9 replies to this topic

[Thom]

Is there such a thing as .010" or .015" PETG film or am I stuck with .020"?

 

Thanks.

 

Thom

[Paul Menkens]

This? https://www.amazon.c...5/dp/B084Q2Q56F

[Pappy]

Thom,

 

Contact Gene Adams at Gene's World. He'll tell you everything that's available. But I think you'll only find PETG in .020" and .030". But I could be wrong.

 

http://slotblog.net/...-world-group-4/

[Dave Crevie]

When the Austin-Healey club had 100/4 and 3000 style bodies made, .020 was the thinnest we could get. Lexan was more than double the cost, and the club members didn't want to pay up. We made bodies in 1/24th scale and 1/10th scale. I made the mold for the 1/10th cars, designed to fit on a Kyosho Raider chassis, since Tower Hobbies was having a half price sale on those. Three of us made the chassis for the 1/24th cars from brass parts I cut from sheet stock and tubing. The motors, wheels, gears and guide flags came from Parma. The rear axles were drill blanks I pilfered from work, the fronts were piano wire.  

 

In checking for an industrial supplier I found Gordon Harris, which is in New Zealand. They have .25mm thick PETG, which is a taste under .010. But nothing here in the states. All .020 or thicker.

 

[Bill Seitz]

If you don't need crystal clear, McMaster-Carr has semi-clear PETG in .02", .04", and .06" thick sheets.

[Gene/ZR1]

Laird Plastics

[Thom]

Thanks Gene, looks like I’ll be making a trip to KC or Madison on my way to Road America next week. But looking at their catalog I see nothing thinner than 0,020”.

[Brian Czeiner]

Does it have to be PETG?  You can get thin gauge polycarbonate here.

 

https://www.tapplast...nate_sheets/541

[Thom]

I would prefer polycarbonate. I have both 0.010 and 0.015 poly that I have tried, but I can’t get it to pull down like the 0.020 PETG. Maybe it’s the brand I bought, my next experiment with it will be to pull a vacuum in my portable air tank.

[Brian Czeiner]

The reason you are having better results with .020 PETG is because it holds the heat longer allowing forming to take place.  What you need for thin poly is more/quicker vacuum. Either a tank or you can run a pair of pumps the way I do. I have twin harbor freight 3 cfm pumps hooked into a single line. I see HB has 2.5 CFM pumps now for $100. To turn the pumps on, I have them in a power strip that is controlled by a Harbor Freight foot pedal. The second pedal operates my heater. Links are below.

 

If you choose to run a tank, make sure it has a vacuum gauge on it so you can have consistency.

 

https://www.harborfr...pump-61176.html

 

https://www.harborfr...itch-57200.html