Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Acrylic

["Pete suds" <subs_n_suds@hotmail.com>]

Polymethyl Methacrylate, commonly known as acrylic is sold under various 
brand names: Lucite, Plexiglas, and Polycast.
It is half the weight of glass and 17 times more impact resistant, which 
makes it good for aircraft canopies, and in our case, psubs.
You will want the cell cast variety, rather than the extruded, although the 
extruded varieties are getting better these days (additives).
The typical thickness of the  cell cast is .025 up to like 5". I've seen 6" 
acrylic, but I don't remember the details.
The extruded variety is easier to thermoform, but the cell cast can be done 
as well.
Thermoforming should be performed at ~275 degrees F, not to exceed 360 
degrees F. Above that and you get blistering and burning, and it gives off 
flammable gases.
You can get acrylic preshrunk, which makes the part more stable and 
stronger.
Scratch resistant varieties are avaliable, and UV stabilizers are available.
I bought 1/2" acrylic a few years ago, and it cost me around $6.00 a square 
foot.
Hope this Helps,
Suds


>From: "abe423 abe423" <abe313@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
>To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
>Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Acrylic
>Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 15:41:03 +0300
>
>dear harry
>acrylic is of  wide ranges and totally different characters  and properties 
>as the difference betwwen tin and titanium
>boby lavern
>
>
>>From: "Harry Spillett" <harry.spillett@bigfoot.com>
>>Reply-To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
>>To: "PSUBS Mailing List \(E-mail\)" <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
>>Subject: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Acrylic
>>Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 20:03:46 +0100
>>
>>Hi guys,
>>
>>I have seen a lot of posts about acrylic which is being used for domes and
>>viewpoints, I have a question:
>>
>>Is saying “acrylic” like saying “steel” i.e. are their different grades 
>>and
>>manufacturing tolerances that buyers should be aware of or is all acrylic
>>basically the same material and you just need to specify is size and
>>thickness when purchasing it?
>>
>>Harry
>><< winmail.dat >>
>
>
>
>
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