What type of plastic do I need?

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm assuming that peeps here know about stuff other than acrylic...

I need a sheet of plastic approx 800 x 600mm, and I'm guessing around 15 - 20mm thick. (Thickness is unimportant, within reason - it just needs to be thick enough to be rigid).

So - the characteristics I require are:

1) Rigid in that size when supported on posts only at the corners. There will be 16 & 32A industrial (i.e. IEC-309 "Commando") surface mount sockets on it, and I don't want it to flex (much) when I insert a plug.

2) Dimensionally stable - it will be used outside. It won't be getting wet, but it will be in a steel box, so will get cold in winter and hot in summer.

3) OK for drilling/hole cutting, including fairly near the edges, without risk of cracking.

4) Preferably opaque, but colour is unimportant.

If it helps, this is the application:

I have a wall-mounted cabinet, like this one:



but without the steel mounting plate at the back, and I want the plastic sheet to use as a mounting plate instead of steel.

Onto it I'll be fixing some 110V and 230V sockets, and some plastic enclosures for isolation switches, MCBs etc.

I guess the sheet material doesn't even have to be plastic - my original idea was to use SRBP, e.g. Paxolin, but thought I'd explore other alternatives...

[Teabag]

at work we have 6mm thick laminated mid panels for backsplashes, its basically the same material used for kitchen fitter worktop jigs...
its very strong and tough, water resistant too. can be sawn drilled and tapped if needed, i have done so on many occasions...
I've used it for router jigs and many other things..
not saying its cheap but would certainly do what your after by the look of it.
only draw back is only sold to trade..
you may find other suppliers tho

Edit:-
just did a quick search in google for the product we sell, came back with one from BQ possible the same but not sure, as theres no info on it.. seems alot cheaper than I belive we sell it tho... maybe its due to the size sheets we sell... or this is mdf core? ours isnt..
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.j ... s&x=21&y=8

[ban-all-sheds]

Go to a shed?

Me??

You do realise that if I do that I have to ritually pee in my pants afterwards to atone?

Anyway - thanks - I'll go and look at that stuff.

[Stoday]

I'm sure you'll find a local plastics supplier in your area BAS. I wouldn't go to a shed for it.

Here in Ipswich, for example, there is Ipswich Plastics. Sells to anyone, but naturally, it's nearly all trade.

If you wanted to buy wood, you'd go to a timber merchant rather than B&Q wouldn't you? Unless you wanted to make aeroplane propellors that is...

[Teabag]

Go to a shed?

Me??

You do realise that if I do that I have to ritually pee in my pants afterwards to atone?

Anyway - thanks - I'll go and look at that stuff.

post the video Hahahaha

The company I work at sells it, but only to trade via what ever criteria it is they need to qualify. then theres delivery costs ect... Thats why I tried to find an alternative supplier who sells to the public, where its possible you may even find small sizes,
ours are sold in 4m lengths x 600mm widths a little larger than you require.
I just googled "mid pannel" as thats what we call them. (some come back as mdf core) but ours are solid laminate as explained in my first post.

btw if you do get some, it jigsaws a treat, but use a medium rather than faster speed or youl just burn the blades out, but its suprising how easy it does cut at the correct speed, I just use Bosch Wood Jigsaw Blades Bayonet T101B.
they work a treat.

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm sure you'll find a local plastics supplier in your area BAS. I wouldn't go to a shed for it.

That's good to know.

I mean - it's nice and warm when you first do it, but at this time of year it soon goes nasty and cold....

The reason I asked the Q was so that I'd know whether I should be buying acrylic/ABS/PTFE/PVC/SRBP/GRP/etc from a supplier...

[ban-all-sheds]

just did a quick search in google for the product we sell, came back with one from BQ possible the same but not sure, as theres no info on it.. seems alot cheaper than I belive we sell it tho... maybe its due to the size sheets we sell... or this is mdf core? ours isnt..
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.j ... s&x=21&y=8

Well I went and had a look at it.



but it's only 3mm thick, and as floppy as Jordan will be when she's 90.

[Teabag]

oops... the stuff we got is only flexible over long lengths, the size you are after it certainly is not flexible.

You do realise that if I do that I have to ritually pee in my pants afterwards to atone?

upload the video hahahaha....

sorry fella not quite sure what to recomend either as another product.
maybe some more searching in google.

[ban-all-sheds]

You do realise that if I do that I have to ritually pee in my pants afterwards to atone?

upload the video hahahaha....

http://********.com/files/78674439/We ... inside.mov

sorry fella not quite sure what to recomend either as another product.
maybe some more searching in google.

Hence my post here about what materials I should consider, acrylic/ABS/PTFE/SRPB/GRP/PVC

[Teabag]

like the video!

[davek0974]

Have a look at RS Components, they have trade counters that sell to anyone and do lots of wierd stuff.

www.rswww.co.uk

Dave

[ban-all-sheds]

I had a smaller box to fit out, and I used a piece of a sheet of plastic I had lying around - dunno what it is - grey, about 6-8mm thick, cuts easily, but a bit brittle. I broke a corner off drilling it, but Araldite worked just fine. To fix the accessories to it I drilled slightly undersized holes and hammered in some threaded hex spacers - whatever it is it was just soft enough to allow me to do that.