Our cellulose acetate tubing is ideal for fabrication. Being a cellulosic it cuts, saws, buffs, lathes, drills, sands, etc., as a medium-hard wood. Recently, when challenged by a customer. He needed a single tube to connect two tubes of differing diameters for a smooth pneumatic transfer of paper cups. We selected a tube with the appropriate wall thickness and lathed down the small size and thermo-belled the large size.
We also provided the same double-bell, but rather than thermoforming the bell, we solvent-welded a sleeve for the enlarging task.
Butyrate not only solvent welds beautifully to itself but retains its excellent impact strength and clarity.
From the bottom sections of both bells, you can see the clarity of the lathed-down section. The lathe will produce a milky-white appearance on the tube, but a quick solvent flush brings back full transparency.
