Flexing plexi?

[CJL 10+ year member]

How bad should a 37" x 14" x 3/4" piece of plexiglass flex?

Should I go with a 1" thick piece?

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[BushJ311 5,000+ posts]

Need more info. but id be safe and get 1" the first time around.

 

[RetroAudioinc 5,000+ posts]

I thought plexi was stronger then mdf. Is that wrong?

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

I thought plexi was stronger then mdf. Is that wrong?

It is stronger(more rigid), but a 37'' x 14'' of either in 3/4'' thickness is large without bracing.

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

I thought plexi was stronger then mdf. Is that wrong?

stronger as in it will flex alot more before it will crack yes, mdf is more rigid, stiffer, plexi will flex a ton before it will break or crack, flex way longer than mdf. , For a peice that big I would do lexan

 

[WrenchGuy 10+ year member]

I don't forsee a problem. Thats good and thick.

Could use a brace for extra measures.

 

[RetroAudioinc 5,000+ posts]

It is stronger(more rigid), but a 37'' x 14'' of either in 3/4'' thickness is large without bracing.

Can you not split it any way to maybe brace it? What is 37" wide?

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

stronger as in it will flex alot more before it will crack yes, mdf is more rigid, stiffer, plexi will flex a ton before it will break or crack, flex way longer than mdf. , For a peice that big I would do lexan

Lexan is a brand name of plexiglass.

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

Can you not split it any way to maybe brace it? What is 37" wide?

You could put ~2'' gussets midway across the 37'' span at the top and bottom. That is, if the piece is adjoined at a 90 degree angle with the rest of the enclosure.

 

[CJL 10+ year member]

stronger as in it will flex alot more before it will crack yes, mdf is more rigid, stiffer, plexi will flex a ton before it will break or crack, flex way longer than mdf. , For a peice that big I would do lexan

The thickest I see for lexan is 1/2".

Can you not split it any way to maybe brace it? What is 37" wide?

Back of an enclosure,Yea,I might redesign it and some how split it in half to be safe.

Lexan is a brand name of plexiglass.

He means..

''Polycarbonate, aka lexan, is a tough and durable plastic material which is hundreds of times stronger than glass and many times stronger than acrylic. Polycarbonate will meet those demanding applications where glass and acrylic fall short.''

 

[KyleBechtold 5,000+ posts]

don't necessarily have to SPLIT the glass.. I assume you are doing two 3/4 layers of mdf on the back to flush the mdf.. well on the first piece of wood do a trim the entire way around for the plexi to screw to and do a middle piece about 3" wide to help keep from flexing.. then put a beauty panel on over it and you will be good..

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

He means..

''Polycarbonate, aka lexan, is a tough and durable plastic material which is hundreds of times stronger than glass and many times stronger than acrylic. Polycarbonate will meet those demanding applications where glass and acrylic fall short.''

Your thread was talking about plexiglass, then Lexan was brought up like it was something different and better. Lexan IS plexiglass, it's just a brand name. If your thread was asking about acrylic, then yes, Lexan(plexiglass) would be stronger.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Your thread was talking about plexiglass, then Lexan was brought up like it was something different and better. Lexan IS plexiglass, it's just a brand name. If your thread was asking about acrylic, then yes, Lexan(plexiglass) would be stronger.

Your reply is confusing, you seem to say its the same, AND different. Only one answer is correct. Lexan is a polycarbonate. Plexiglass is an acrylic. They are not the same thing.