15 replies to this topic

[OmegaTofuNinja]

I've searched a few times, haven't been able to find anything. I have a feeling that I'm not searching hard enough, but I figured I may as well ask.

Where's the best place to find cheap plastic sheeting? I just need to cut some pieces to finish off this project I'm working on. I hate to ask, but any help will be appreciated.

[murakumo32]

I think it was CaptainSlug who suggested going to a place that works with plastics or some places of the sorts and buy off-cuts.

[Langley]

I think it was CaptainSlug who suggested going to a place that works with plastics or some places of the sorts and buy off-cuts.

How big a piece do you need? What are you doing with it?
Home Depot usually sells Lexan sheets. They'll be clear and they're somewhat brittle as far as plastics go, but they're used pretty often as cheap food storage containers at restaurants, so they can't be that bad.
Plexiglass sheets shouldn't be too hard to find either, and they are much stronger, but also more expensive.
Hobby stores usually sell small sheets of plastic for building models and whatnaught, usually not far from where they sell brass tubing.

[Prometheus]

I have found that in Ontario Canada, lexan is as expensive as shit. Metaphorically speaking. My cousin is the Chief of Maintenance at a factory, so he was able to get me some left over teflon, and it is durable as hell. I think it would even give Talio a run for his money. It is quite thick though, the thin piece I got was 1/8"...

[CaptainSlug]

^That's because Teflon is a very very dense plastic. Like Acetal and HDPE.

Open your local phone book and check the "Plastics" section for plastics shops. Also check the Sign-making section.
Call ALL of them and ask them if they
1. Work with polycarbonate
2. If they sell their off-cuts (scrap)

The ones that sell their off-cuts generally sell them per pound, and the more you buy the less they care about being accurate about pricing. My nearest supplier is Piedmont Plastics in Beltsville, Maryland. I go there every 6 months and buy 50 pounds of plastic for $50. By doing that, sheets that would normally cost me $40, I can get for $4 as scrap.
http://www.piedmontp...m/locations.asp

If however you live nowhere near any such shops your best alternative is http://www.mcmaster.com (just search for plastics)
Polycarbonate is by-far the easiest to work with and the most durable. PVC and polyester are cheap alternatives, but not as pleasant to work with. I wouldn't recommend attempting to work with Acrylic since it requires specific equipment and experience to work with and isn't durable enough for Nerf modification.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 17 January 2007 - 02:49 AM.

[elf avec gun]

Home Depot usually sells Lexan sheets.

If by lexan you mean sheet PVC (lexan is a brand of which), at least at the two Homie D's closest to my place, they don't sell it because hardly anyone buys it. And these were the managers who I was talking to, not some mindless employee who is certain that Home Depot sells everything.
But they were nice about it and told me where I could get some... which is a a plastics manufacturing plant... that is like an hour and a half away... so that one isn't gunna be happening for me.

[OmegaTofuNinja]

Thanks for all the answers. I'm currently in the process of heavily modding a maverick, mainly cosmetic mods, though in the course of said mods I'll probably end up having to modify the cocking mechanism and some other things. Thanks again guys.

EDIT: Also, will I need specialized tools for cutting said sheets? Right now I only have a Dremel, hacksaw, and sand paper. I've made it about halfway into my project, but I figured the sheets might need different tools for cutting.

Edited by OmegaTofuNinja, 17 January 2007 - 06:15 PM.

[CaptainSlug]

Home Depot usually sells Lexan sheets.

If by lexan you mean sheet PVC (lexan is a brand of which)

No no no. Lexan is a General Electric brand of polycarbonate. The other brands are Tuffak, Hyzod, Rhinex, and others. GE brand polycarbonate will typically have a white scratch protective film with blue print all over it and a big GE logo. I've seen all manner of good and crappy plastic supply racks at various Home Depot locations. The sizes and types sold are based on local contractor needs so your ability to find usable polycarbonate is going to be luck of the draw. NEVER buy acrylic, lucite, or acrylite sheets from Home Depot. They will always be of the lowest quality possible.

[murakumo32]

NEVER buy acrylic, lucite, or acrylite sheets from Home Depot. They will always be of the lowest quality possible.

I second CS's suggestion, and I wish I had that piece of information a few months ago...

Acrylic bad...very very VERY bad...

Edited by murakumo32, 18 January 2007 - 06:24 PM.

[One Man Clan]

My company works with all kinds of plastics and shit like this. I was reading in a POP magazine today that a large manufacturer of plastic sheets has a program for "designers" and "prototypers." Go to this website and search, but make sure the button for the MAGIC Campaign is clicked. FYI the company is called CYRO Industries, and I believe they are based in NJ.

http://www.cyro.com/...t.exe?link=find

Basically, the MAGIC campaign was started to give smaller companies and individual designers easy and fast access to plastic in small quantities. It's not economical for artisits to pay for a ton of material when they may be only be producing 1 working prototype. There is a plastics supply near me called ACME plastics. I've been there before looking for poster frames. I vastly underestimated what they carry. I mention them b/c they are part of the program.

Give it a go and let me know if anyone comes up with anything.

[CaptainSlug]

Neat.
Funnily enough, using that points me to Piedmont Plastics (the place i already go to) and the other plastics shop I called (ACME Plastics) that said they sell offcuts. ACME said they didn't work with polycarbonate so I didn't bother going there.

[One Man Clan]

Next time I'm in the area CS, you have to either give me directions or take me to Piedmont. There are a world of possibilities opening up in my mind with the availability of that kind of stuff.

[CaptainSlug]

Next time I'm in the area CS, you have to either give me directions or take me to Piedmont. There are a world of possibilities opening up in my mind with the availability of that kind of stuff.

On i95 take the East exit onto powder mill road, left on old gun powder road, right onto Ammendale Rd then follow their map
http://maps.google.c...i...le MD 20705

http://www.piedmontp...m/locations.asp

[elf avec gun]

For cutting sheet plastics, would it work to take a dremel and put it in a vice and then slide the sheets underneath? DO you understand what I am asking or do I need to explain further?

[CaptainSlug]

For cutting sheet plastics, would it work to take a dremel and put it in a vice and then slide the sheets underneath?

No. Rotary tools are not suitable for doing long, straight cuts.
It would also be very dangerous.
You need to use a jig saw, scroll saw, or table saw.

[elf avec gun]

OK thanks.

Sheesh, if it wasn't for you we would still be in the stone ages regarding sheet plastics.