what material would you use to build that box Jake?
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what material would you use to build that box Jake?
Well, if it must b clear...then lexan
Acrylic "plexiglass" would b a lawsuit waiting to happen
Thanks Jake for the info.:thumbup:
Guess that answers my question.
For the record, I'm no plastics expert. However I have handled and fabricated both materials in large volume. Polycarbonate is exponentially stronger with regards to impact and breakage in general. Acrylic when impacted is not fun. It is also very prone to hairline cracks from fabrication. It runs, and breaks like glass.
I'm not saying you'll get sued....I'm just saying that if I were you I would damn sure not want to crash a plexiglass box, with a high speed router into a spinning headstock. There will b an explosion with little plexi glass missiles going everywhere.
I like the box, i would spend the few extra bucks on lexan and your product could double as a safety enclosure.
I believe "plexiglass" is a generic term. There are trademarked companies, but plexiglass is just acrylic, but not all acrylics are of the same polymer. I could be wrong, but I do work with the material day-in-day-out for a living and holy cow is it fragile- as a result my company has been slowly converting to Delrin instead. But I don't see how this application of the material would be in danger or anything, unless you throw it against the wall.
Sorry for the momentary hijack. I hope to some day need a box like this for the lathe I'll some day have for tapering. Excellent idea.
Sorry for the momentary hijack. I hope to some day need a box like this for the lathe I'll some day have for tapering. Excellent idea.
All one has to do is a google search to see the impact rating differences between Acrylic and polycarbonate.
Acrylic, when impacted by say a router bit that breaks up or falls out of the router at speeds of 15,000 -20,000 + rpms, it can and will crack and shatter and send shards flying. Lexan is a different breed and even thicknesses around 1/4" can stop a bullet. Lexan or polycarbonate will bend and absorb the shock and while it will scratch easier, it doesn't send shards all around the shop. I have had a router bit fall out and thankfully I used lexan and it held, rather than shatter as Acrylic does. The forces were so great it bent the 1/4" steel shank about 90 degrees and destroyed the blank. I have used Lexan for about 25 years for various stuff with high amount of impact force and it's never shattered. It's a bit more expensive, but cuts better, doesn't shatter or crack while cutting and overall, the extra cost is nothing compared to going to the emergency room for sharp projectile injuries, or getting sued because the seller/builder used Acrylic instead of Polycarbonate.
As to a lawsuit, If one sells these type of enclosures with Acrylic and God forbid an accident happens, the seller/builder will be libel, hands down. We use sharp bits at high RPM's in a confined space, if things go wrong, that energy will find a way out with Acrylic, where as polycarbonate will contain it.
Hope this helps to explain it.
Dave
Best I seen.
Great job and engineering!
Great job and engineering!
So it a bit comes undone you saying no one will get hurt unless there is an enclosure? Bits become projectiles it's going to hit you if your there! I never stated this was a bit containing device. I would rather have acrylic slow it down then nothing at all. If I get a splinter from one of your cues are you liable? I could post miles of do not use labels on it like I was dealing with the general public, however I assumed that cue builders have some common sense. If you crash something into a headstock who's fault is that? And yes I have crashed one of my test units into my headstock, no it didn't break, it bounced it up and down until I hit the kill switch. No breakage, the box has "give" due to the base design for this reason. These are not for industrial lathes and the forces of our small headstock are not the same.
Polycarbonate sheet is more expensive than Acrylic sheet.
From an optics point of view, Acrylic sheet is clearer.
From a shatter resistance Polycarbonate is way ahead of Acrylic sheet.
Because polycarbonate sheet is so much tougher than Acrylic sheet, I prefer to just by the
Polycarbonate sheet and know that I am making something that will last and not shatter easily.
I like what you have made, and I think you will have much better sales if it were made of the better material, that being Polycarbonate.
Neil
From an optics point of view, Acrylic sheet is clearer.
From a shatter resistance Polycarbonate is way ahead of Acrylic sheet.
Because polycarbonate sheet is so much tougher than Acrylic sheet, I prefer to just by the
Polycarbonate sheet and know that I am making something that will last and not shatter easily.
I like what you have made, and I think you will have much better sales if it were made of the better material, that being Polycarbonate.
Neil
Neil, optics qualities are likely only relevant when the box is new. Any type of plastic will eventually become somewhat sand blasted on the inner surface due to the chip load coming off the blade.
To the OP, I really wish I would have just pmd you. Didn't mean to bring negativity to your thread. I do think you've done a great job.
Jake,
Scotty on Star Trek would have used Transparent aluminum like the tank he made to bring the whales on the Enterprise. LOL
Rick
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Scotty used plexiglas. He traded the formula for transparent aluminum. To pay for the plexiglas.
Oh and it was on a Klingon battle cruiser.
Larry
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I always thought you were an alright dude, but now you are pretty cool.
Your right, I forgot they gave the formula to 1980s earth as a trade. :clapping:
I did not intend to be negative on a great idea.
Have some sort of sacrificial plates or replaceable protective pieces in the areas that you want to keep the viewing area clear is another option.
First, NEWS FLASH, you ARE dealing with the General public
Secondly, No offense was meant, and I have no desire to argue with you or interfere with your sales, I was only trying to help. But the fact you are marketing your product here on this forum, we as members, are allowed to voice our concerns. I suggested using lexan / polycarbonate to you back when you first suggested this project. You are free to use what you want, but need to realize that if something breaks and the acrylic shatters, and those shards injures the user, you will be at fault for not using a better suited material knowing that the potential is there.That's basic reasoning, and basic design work and the basis for a lawsuit. I designed a very similar box 3 years ago for my Atlas lathe using Polycarbonate and spoke to a friend that is a lawyer about patent and liability issues and he is the one that informed me about the risks which made me decide to not make them as a product to sell due to the liability involved. If your going to start producing a product and for a profit, then you have to protect yourself and your customers. It's your choice to use what you want, but there are reasons why a lot of companies have stopped making things certain ways and either gone bankrupt due to lawsuits or have drastically changed how they make stuff. In the end, it's your choice, but if you bury your head in the sand, like it seems to be now, Good Luck with that... hope all goes well.
Dave
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Apparently, regardless of how diligent one is, you can't protect yourself from stupid....
https://www.hop-law.com/table-saw-defect-lawsuit-against-ryobi-moves-to-federal-court/
http://www.woodmagazine.com/blogs/w...des-with-ryobi-in-tablesaw-liability-lawsuit/
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Your 100% correct. I injured my left hand in a bench saw accident years ago because I removed the guard on it and my lawyer friend wanted me to sue the manufacturer. I refused to do so as IMO, it was my stupidity for not operating it right. Thankfully the fingers heal very well.