Plastic for windscreens

[Simpo Two]

I've almost finished making the Billing Boats' 'Phantom' and it's time to tackle the windscreen.

The acetate (?) provided was too thin and already scratched, so I cut the two windscreen panels from a clear disk from the top of a CD cake. It's the perfect thickness (1mm) with good rigidity, but it scratches if you look at it and while I was polishing them out the material got stress crazing, so they're completely unusable.

What kind of clear plastic 1mm sheet would be best for this please? Something I can cut and finish but scratch-resistant.

[46and2]

Sounds like clear acrylic/perspex is what you need

[Simpo Two]

46and2 said:

Sounds like clear acrylic/perspex is what you need

Would that be better than acetate? I found 1mm acetate sheets but not sure how easily it would scratch.

[rolster]

Hi there, I have has success with polycorbonate sheets in the past.

They are tough and scratch resistant and you can get them in a variaty of different thicknesses.

A small sheet, as required is pretty cheap so won't break the bank either.

[46and2]

Simpo Two said:

46and2 said:

Sounds like clear acrylic/perspex is what you need

Would that be better than acetate? I found 1mm acetate sheets but not sure how easily it would scratch.

Acrylic or Polycarbonae will be more scratch resistant than acetate. They just wont be as flexible, if you need curved shapes you will have to form them using heat.

Acrylic can be polished really well.

Edited by 46and2 on Thursday 13th July 13:21

[Simpo Two]

Thanks both. I don't need to bend it, just cut two pieces to shape.

I've come across PTEG - is that polycarbonate?

[Muddle238]

I've used PETG to good effect on model cars. Easy to work with, nice clarity.

[gruffgriff]

Petg has very similar properties to polycarb so is a good choice to cut and shape without introducing stress crazing. Usually comes with a protective film both sides. Vacforms very well...handy when one was in that line..

[Simpo Two]

It's not going well...

First piece arrived almost a week after ordering - it wasn't A5 and neither was it 1mm thick; a micrometer made it 0.8mm which is slightly too thin to fit snugly in the frames.

So I ordered some 1mm acrylic sheet from another supplier - whilst it was A5, it was 2mm thick - 100% over!

Third time lucky maybe...

[Simpo Two]

By way of an update, the third supplier's offering came in at 0.7mm

So I gave up with 'crafty' places and went to a proper model shop.

https://www.hobbies.co.uk/lexan-clear-sheet

At last, 1mm!

I was beginning to think that through some quirk of quantum mathematics a thickness of exactly 1 mm was impossible. 'Well squire, we can do you 0.995mm, or 1.060 mm... in-between that the angstrom multiplier effect kicks in so the energy needed to produce exactly 1.00mm is infinite, like mass vs the speed of light innit.'