Jump to content

Re polycabonate sheet.


Deskpilot

Recommended Posts

I need to replace the  wind-screen of my Thruster which is 1.5mm polycabonte sheet. Trouble is, I can only get 1.0mm locally. Will this be strong enough? Being formed into a continuous curve, I think it might be but would like a more experienced opinion if any-one is up to it.

 

Thanks in advance,  DP.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know the answer, but compared to 1.0 mm sheet, 1.5 mm sheet will be about 3.3 times stronger in bending and 5 times stiffer.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My local supplier goes from 1mm to 3mm and that's way too thick. As for weight, I've already added so much I'm beginning to wonder if I'll actually get of the ground. Mind you, I had to put another hole in my belt last week. Not saying I'm loosing weight, it's just shifted some-where else.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Savannah is 1.5mm

 

If this is indeed 3 times stronger and 5 times stiffer then 1.0mm, it would seem worth going the extra mile for?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Savannah is 1.5mmIf this is indeed 3 times stronger and 5 times stiffer then 1.0mm, it would seem worth going the extra mile for?

Oops! I should have said 2.3 times stronger and 3.3 times stiffer. Apologies all. However the difference is still significant given the small increase in thickness. Can’t go back and edit my previous post unfortunately.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The good new, DP, is that polycarbonate is getting cheaper. The price halved in the last ten years, presumably because it's now sourced from China. That means is cheaper to replace your screen, which you need to do much more often than with acrylic (Perspex) which is harder, less scratch resistant, but more easily cracked.

 

I'd like to see how thick our screens need to be; has anyone whacked a curved sheet of poly with a defrosted chook travelling at 90knots?

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The good new, DP, is that polycarbonate is getting cheaper. The price halved in the last ten years, presumably because it's now sourced from China. That means is cheaper to replace your screen, which you need to do much more often than with acrylic (Perspex) which is harder, less scratch resistant, but more easily cracked.I'd like to see how thick our screens need to be; has anyone whacked a curved sheet of poly with a defrosted chook travelling at 90knots?

No, but big bird's go thru a cherrokee screen which is about 5mm

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, but big bird's go thru a cherrokee screen which is about 5mm

I presume the Cherokee screen is (brittle) acrylic. I guess speed is a major factor. Even the incredibly sloping

F-111 screen couldn't protect its crew from bird strike.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's great stuff, Gareth. I feel much safer behind polycarbonate than acrylic. My motorcycle helmet visor was once hit by a golf ball-sized rock thrown up by an oncoming vehicle. Impact speed must have approached 200k, but the curved lexan protected my features by bending in enough to whack my nose.

 

I've driven nails thru it, bent it in the vice with a hammer and made lots of items from off cuts. Like some grades of aluminium, lexan will crack if bend at too tight a radius. It's also hygrostatic- absorbs moisture- which leads to problems if you're dumb enough to try heat-bending it as I did. The moisture eventually boils, exploding the lexan sheet into a blistered mess. It can be forced into complex forms if heated beyond 130C (from memory), but first the water has to be dried out by oven-curing at 60C for 24hrs.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...