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Milli (Milli)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 04:04 pm: | 
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Got a sheet of this stuff for roof rack flooring. Just brainstorming here on how to attach it and wondering if anyone has worked with fabricating (drilling,cutting etc) this material. Thanks. |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 04:14 pm: |
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don't know but that is a very interesting idea for flooring. |
Brent Fox (Bfox)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 04:18 pm: |
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I work with this stuff everyday. I usually cut it with a 18v cordless circular saw. If the edges are too rough a belt sander with a 240 grit does a nice job. Drilling is no problem however the bit will tend to "grab" as it goes through. |
Brent Fox (Bfox)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 04:24 pm: |
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Forgot to add: plexiglass and lexan are two very different materials; hope you did get the lexan as plexiglass won't do the job nearly as well. |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 04:48 pm: |
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I like the idea i want to know how your floor turns out |
Milli (Milli)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 04:51 pm: |
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Sure thing. Thanks. |
Jaime (Blueboy)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 05:17 pm: |
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lexan is pretty strong stuff. Railroads use it for the windshield on locomotives. in order to be approved, a brick on a 30' rope from the verticle position is swung into the windshield. this simulates someone dropping a brick from an overhead bridge. lexan cracks but remains intact. good stuff. withstands temperature swings also. there are different grades and think lexan is a trademark of GE.
Jaime |
Milli (Milli)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 05:26 pm: |
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I have a spec sheet on GE Lexan if anyone is interested. It's expensive, normaly like 300 for a 4'x8' sheet. I got a sheet cheap, so, figured I could just leave it up there forever.
Still kinda wondering about wind resistance and how many holes to drill for rack access to attach tie downs?? |
Jaime (Blueboy)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 05:34 pm: |
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Milli,
there is a section on Roof Rack flooring in the tech section that might help. although for steel mesh, it might give some ideas.
Jaime |
Milli (Milli)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 05:41 pm: |
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Thanks Jamie, saw it there, nice. I don't think I want to weld, or tap into the rack and bolt down.
I have never used a basket rack. How often do you find it nice to have locations in the center of the rack to "hook to"? |
Prescottj (Prescottj)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 05:42 pm: |
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i would put some type of fairing between the roof (just above the windshield) and the rack so the wind will just flow over and put downward force instead of under the flooring putting upward force. I would also think about putting wind relief slits right where the roof raises on the center of the body |
Randall Smith
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 06:06 pm: |
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I actually own a company that specializes in machining plastics. Wouldn't it be cool to have a totaly plastic roof rack??
Plexiglass(acrylic) will have a much longer life when exposed to sunlight. It also cost about half as much as Lexan. But it does break. Don't be suprised if you find a crack in your panel one day.
Lexan(polycarbonate) is virtually unbreakable. You can drill lots of holes in it and not worry about weakening the panel. But it will start to degrade(just like most plastics) when left outdoors.
Another possibility would be King(name of company) Starboard(brand name). Look at any boat built in the last ten years. They use acrylic and Starboard to fabricate everything which is not fiberglass or stainless. Starboard comes in many colors and can handle the worst marine environments. But it is not self supporting, so any horizontal panels have to be screwed to a frame or it will sag over time.
Randall |
gp (Garrett)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 06:11 pm: |
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but won't that be slick to walk on when wet? go into a hockey rink and steal a nice sheet. i know it's not lexan though. still damn strong. |
Milli (Milli)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 06:35 pm: |
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Randall, I looked at the Starboard, Thanks.
The guy says I should come see some because it is really heavy and 400 a sheet. It looks and sounds perfect (plus has some type of tread or traction), thanks. Are you in the Northwest? |
TPH (Snowman)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 06:48 pm: |
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Randall-
Is there a UV resistent paint that could be applied to the polycarbonate and still stand up to scuffs ect.? It's used in eyewear lenses and coated for UV protection.
S- |
joshua Frances (Joshua)
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 07:02 pm: |
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You could just drill a bunch of holes, and use some heavy duty zip ties
josh |
Randall Smith
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 10:12 pm: |
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I am in NC. Businesses that work on boats probably can get Starboard, as can most plastic distributors. Starboard is really just polyethelene cutting board material, but it has been heavily UV stabilized, and pigmented. It is also very slick(even though it has a texture), and I wouldn't recomend walking on it. It's just an idea of something which might work well for flooring in a roof rack.
Polycarbonate(Lexan) can be UV stabilized and glass coated for abrasion resistance. GE MR10(General Electric mar-resistant 10 yr warrenty) sheet could work in this application. Again, see your city's plastic sheet distributor.
Generally speaking; plastics are non absorbant, and do not readily accept paint coatings. You buy material that has the color molded into it.
Randall |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 12:20 pm: |
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to those who work with plastics:
I am looking for a carbon-based-polymer material that is used as an impenetrable barrier on window glass (e.g. home or auto windows). "Impenetrable" in this case means that it will withstand rocks, hammers, baseball bats, etc (of course the glass beneath the barrier may shatter). Resistance to bullet penetration is a definite plus. Do any of you plastic gurus know of a particular product brand-name, or at least the base monomer composition & arrangement?
thanks! |
Milli (Milli)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 12:52 pm: |
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Bluegill, I am no expert but Lexan is mostly used for Windows to prevent break-ins. (you cannot smash it!), Race car windshields, etc.
You need the MR (UV Resistant and $ x 2) if you want it to last forever clear as glass. |
todd slater (Toddslater)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 02:50 pm: |
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The two major manufactures of polycarbonate sheet are GE (Lexan) and ATOGLAS (Tuffak). Plexiglas (acrylic sheet) is a tradename for ATOGLAS. For this application I'd stick with polycarbonate sheet...if I was set on using plastic. Why not some aluminum diamond plate ? |
muskyman
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 05:02 pm: |
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too funny!
today is the 50th birthday of lexan
saw it on good morning america
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEXAN!! |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 05:12 pm: |
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Thanks Milli - all I know of "Lexan" is very general & vague use of the word (like Kleenex or Xerox). From Todd's post, it looks like Lexan is GE's trademarked product (but I think Todd was replying to your original roof rack flooring question, as diamond plate on my home/auto windows isn't quite what I'm looking for  )
Does anyone know what exactly Lexan is (chemically)? Or is that maybe proprietary info?
just did another google search, and this new link came up:
http://www.polymerplastics.com/transparents_lexan.shtml
which linked me to this:
http://www.gestructuredproducts.com/sp1/gesp_amer/index.jsp (additional links on this page are dead ends, though) |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 05:13 pm: |
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is that why we have plastic on the brain? LOL |
Randall Smith
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 06:01 pm: |
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Bluegill
Not sure what you mean in "carbon based", but the name is polyCARBONate. Looking up the definition I found: Polymers derived from the direct reaction between aromatic ans aliphatic dihydroxy compounds....
You may want to do a google search on bullit proof glass. Which is a sheet of acrylic sandwiched between polycarbonate. Also I think that you can get plastic sheet with chicken wire molded inside, which they use in all the doors in prisons. I think the GE MR10 would take care of your needs. Or you should move to Cary NC. I am the only criminal in this whole town.
Randall |
Phillip Perkinson (R0ver4x4)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 07:31 pm: |
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they make those cool Nalgene bottles of lexan I have 4 or 5 of em. they are damn tough. |
todd slater (Toddslater)
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 10:40 pm: |
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Blue,
Yep I was replying to the flooring post...as far as your needs Lexan or Tuffak (go with the Tuffak, I work for them...in a different area) should suit your needs...toughest optical quality stuff that I know of. If you really want the chem formula, I'll see what I can dig up for you. Also, if your really serious about the bullet protection, I'll inquire with the guru's up at our tech center. |
KJ
| | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 12:30 am: |
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Blue,
Bullet-proof glass? Piss someone off recently? Now, be a good little Hobbit....
Karen ;) |
todd slater (Toddslater)
| | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 11:03 am: |
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Blue,
Here is a link that should answer a lot of your questions regarding polycarbonate. If you don't get what you need let me know.
http://www.atofinachemicals.com/atoglas/p2_allproducts_tuffak.cfm |
Erik Olson (Jon)
| | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 11:09 am: |
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Randall,
What is the stuff they make those bread-boards out of? Usually, they have a handle routed out at one end and come in varying thicknesses. I've always thought this material would make great floor material.
e |
Mike Rupp (Mike_Rupp)
| | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 05:39 pm: |
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Bill,
You've got mail. |
Mike Rupp (Mike_Rupp)
| | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 05:46 pm: |
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FYI: The one downside to polycarbonate is that it has poor chemical resistance especially to petroleum based products, e.g. gasoline and oils. If used as a floor on a rack, be sure to be careful about not spilling any oil or gasoline. Over time, if exposed to gas, polycarbonate can craze and crack. |
Blue (Bluegill)
| | Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 07:21 pm: |
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thanks for all the info |
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