Lexan/plexiglass

[Jerry Bittner]

Just finished two entertainment towers to go along with the matching coffee table and end table for the LOML and when it came time to install the glass for the door fronts, she came up with the idea of frosted glass.

Not sure I liked that and suggested making an 1 0r 2" band around the edges of the glass. Bought some Lexan and proceeded to experiment with different grades of sandpaper to roughe the edges. I used an ROS which in retrospect I should have used a straight line sander. The ROS can easily slip under the edge of the masked off part.

The Lexan I used is ultra violet treated on one side so sunlight does not yellow it so I kept this part outside as required and sanded the inside edge/

In any event, I had not heard about this before and she's pleased with it and I think it adds something.

If I reduced the photos like required they should show up.

[glenn bradley]

That looks great and will definitly linger in my mind when I approach something like this. Thanks!

[Neil Lamens]

Hey Jerry......

Good think'n man!!!!! When I saw Lexan/pleiglass I had to look. Once you figure out the quirks, so many uses. I went through a time period of extensive use of clear plastic sheet material. Used it just like you would any plastic laminate, of course with a quirk or 2.

Like your thought to a solution.

Neil

[David G Baker]

Just finished two entertainment towers to go along with the matching coffee table and end table for the LOML and when it came time to install the glass for the door fronts, she came up with the idea of frosted glass.

Not sure I liked that and suggested making an 1 0r 2" band around the edges of the glass. Bought some Lexan and proceeded to experiment with different grades of sandpaper to roughe the edges. I used an ROS which in retrospect I should have used a straight line sander. The ROS can easily slip under the edge of the masked off part.

The Lexan I used is ultra violet treated on one side so sunlight does not yellow it so I kept this part outside as required and sanded the inside edge/

In any event, I had not heard about this before and she's pleased with it and I think it adds something.

If I reduced the photos like required they should show up.
Jerry,
The Lexan can be masked and sand blasted as well. I have done this with glass a few times.
Looks great.
David B

[David Wambolt]

Sanding plexi has long been used to create teh frosted effect. Just use a random orbital and away you go. If you want to create a shiney surface with color, simply mask and spray the back part of the plexi your color of choice, or even used smoked color spray for a translucent look. I've worked with plexi quite a bit and you often find people ask "how did you get the front so shiney???". Pretty simple!

[Bob Fraser]

Neil was mentioning that there are some quirks with these materials,
and there are also some differences that would be good to know.

Like Neil, I have done a fair amount of work with these "glass imitators"
professionally and in my earlier days, just for fun.

Lexan, has a terrific impact strength, a haffa inch will stop a .45 bullet.
But you can scratch it with a fingernail, while you are wiping that bullet dented window clean with a paper towel.

It also does not buff well on the edges, and you probabaly will never be satisfied with that edge.

Plexiglas has far less impact strength, but has wonderful abrasion resistance, and buffs to a near glass finish. If you are careful not to over heat.

Plexiglass will bubble when you are heating to bend, whereas Lexan takes vacuum molding much easier.

When you bandsaw Plexiglass, the cut will almost heal up after the blade passes, Lexan cuts pretty well with a common blade.

Plexiglas will crack if you "force drill" it, Lexan will not.

And neither has the same glue chemical.

Plexiglass is a better light conductor of the two, more like "lucite".

Hope this info helps,
Bob

[David Cramer]

Really nice entertainment towers Jerry. The frosted glass looks great. You did a fine job all the way around. Thanks for sharing your work!

Dave