Cool Plexiglas amber color shelf unit

This shelf unit looks like it's floating on the wall. The design hides the mounting hardware and still allows the light to come through and cast shadows on the wall below.

Very nice.

Plexiglass sheets seal in a porch

My plastics company sells a lot of plexiglass sheets for closing in or sealing in front porch areas. About this time of year, it is popular. If done well, the front porch can be used all winter long, and then the panels can be removed for the summertime.

This owner did a fantastic job of framing and mounting the plexiglas sheet.

ePlasticsTV is now available through YouTube

Our video information is now available at www.ePlastics.TV with the central dashboard on YouTube.

We have "How to" videos, as well as educational, and informational videos to check out.

Take a look - it's like a shop tour.

Original Home Page for ePlastics from 1998

Found this relic while cleaning out some old boxes... this is the original art for the Home Page when we first launched ePlastics.com in 1998.

I think the site has stayed true to the original vision of showing what the company does, and what the company sells, in an organized format.

New Saw in Town

Sneak Peek at my new FK6 Schelling saw. This baby would make Tim Allen shake in his boots with envy. 10ft wide mouth. 10ft deep throat. 16ft front to back workspace. 5" thick capacity.

Accuracy to within .005" or better.

Bring it on!

Video Interview - ePlastics with the Plastic Genius

A little overview of the plastics business -  produced by the Yellow Pages - talking about Plexiglas, Fiberglass, and Plastic Fabrication and Machining.

Carousel Gets New Acrylic Panels in Brooklyn Bridge Park

How cool is this?

Thanks to PlasticsNews for this...

An 89 year old carousel is rescued and a beautiful see-thru shelter with acrylic panels is built around it!  Some of these panels are up to 27ft tall and average about 3ft wide. The entire top is clear - you can see the bridge in the backdrop.

Full UV Blocking Plexiglas Acrylic Sheet

Factoid for the day.... this plexiglass color is 100% effective of blocking ALL Ultraviolet wavelengths - it cuts off light at the 540 wavelength.  This is great for UV curing operations - it will shield the items from the light.

Plexiglas 2422 - available at ePlastics.com

Plexiglass vs Lexan Matchup

I don't know how many times we have been asked the question - What's better: Plexiglass or Lexan?

Depends. What's the application? Let's match up some KEY properties to see:

Plexiglass (acrylic sheet) aka Lucite, Plexiglas, Perspex, Acrylite

• 92% light transmission - clearest plastic sheet available - about 15% cheaper than polycarbonate
• large variety of colors available 
• light pipes through the sheet edges
• does not yellow or discolor in the sun - 10 year warranty regarding 2% loss max.
• optically water clear in all thicknesses
• inert - no outgassing
• thermoplastic - working temp of 180F continuous
• burns very nicely after you remove a flame source - fire rating UL94HB
• scratches - can be restored by sanding and buffing
• resistant to breaking - when breaks pieces are large and dull edged
• recyclable
• easily bonds with solvent adhesives to itself and other plastics
• hydroscopic (will absorb a small amount of moisture on side facing moisture (warps)
• available up to 4" thick as a monolithic cast sheet, and thicker via custom casting

Lexan (polycarbonate sheet) aka Tuffak, Makrolon

• 88% light transmission - very clear - about 15% more expensive than Plexiglas acrylic sheet
• limited colors available (white, black, bronze, gray, sign colors)
• light does not pipe through sheet edges
• untreated sheet discolors in 5-7 years of sun exposure - UV coatings available to extend 15 years
• inert
• optically clear - loss of some light transmission in higher thicknesses (5% in 1/2")
• thermoplastic - working temp of 275F continuous
• self-extinguishing fire rated 94V0 - UL rating depending on thickness
• scratches - cannot be restored by sanding and buffing
• resistant to breaking (virtually impossible to break)
• recyclable
• easily bonds with solvent adhesives to itself and other plastics
• bullet resistant grades are available - all grades of BR levels
• hydroscopic (will absorb a small amount of moisture on side facing moisture (warps) and therefore difficult to thermoform without pre-drying
• available up to 1/2" thick as monolithic extruded sheet, up to 2" as a molded sheet

Applications:


Plexiglas Acrylic Sheet:
Safety glazing (up to 17 times stronger than glass)
Boat windows and hatches
Machine Guards and Electrical covers
Display cases
Brochure holders
Picture Frames
Lighting
Anywhere you need a clear, impact resistant, easy to cut and maintain sheet

Polycarbonate Sheet:
Safety glazing (unbreakable)
Bus Windows
Machine Guards and Viewing ports
Anywhere you need a clear, unbreakable, high working temperature, easy to cut sheet

Now you're armed and dangerous - so when you talk to your plastics professional, you can ask great questions about your needs

Plexiglass Wine Rack project

Now THIS is cool.

Our portion of this rack is the central core of clear and frost Plexiglas acrylic sheet along with the cast acrylic tubes used to hold the wine bottles.



This rack was fabricated from 1/2" thick clear acrylic sheet on the outside layer, and then the same thickness of Plexiglas Frost acrylic sheet.

Holes were routed (by hand) into the inner and outer layers to support the clear cast acrylic tubes that will hold the wine bottles. This tubing has a 3/8" thick wall.






Let's look closer at the tubing used:

Cool Plexiglas Project - Ronald McDonald House Charities of KC Heart Wall

 

Cool Plexiglas Project - Ronald McDonald House Charities of KC Heart Wall

Hallmark decided to order some colors of Plexiglas sheet and then laser cut these shapes as part of a beautiful program in Kansas City.

Plexiglass Seats in Swimming Pool

So we got a call from somewhere in Alabama where a pool is being built... and in this pool will be "sunken" seating around a clear Plexiglas table. The seats will be plexi and lights will be placed underneath. We understand that the machined areas of these seats will have mosaic tiles place in them.


Very cool.




Here's the machining in process - these disks are about 12" in diameter and 2" thick!

Stay tuned for pictures of the actual pool later this summer....