The new receiver for my entertainment centre is 20Kg or about 45 pounds. I'd like to have all the components supported by some type of lexan or plexiglass or similar product. Which of these products are the strongest and able to exist as a 19" span and be able to support this 45 pound AV receiver using brass shelving supports and sleeves?
Lexan is probably stronger for the same thickness, but is also more expensive. You need to discuss this with a supplier - material thickness needed for X weight over Y span.
John
You may want to consider some design techniques with Lexan.
Two ideas that come to mind are:
A) Arrange for a support along the 19" span at the back side of the shelves even if this means providing a vertical column in the shelf design at the back. There are ways to make such things look rather slick in a design. I've even seen taught vertical cables used.
B) Consider hot forming a front side lip on the Lexan that acts as a right angle stiffener.
- mkaras
I can virtually guarantee that 1/4" plexiglass would bend very badly, if gradually. I built a case for a turntable from that stuff once and it could not support the weight of the (heavy) turntable for long until it deformed. You may need to glue some vertical supports underneath to strenghen it. No idea what thickness would be sufficient for the weight you have there, but I think it'd be hefty.
-P.
Tempered glass is probably a better bet if you want that look--it will either carry the load or break but it's not going to sag noticeably, public-education notions about "supercooled liquid that creeps slowly" notwithstanding. But 1/4 inch is going to be too thin regardless. Lexan has about 60 percent of the elastic modulus of MDF, acrylic about 80 percent, glass is about ten times higher (all _very_ approximate).
The Sagulator
Actually, Lexan (polycarbonite) cold forms...Pexiglas (acrylic) uses heat for forming.
Lexan doesn't like heat...looks like a sheet of hard pudding...like my ex-wife used to make.
Mike
You want clear shelving with no sag and heat resistance. (Stero equip. throws some heat)
tempered safety glass, pencil polished edges
:)
Myx
And expensive. For tempered safety glass, 20.75" x 17" x 3/8" I was quoted from $50 per piece all the way up to $135 per piece with a two week delivery time. I'm going to check out the $50 guy tomorrow. I'm hoping he didn't quote me the wrong price considering how much cheaper he was than everyone else.
can you cut thick glass? look for old dining room tabletops in yard sales. i just bought a 4'x6'x.75" tabletop for $20. not a scratch on it. tinted gray even. you can use a silicon carbide belt in a beltsander (with a very light touch) to break the sharp edges. do that on a windy day, standing upwind.
regards, charlie
The two week delivery time is because the glass has to get cut before it gets tempered. You can't cut tempered glass.
I'm going to check out the $50 guy tomorrow. I'm hoping he didn't
Repeat: You can't cut tempered glass.
Dave in Houston
dining room tabletops aren't tempered, so i'm not quite sure what your statement is referring to.
i submit that 1/2" glass isn't going to be broken with normal means. without special breakers, one would be hard pressed to break .5", let alone .75", thick glass. i've scored that thickness glass, placed a dowel under the break, and jumped on the end without having it break.
have your neighbor look for things? i have a set of people who look for kilns and other glass or ceramic related items in local yard sales, and they call me up if they find anything interesting.
thick glass is pretty heavy and you do need special tools to cut and handle it, so yes, it'll be easier to purchase it premade directly. otoh, a stained glass store may be able to cut down a tabletop if one was delivered to them by a helpful assistant. i doubt that the glass shop you approached would do this; they'd want to sell you the new glass instead of recycled.
btw: another good place is craigslist. i see glass shelves (and tabletops too) on my local frequently that come out of store closings. perhaps something close enough in size would do.
Possibly, but one of the greatest detriments to my using a wheelchair is not being able to get around easily to get to things ~ like yard sales. All in all, it's easier and much less time consuming to just buy something. I don't like it, but there it is. It is a confirmed fact that's it's considerably more expensive to have a disability than not. I wouldn't have thought much about it before being in the chair, but it surely hits me right in the forehead now.
These guys have lexan in 1/2" thick sheets:
It's a possibility and maybe I'll look around a bit. In all honesty though, I'm not sure I want to. At least not for supporting my new 45 pound AV receiver that cost me over $1800. I'd have a coronary if the thing dropped through some recycled glass because I was too cheap to buy the tempered stuff. Of course, the rest of the components aren't near as heavy, so what you suggest may be a viable option.
the MUST be to be legally sold here)
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The only difference is the tempered glass would be in about 10,000 peices insted of just a hundred - - - - .
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They do have other sizes, up to 48" x 96".
SFWIW:
While very strong, Lexan will scratch and price will be tied to crude oil.
Might take a look at 1/2" laminated safety glass, cut to size with a water jet.
That way, edges will be polished.
HEAVY, but very strong.
Have fun.
Lew
The receiver is about 17"x17" so 12"x48" isn't wide enough, but I'm still considering something similar. The greatest benefit is that it would be much lighter.
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