lexan/polycarbonate sheet

[brian s]

does anyone know where you can buy polycarbonate sheet (suitable for shells etc) in small amounts.
cheers

[Apricot Slice]

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/plastic-wat...=p4634.c0.m322

maybe this stuff would do

[stoff]

The problem with Lexan is that it cools really, really quickly. To make a decent moulding you ideally need to keep it heated throughout the forming process. Not that easy! Good luck!

[Apricot Slice]

yeah, what he said. If you are using vac former, you will find you get better results if you heat the forming tool up as well. It will allow the sheet to stretch so it doesn't go all thin round the edges

[stoff]

I had an absolute nightmare using a standard top heating vac former with lexan. By the time I'd removed the heater the stuff had cooled!

[Apricot Slice]

Originally Posted by stoff

I had an absolute nightmare using a standard top heating vac former with lexan. By the time I'd removed the heater the stuff had cooled!

I had to dismantle the safety bits on the machine i use so i could keep the heating elements in place while forming. doing that and bodging it together with a serious vacuum pump did the trick.

[brian s]

there seems to be more to this than i thought, lots of trial and error!. but the lexan parts i need are no longer available so will give it a go. many thanks for all the info.

[Mank]

Polycarbonate sheet usually needs to be 'dried' before vacuum forming as it absorbs a small amount of moisture during storage,if you don't pre dry before forming it can bubble during the heating process.Drying times vary depending on the dimensions of the sheet but 30-45mins in a fan assisted oven set to 100-120 degrees is a good starting point..


Mank