Polishing Acrylic

To properly polish acrylic is a little touchy. The most common way is flame polishing which is a subject for a different blog. We did find a video on YouTube that shows a way to polish without flame – utilizing a headlight polishing kit. All that is required is a drill that can fit the scotch pads used in the polishing process. This can be done in the space of minutes and will not involved any flame, which could be considered a hazard.

As with any info we post here, please do your own research first and our posting of this video should not be considered an endorsement of the method used.

E-MAIL: sales@redwoodplastics.com
CDN: 1 800 667 0999
USA: 1 866 733 2684

Cleaning Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate (“PC”) is a remarkable plastic for a variety of uses including greenhouses and awnings. With Spring comes cleaning including our glazing plastics like polycarbonate or acrylic. Eventually you will need to clean the material to restore its lustre. At this point unfortunately people are unaware of the sensitivities of polycarbonate and may damage the material. There are two key areas you need to watch out for:

Scratching:

Natural polycarbonate is not scratch-resistant. It might be difficult to understand but the same material that can take extreme impact from hammers and bats (just check YouTube) without breaking cannot resist simple scratches. When cleaning PC you need to be aware of this and prepare accordingly. The big mistake here is using a sponge or other cleaning brush that can trap small particles like sand. Polycarbonate will scratch, so only use a clean (preferably new) cloth.

Solvents:

Polycarbonate is damaged by some common household solvents including Lysol, Pinesol and Isopropanol alcohol. In fact, you should avoid any of the stronger chemical based cleaning solutions to be safe. Certain lab experiments have shown that softer dish soaps like Palmolive or Joy are compatible with polycarbonate as is Windex. However, we cannot independently guarantee that and if you wish to use those solutions it is at your own risk.

So Then…How Do I Clean This Stuff?

Here is a recommended technique*:

1.) Rinse the polycarbonate

2.) Apply a mix of mild soap and warm water. Use a clean, new cloth made of soft material yet as lint-free as possible so it does not trap small particles that might scratch the polycarbonate.

3.) Do NOT wipe in a circular motion. Up and down uniform strokes only. This is especially important with multi-wall polycarbonate.

4.) Change the water and rinse the cloth often. If at any point you see particles then rinse immediately.

5.) Rinse, repeat until clean and make sure you dry with another soft cloth to avoid spots left by the water.

Polycarbonate is a useful material in many “diy” applications. A little care goes a long way!

If you need more information on our polycarbonate please contact us.

E-MAIL: sales@redwoodplastics.com
CDN: 1 800 667 0999
USA: 1 866 733 2684

                               *We recommend cleaning acrylic using the same method.

Pinball, Pac-Man, and Plexiglass

Finding truly creative do-it-yourself applications involving engineering plastics is sometimes tough. But today I think we have a real winner! It is a short series (about 10 minutes total) of three YouTube videos showing a partial restoration of a pinball machine. In this case, a glass part that is impossible to find is replaced using Acrylic.

While some more detail on the fabrication end would have been welcome the videos really should get your creative juices going as you ponder – what else could be made from these materials? When you are considering uses for a clear glazing plastic that is many times stronger than glass – there should be a lot you can work with!

The following videos are ordered in sequence from first to last.

 

If you have questions about Acrylic or other engineering plastics please contact us.

E-MAIL: sales@redwoodplastics.com
CDN: 1 800 667 0999
USA: 1 866 733 2684

“Gluing” Acrylic

We get a lot of requests on acrylic. As a distributor of engineering-grade plastics, acrylic is one of the main products we carry that has use and appeal for the everyday consumer. Most commonly, acrylic is used in various containers or boxes. The question becomes: how does one bond the material together?

The answer reveals an important point about bonding acrylic…You’re not actually gluing anything! Acrylic cement actually “melts” or dissolves the acrylic allowing it to bond as one piece. The process is known as “solvent welding” and as its name might imply – the process is much closer to welding than it is to gluing. That is important! As you do not apply acrylic glue in the same way as cement. You must be more careful and use the proper application technique. For example, if a drop of acrylic solvent is dropped on a surface and wiped…You will mar the surface as the cement has dissolved it. Never do that.

We’ve found a good resource showing you how to bond acrylic. The video shows what to do, what not to do and further explains the information above on how the process is like welding and the various factors you need to take into account to bond the material. So give it a look.

 

If you have more questions on acrylic or our other plastics please contact us.

E-MAIL: sales@redwoodplastics.com
CDN: 1 800 667 0999
USA: 1 866 733 2684

Epic Wine Rack

Ok for all you officinados of “the fruit of the vine” – this one’s for you.

We recently stumbled across a blog posting an application in a restaurant involving a giant wine rack that looks to be over 10 feet tall. The blog is short on details of the application, such as number of bottles held, however it does mention the different materials involved. Whereas most “diy” plastic projects involve commodity grade plastics (HDPE, LDPE, ABS) this application’s plastic materials are all engineering-grade.

The materials involved were acrylic tubes with a polycarbonate core. This is an application that really shows the potential of engineering materials outside of industrial applications, when combined with a little imagination! Check out the entire post here.

For your questions on Polycarbonate or Acrylic please contact us.

E-MAIL: sales@redwoodplastics.com

CDN: 1 800 667 0999

USA: 1 866 733 2684

The Transparent Car – Shell Helix Ultra

Not that we had anything to do with the production of this vehicle but we had to make mention of this engineering plastic marvel. It really goes to show how nearly anything is possible with plastic.

No matter what the project or application – there is likely a grade of plastic that will out perform and outlast metals and rubbers..

Contact Redwood Plastics about your project:
www.redwoodplastics.com

Take the Scratches Out of Plexiglass

PLEXI-CLEAR

CLEANER, PROTECTANT & POLISH

Plexi-Clear is an anti-static aircraft plexiglass cleaner, protectant and polish. Plexi-Clear produces a microscopic, high luster, soil retarding and water repellent finish to all aircraft plexiglass and plastics.

Plexi-Clear actually seals the pores of the plastic and makes small
scratches less visible, leaving a surface that is fresh, lustrous and protected.

Plexi-Clear dries perfectly with no smears, no scratches, no smudges and no oily, tacky or sticky residue.
Plexi-Clear can be applied in seconds, in one easy step.

Boeing and MIL Spec Approved.

Cleans:

• Fiberglass Boats
• Personal Watercraft
• Snowmobiles
• Vinyl Windows
• Leather Skirts
• Polished Metals
• Hatch & Porthole Covers
• Plated Metals  

GET IT HERE: www.bcplastics.com

Glass Breaks Where Plastic Doesn’t

Security Walls, Safety Windows, Mirrors, Hurricane Windows, Decorative Walls

• Non-Scratch
• Anti-Yellowing

Redco Acrylic is about 10 times the strength of regular glass. Redco Acrylic offers an economical and longer lasting alternative to glass with its high optical characteristics and low stress levels.

It can be fabricated into almost any form, be easily cut, drilled, cemented, polished, formed or molded to the most exact specifications.

 

Redco Polycarbonate resists impact about 300 times better than acrylic. If there is a risk of breakage or vandalism, acrylic or polycarbonate is the perfect choice.

Polycarbonate is also an excellent choice for covering notices and other legislated postings to ensure people can read them without them getting stolen or vadalized.

How to Finish Acrylic Plastic Sheets

Acrylic plastic sheets can be finished in such a manner that they’re stunning and shiny. There are a few things to keep in mind, since the acrylic is fragile and too much pressure can destroy your efforts.

Things You’ll Need:

• Sandpaper
• Hacksaw blade
• Smooth cut file
• Power buffer or cordless drill
• Buffing wheels
• Tallow
• Buffing compound

Step 1-
Use the blade of a hacksaw to finish the edge of acrylic plastic sheets. Turn the blade over until the teeth face up, then draw the edge of the blade along the acrylic’s edge. File the edge to remove any tool marks. Use a 10- to 12-inch file that is considered “smooth cut.” Keep the teeth flat against the surface as you file only in one direction. Do this while the file is slightly at an angle, so you don’t create any grooves.

Step 2-
Sand the acrylic plastic sheets with dry 120 grit sandpaper on a wooden or rubber block. Progress up to 120 grit sandpaper, then 220. If the acrylic sheet isn’t smooth enough, use wet 400 grit sandpaper next. You can go up to 600 if you’re still not getting the finish you like. If you are trying to remove a scratch, sand an area that’s actually larger than the scratch. Sand with circular strokes with a light touch.

Step 3-
Choose a power buffer with a buffing wheel to give the acrylic plastic sheet a good polish. You can even get buffing wheels that can go onto your cordless drill. Use only buffing wheels that are made of 3/16 inch carbonized felt or unbleached muslin layers that are formed into a wheel. Avoid stitched buffer wheels.

Step 4-
Apply tallow to the buffer wheel before you apply any commercial buffing compounds. The buffing compounds that work well are the kind you use for silver, as well as car polish that contains no silicone or solvents.

Step 5-
Apply tallow to the buffer wheel before you apply any commercial buffing compounds. The buffing compounds that work well are the kind you use for silver, as well as car polish that contains no silicone or solvents.

For more information about Acrylic and where to find it, click here.

Tip from: http://www.ehow.com/how_4486532_finish-acrylic-plastic-sheets.html.