank you so much, Andrew, your response was very helpful