plexiglass

[RKPsk8er 10+ year member]

thinkin of putting a window on a box that im gonna make soon. where can I find some plexi, how much is it, and is it hard to work? (drill/cut)

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[Fusion_FREAK 10+ year member]

Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, etc. has plexi, but finding it thick enough may be hard.

You can cut it with a straight edge and a razor blade (depending on thickness), pretty much making a groove, and it will snap at that point.

Be careful when you drill, you can VERY easily crack the sheet. Get a brand new drill bit. I've also melted the holes with a soldering iron when using plexi on boats.

 

[Audio Junkies 10+ year member]

I've read of people having success using a drill in reverse on plexi.

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

google it. there was a place when i was looking called eplastics and estreetplastics and they had thick sheets, and didnt seem terribly expensive on price.

 

[Scoobydoo 5,000+ posts]

you have to import plexi from the far reaches of angola and even when you get it you need to cut it with at least a 1carat diamond bit or it will crack. a square foot sheet is gonna cost at least $500

 

[Fusion_FREAK 10+ year member]

Estreetplastics is a very good supplier.

I've bought alot from them for making snake and fish tanks and using the stuff for things on my boats.

They will cut it to your size, bevel the edges for a small fee, and you have alot of colors to choose from too.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Also eplastics will have the drill bit you need. Has a much less aggressive angle, so it won't shatter the plexi...

 

[sparelink 10+ year member]

drilling plexi is really easy. just make sure you dont go to fast or the plexi will heat up and start to melt. I had to do a whole project out of plexi last year for my final project in my Engineering class. it took a few try to learn how to drill clean holes, but i ended up getting some ice water and eye dropper and would only make a 1/16 in cut the put out drop a few drops of water in the hole count to 15 then make another 1/16 cut. I was using anywhere between 1/2 to 1 1/2 plexi. this tends to take a long time but the out come is worth it. I was making a steam engine and had to have a cylinder and piston make good compression so that it would run. oh and i mine ran the fastest out of 30 other. so the time and effort is defiantly worth it.