I need a special piece of equipment

[gregmcateer]

I would suggest looking at 'Direct Plastics'
http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/AcrylicSheet/3mm/
They do thicknesses from 2.5mm to 12mm in Acrylic at about half the price quoted in the Amazon link.

JG

Looks good, JG, until you add the delivery and VAT on both - then the ebay one looks cheaper, (though may not be better, I accept. I just happened to notice the ebay one).
Having said that, Rhossydd's shed window is even better value if it's free !
Greg

 

[J-G]

I would suggest looking at 'Direct Plastics'
http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/AcrylicSheet/3mm/
They do thicknesses from 2.5mm to 12mm in Acrylic at about half the price quoted in the Amazon link.
JG

Looks good, JG, until you add the delivery and VAT on both - then the ebay one looks cheaper, (though may not be better, I accept. I just happened to notice the ebay one).
Having said that, Rhossydd's shed window is even better value if it's free !
Greg

I must be having one of 'those days'
Where did I get 'Amazon' from :?:

When I buy from Direct Plastics I usually make up a £50 order and get free delivery so didn't think to look at the real cost of a one-off purchase. As it happens a one-off 600sq x 3mm is 77p cheaper at DP but 500sq x 3mm would be £2.81 more.

I doubt that there would be any difference in the quality of the product, though DP do Lexan Margard which is scratch resistant and 250 times stronger than glass so might be a better material for this particular job. That would put the price up considerably of course.

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Does this show this what you wantView attachment 100View attachment 100 I also have two home made onesView attachment 100View attachment 100 hope this helps yopu fined what you want

The top one is precisely what I have now and what I was thinking of replacing, as it is I think I will go down the road of making my own.

Warmest regards, Peter.

 

[gregmcateer]

When I buy from Direct Plastics I usually make up a £50 order and get free delivery so didn't think to look at the real cost of a one-off purchase. As it happens a one-off 600sq x 3mm is 77p cheaper at DP but 500sq x 3mm would be £2.81 more.

I doubt that there would be any difference in the quality of the product, though DP do Lexan Margard which is scratch resistant and 250 times stronger than glass so might be a better material for this particular job. That would put the price up considerably of course.

Weird, the way prices can vary so much.

Would you think 3mm would be thick enough for this purpose, or would you go a bit thicker?

TIA

Greg

 

[J-G]

I doubt that there would be any difference in the quality of the product, though DP do Lexan Margard which is scratch resistant and 250 times stronger than glass so might be a better material for this particular job. That would put the price up considerably of course.

Weird, the way prices can vary so much.

Would you think 3mm would be thick enough for this purpose, or would you go a bit thicker?

TIA

Greg

If I could get 1mm thick I would use that. Regrettably the way industrial plastic sheet is manufactured it is difficult to maintain the thickness to better than about ½mm so what might be sold as 3mm will be somewhere between 3 and 3·5.

I don't see any advantage in using thicker material but maybe someone who has used a template like this would have a different view.

JG

 

[joethedrummer]

Hello woodspinners,,,
Got a piece of 3mm perspex on its way, so what method did you use to cut a circle ?,,,the circle will be about 15in; dia; to start with, tho" it could be smaller depending how it goes !!
,,,,joe,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Hello woodspinners,,,
Got a piece of 3mm perspex on its way, so what method did you use to cut a circle ?,,,the circle will be about 15in; dia; to start with, tho" it could be smaller depending how it goes !!
,,,,joe,,,,,,,,,,,,

I have never cut a circle of those dimensions but I would assume that if you use a trammel to get the correct size and then substitute the marker for a cutting tool of some sort you could then gradually work your way through, it is only 3 mm!

Alternatively, I was thinking along the lines of another poster and leave the piece square, one of the corners would be a handy place to drill a hole for the pencil!

Yet again a trammel or a piece of thin wood with a hole to mark the centre and at 1/2" inch increments would suffice to mark the perspex? A Black permanent marker would mark the circles if the hole at each 1/2" were big enough to accommodate?

When drilling the holes drill it from both sides rather than straight through it is less likely to damage the Perspex and lubricate the drill with water. (Ensure that the drill is SHARP)

Regards Peter.

 

[gregmcateer]

Couldn't you put the sheet on the lathe using a faceplate and grippy material with the tailstock holding it safely and mark the circles as it spins?

 

[Grahamshed]

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[joethedrummer]

Couldn't you put the sheet on the lathe using a faceplate and grippy material with the tailstock holding it safely and mark the circles as it spins?

Hi greg,,,,,thanks,,,,,perhaps it"s dementia setting in !!, "cos I couldn"t join up perspex,,circle and lathe,
,,,,joe,,,,,,,,,

 

[Rhossydd]

so what method did you use to cut a circle ?

Just leave it square. Then you can drill a hole in one corner to hang it up with.

Just using a sharp pointed pair of dividers worked well for me for marking out the circles, far easier than trying to mount it on a lathe.
Sharp drill for the holes, fairly slow and sacrificial support behind to prevent much breakout.
It was all very easy.

 

[gregmcateer]

so what method did you use to cut a circle ?

Just leave it square. Then you can drill a hole in one corner to hang it up with.

Just using a sharp pointed pair of dividers worked well for me for marking out the circles, far easier than trying to mount it on a lathe.
Sharp drill for the holes, fairly slow and sacrificial support behind to prevent much breakout.
It was all very easy.

Yep, I meant leave the piece square - find the centre with a diagonal cross, drill a hole, then use the lathe just to support it, turning by hand to mark circles. I don't have a big enough one! (Divider, that is, missus).

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Sounds like a good plan.

An idea yes, but you would have to have a 15 inch swing over the bed??

Regards, Peter.

 

[petercharlesfagg]

Further to the purchase of Perspex squares this is an example I found as I surfed the various forums around the world.

As stated before, they do not have to be circular!

Regards, Peter.

 

[J-G]

An idea yes, but you would have to have a 15 inch swing over the bed??

<pedant mode>
A 15" square is 21¼" across the corners so you need just under 11" swing.
</pedant mode>