How easy/hard would it be to pass polycarbonate/lexan through a planar?

[Wiseass]

I'm looking to get some poly from McMaster Carr, mainly the 12" x 12" bulletproof at 1.3" thick, but thats too thick, and the .78" thickness is too thin for my application, if I have access to a small planar, can I pass it through there without any issues?

I'm not so concerned about keeping the translucency (yet) of the lexan, I believe I could buff/polish it back to clear, just wondering how well that stuff will plane?

[four4875]

if you can keep he cutting speed right, you should be fine, no melting and such, but i think you'll have to polish the hell out of it to get it clear again.

[The_Jizzler]

i would think it might chip and splinter everywhere. be careful.

[four4875]

i thought acrylic / plexiglass was the one that cracked andall that with the problems. i thought polycarbonatewas relatively easy to machine. or is that just easIER?

[shiltz]

Why not just buy plexiglass in the thickness you need, .78" bullet proof won't be bullet proof if you plane down the thickness (assuming you are concerned with it being bullet proof, planning on shooting your computer? lol), either way I have a feeling it probably wouldn't work that well, but don't know for sure.

[Wiseass]

Why not just buy plexiglass in the thickness you need, .78" bullet proof won't be bullet proof if you plane down the thickness (assuming you are concerned with it being bullet proof, planning on shooting your computer? lol), either way I have a feeling it probably wouldn't work that well, but don't know for sure.

the problem is for this applicaiton I don't believe any of the stuff mcmaster sells is the correct thickness. I'm not so worried about it being bulletproof, the only reason I was going with the bulletproof is it's more shatter resistant/less prone to breaking than standard lexan/plexi.

The specifications of the piece I'll be machining need to be exact, I can't get a .73" stock if i need .75"

[Zort]

Contact Mcmaster and make sure that the bullet resistant polycarbonate isnt a laminate. Bullet resistant "glass" is often a laminate of glass and polycarbonate, meaning its a sandwich made of two thin sheets of ordinary glass with polycarbonate in between. As long as it is 100% polycarbonate, you can run it through a planer, or any other machine you want and the greatest threat will be to the machine, not the polycarbonate. It is ridiculously shatter resistant, but will scratch pretty easily, so dont take the protective paper off the side that youre not going to plane.

[Captain Slug]

As Zort said: "bullet proof" sheets are traditionally layered (different density layers solvented together) in order to increase their penetration resistance. Planing any of those sheets down will inhibit their bullet resistance.

If you don't need the bullet resistant properties specifically then yes planing will be fine. But what application are you working on where you can shatter/break regular sheets of polycarbonate?
When machining polycarbonate it behaves fairly similar to aluminum, provided you don't let it heat up to the point of melting.

[flamerail]

You need to get the feed speed slow as you can.. but the worst part is when the material first hit the blades.... its probly gona splinter and shatter .. if it dosnt then u should be ok... but i would wear eye protection and any else u can protect around... aswell as quick shutdown switch for the planer.

[fireandice]

the right speed and the right cutting deph passes should be ok then you will have to sand and polish the cut side and heat it to make it clear again.


it can be done but not all that easy your feed and blade speed's as well as cuttinh deph are key.

[Captain Slug]

the right speed and the right cutting deph passes should be ok then you will have to sand and polish the cut side and heat it to make it clear again.
Unlike acrylic, you cannot flame polish polycarbonate. It will just bubble.
So sanding and then some form of polish is best.

[nachosyumm]

I actually use my jointer for fine adjustments of the edge of lexan. I have also used it on the face of smaller pieces to make them thinner. A planer should work. I would just try it on a test piece first. Also I would use double sided tape to back the piece of lexan with a piece of wood so that it is easier to work with, but if the piece is relatively tick then the wood backing is unneeded.

[maxxpehling]

make sure not to make the cuts to deep is all. I've plained plexi before, sharp blades help :) as far as it being layered, if it is flat out bullet proof poly, it should be one single piece. bullet proof glass is normally like 2 inches thick with 7 or 8 layers of glass and some sort of polycarbonate.