buying plastic

[mick70Participant @mick70]

Need to buy some plastic approx 600x600x19mm thick.

It is for a storage rack for some collets am open to ideas which is best type.

Also looking for best supplier.

Ta

[mick70Participant @mick70]

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Why plastic? MDF is very good for this.

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

My first port of call for plastics would be "Diectplastic" (http://www.directplastics.co.uk), but for a collet store I think I'd be using much thinner material with stiffening if necessary, or even ply, mdf or osb. – When you check the prices you might see why.

Polypropylene is one of the cheapest and is the stuff wheelie bins are made from so will withstand oil, water etc. No need for anything exotic.

Edited By Keith Long on 21/08/2015 18:17:21

[frank brownParticipant @frankbrown22225]

if you can design it to be out of of strips, I have used PVC foam filled sections designed for fascia boards or some thing like that. I used it because I pulled it out of s skip A similar boarding is used in PVC doors with blanking panels fitted to their lower panel.

Brilliant stuff to drill.

Frank

[mick70Participant @mick70]

Posted by John Haine on 21/08/2015 18:14:37:

Why plastic? MDF is very good for this.

Looking at copying one from work. Wasn't sure sure mdf would do cos of cutting oil etc

Edited By naughtyboy on 21/08/2015 18:35:15

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Once you look at plastic prices then MDF willi be the material of choice

It's very close to the price of aluminium at the moment, and some like PEEK is well, well past the price of gold.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Old computer cases? I have been planning a wood box but drilled support from thin plastic because I don't want the collets next to wood that might get damp.

[Richard MarksParticipant @richardmarks80868]

Second hand window ledge from your local double glazing skip!

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Two ways to protect mdf. One is several coats of diluted PVA glue. The other is Ronseal wet rot wood hardener. Apply several coats liberally, preferably outside. Don't wet the mdf first! Soaks up like water in the desert, sets like rock.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Go buy 2 kneeling mats from Wilkinsons or a garden center., the green ones. Find a bit of thin tube and make a sharp thin edge and use it to trepan through the Kneeling mats to the diameter of your collets.The mats then need a box to be put in. This worked very well for my collets and keeps them safe.

No hard plastic or high cost! I went through 2 thicknesses quite easily.

Clive

[Steve PaveyParticipant @stevepavey65865]

Plastic chopping board – you might need a few to make up the size you want but they are cheap and easy to find.

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Hi NB

19mm and even thicker plastic cutting board is available from commercial kitchen suppliers some are even bigger than 600 x 600.

I have a rack I made a long time ago from MDF It works fine.

If you have a router and have or can get hold of a small ball bearing radius cutter it will make all the difference in preparing the holes you have drilled in the board. The one I use has a radius of 2.5mm. just run the router around each hole to form a nice no chip edge. it will work well on all the external corners too.

To finish off just use inexpensive I pack clear spirit base polyurethane… The first coat will disappear in front of your eyes impregnating the MDF let that tack off then add two more coats, you will get a hardwearing finish that is very durable.

In another life I used this method to prepare work surfaces in a factory. When we did bench tops we used to slosh it on creating a very thick top. I wears very well.

Regards
John

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