Composite · Material guide
Custom phenolic parts from independent machine shops
Phenolic is a cured fabric-and-resin laminate that runs quiet as a bearing, insulates as a terminal board, and holds its shape under load. Upload a drawing and hear back from shops that machine canvas, linen, and paper grades every day.
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Phenolic shops on OpenSpindle
Real shops that machine and turn phenolic laminate. See their equipment and talk to the person making your part.
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Grades
Phenolic grades shops run most
Phenolic is graded by its reinforcement (paper, canvas, or linen) under the NEMA LI-1 system. The fabric sets mechanical strength, machined detail, and electrical behavior. Garolite and Micarta are common trade names for these laminates.
Grade C / CE (canvas)
Coarse cotton canvas reinforcement for high mechanical strength and impact resistance. CE is the same weave graded for both mechanical and electrical duty. The workhorse grade for gears, bearings, and wear parts.
Best for Gears, bearings, bushings, wear pads, structural parts
Grade LE (fine-weave linen)
Fine linen fabric that machines to the cleanest detail and finish of any phenolic grade. Holds threads and small features well and runs smooth as a bearing surface. Costs more than canvas grades.
Best for Precision bushings, small gears, finely detailed parts
Grade L (linen)
Medium-weave linen reinforcement, a step coarser than LE. Good balance of strength and machinability where LE-level surface finish is not required.
Best for Bearings, rollers, general machined parts
Grade XX / X (paper)
Paper reinforcement built for electrical insulation at low cost. Good dielectric strength and easy to punch and machine, but lower mechanical strength than fabric grades. XX is the general-purpose electrical grade.
Best for Terminal boards, insulators, spacers, washers
Grade XXX / XXXP (paper, electrical)
Higher-grade paper laminate with better electrical performance and low moisture absorption. XXXP is punch grade for cold-punched insulating parts. Common in electronics and switchgear.
Best for High-performance insulators, punched electrical parts
Specs
Material properties
Representative values for Grade CE canvas phenolic, the most common machining grade. Exact numbers vary by grade, reinforcement, and supplier.
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Density | ~1.36 g/cm³ (0.049 lb/in³) |
| Tensile strength (Grade CE) | ~10-15 ksi (69-103 MPa) |
| Max continuous service temp | ~120-150 °C (250-300 °F) |
| Friction & wear | Low friction, good wear; bearing grades run quiet and self-lubricate |
| Electrical | Insulator; paper grades (XX, XXX) are dielectric |
| Moisture absorption | Low; dimensionally stable |
| Machinability | Machines and turns well; dulls tooling and makes irritant dust |
Phenolic is lighter than aluminum yet stiff and self-lubricating, which is why it replaces metal in gears and bearings that must run quiet without oil. Cut it with dust extraction: the resin and fabric dust is abrasive and an irritant.
Stock
Forms we machine it from
Round bar & rod
Turned bushings, rollers, and cylindrical bearing parts.
Sheet & plate
Machined gears, insulators, wear pads, and structural panels.
Processes
Manufacturing methods for phenolic
The right process depends on part geometry, tolerances, and production volume.
Finishing
Finishes for phenolic
Phenolic is almost always run as-machined; the resin gives a hard, self-finished surface. There is no plating or anodizing on a laminate.
As-machined
The default. The cured resin surface is hard and stable, so most parts ship straight off the machine. Natural color is brown (canvas/linen) to tan or black.
Sealed edges
Machined edges expose the fabric weave and can wick moisture. Sealing or lacquering the edges keeps paper and canvas grades dimensionally stable in humid or wet service.
Fine surface finish (LE)
Where a smooth bearing or cosmetic face matters, Grade LE linen machines to the finest finish. Specify the surface on your drawing and the shop picks the grade.
No plating, anodize, or paint applies to phenolic. Choose the grade for the finish and function you need rather than a coating.
Applications
Where phenolic parts are used
Phenolic shows up wherever a part must run quiet, insulate, and hold its shape without metal or lubrication.
Compare
Phenolic vs other materials
How phenolic stacks up against the other machinable composites and plastics shops quote.
Phenolic vs G10 / FR4
G10 / FR4 →- G10 is stronger, stiffer, and handles higher temperatures thanks to its glass-fabric reinforcement
- Phenolic machines far easier and is much kinder to tooling; G10 glass dust is highly abrasive
- Phenolic wears better as a bearing surface and self-lubricates; G10 is chosen for structural and high-voltage duty
Choose phenolic for bearings, gears, and easy machining. Choose G10 for maximum strength, stiffness, and high-temperature electrical parts.
Phenolic vs Nylon
Nylon →- Phenolic is stiffer, more dimensionally stable, and handles higher continuous temperatures
- Nylon is tougher, more impact resistant, and cheaper
- Nylon absorbs moisture and swells; phenolic stays put, which matters for tight-tolerance bearings
Choose phenolic for stiff, stable, higher-temperature wear parts. Choose nylon for tough, low-cost parts where some moisture movement is acceptable.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Phenolic is an industrial laminate made by bonding layers of paper, canvas, or linen fabric with phenolic resin and curing them under heat and pressure. Garolite and Micarta are common trade names for the same class of laminate. The result is a strong, lightweight, self-lubricating material that insulates electrically and stays dimensionally stable.
Get phenolic part quotes
Upload a drawing once and compare quotes from independent shops that machine and turn phenolic laminate.
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