Good morning

Hi,

Just bought a lathe and milling machine, WARCO. I'm now looking forward to building some antennas using them. So I no doubt will have lots of questions.

Last time I used these types of tolls was before 1982!!!! So its going to be fun.

I wondered if anyone here mills or lathes with plastics. I'm trying to decide what to make my antenna coils out of (plastic tube with thread in it).

Also, are there any recommendation on aluminium and plastic suppliers? I'm in sussex.

Thanks

Welcome aboard, Chris

I think this is probably your best starting point for plastics: **LINK**

https://www.theplasticshop.co.uk/

Aptly named, and they have excellent technical data available.

MichaelG.

I find acetal (Delrin) one of the easiest to machine but for an antenna there are lots of other considerations. What frequency is it for? What is the dielectric constant and loss tangent of the plastic.

Some years ago I designed an antenna using metalised plastic and ended up using HDPE as it had the lowest loss tangent, but then it was for moulding rather than machining.

Russell

Welcome to the forum Chris.

One bit of advice from the start use the sharpest tools possible for plastics

Neil

For this purpose, a good friend recommended the fingernail test: lightly graze the tool against a finger nail at an acute angle; the tool should catch against the nail.

ega says: For this purpose, a good friend recommended the fingernail test: lightly graze the tool against a finger nail at an acute angle; the tool should catch against the nail.

This is exactly how engravers, gem setters,etc test the sharpness of their hand-engraving tools, and have done since Gutenberg was in lederhosen.

Tim