Lamacoid Selection for Custom Projects

In continuing with the previous two CNCROi.com posts where I focused on metal and woods, today we’ll review Lamacoid / Lamecoid Selection for Custom Projects. I’ve put a link to the other related articles at the bottom of this blog post.

I’ve been working with lamacoids for quite a while, they have their place in our materials and custom application inventory just as deserving as wood and metal.

CNCROi.com can make portraits out of them that would otherwise be impossible or able to make something that looks like metal without the associated costs OF metal.

When it comes to wood, there are also lamacoids that resemble wood though with our entire workshop set-up across both metal and wood, I prefer to use the real thing if possible and our customer agrees with us as there is a lot more diversity offerings using the real thing over the fake.

If you are wondering what’s possible using the same design on both a lamacoid and wood, check this video out.

I’ve posted many videos on CNCROi.com as well as blog posts showing you what’s possible using lamacoids, their advantages are vast, from an almost endless variety of color combinations to thickness and durability options.

Do always keep in mind though, these are made of plastic, as such, they will not last longer than their metal cousins nor be as flexible as their wooden ones.

Lamacoids allow us to make absolutely stunning wall plaques that look like they are worth a million bucks but without having to spend a million bucks.

Sure, we could have technically made this lamacoid wall plaque video you see below using wood, paint and inlays of copper / gold but even that wouldn’t have come out as nice as this lamacoid version and additionally, this was vastly less expensive and time consuming.

Lamacoids are also wonderful for high visibility signage, we’ve made lots of it and again, sure, we could have done this onto powder coated or anodized aluminium steel and then paint or go with wood and paint but to be honest, price to work ratio of lamacoid just can’t be beat for this application too.

There are things to keep in mind with lamacoids though, they aren’t meant, even the ultra-durable outdoor stuff, to really live though harsh outdoor weather and seasonal changes, they will eventually peel, fade and crack as plastic just naturally dries out with age.

This is why I recommend lamacoids to be used indoor where there isn’t any direct sunlight, it will last way longer, stay beautiful and CNCROi.com offers better solutions for outdoor signage use.

Take for instance our custom name badges that we produce out of everything from acrylic to metal, lamacoid isn’t really that bad an option if you are on a tight budget or want something custom shaped with low volumes.

Nothing beats annealed stainless steel name badges but if you want a custom shape and only need 5 of them, lamacoids made to look like 304SS are a better choice by far.

As for maintenance of lamacoids, just don’t use harsh detergents or cleaners on them, water is more than fine and keep in mind, this is plastic, so don’t rub hard on them either as the top surface will come off, revealing the bottom layer.

CNCROi.com generally keeps a wide array of lamacoids in stock, we just never know when a customer wants something fast where this is the best material option for them within their spec and budget considerations.

As for me, my favorite lamacoids to work with in the shop (they all react the same regardless of color combination) is the lamacoid that looks like metal with a black base.

This is really the poor man’s annealed 304SS and actually provides better contrast and is dramatically more affordable, nowhere near the durability of the same thing but for some applications, looks and budget are more important than longevity.

Another favorite of mine is the high visibility bright yellow with black back.

This would really be difficult to replicate in any other way so lamacoids just look amazing and the contrast provided is exceptional!

For production, I generally enjoy adding a solid backing to the lamacoids, generally this is either thin plywood or acrylic, each have the + and – but lamacoids need a strong back and I’ve found going thinner with the lamacoid and thicker with a backing to be the best combination for use here at CNCROi.com.

What can be made using lamacoids? Just about anything, it all comes down to budget, volume and color combinations you require as to which route to take.

Here’s a very short listing of things we’ve made with lamacoids and I’m definitely missing a few!

• name badges
• award plates
• signage (of all kinds)
• identification tags
• door numbers
• indoor directions
• desk plates and stands
• business cards
• plaques
• architectural ornaments
• window coverings
• room dividers
• … and so on.

If you have an application needing some custom lamacoids (it’s fine if you aren’t sure), contact CNCROi.com right now!

Here are the link to to the other selection of custom projects by the way.

• http://cncroi.com/metal-selection-custom-projects/
• http://cncroi.com/wood-selection-custom-projects/