Is it me or is polycarbonate too much $$$?

At www.mcmastercarr.com the price of the cheapest 24X24X.25 polycarbonate sheet was 30 dollars! I cannot build a case out of this if it is this expensive!

I remember seeing a 24X24 for much cheaper.

Anyways, I was thinking it was the quarter inch thick that was so pricy. How thin could I get away with for a computer case? It would not be moved much or anything.

If you brace it enough 1/8" is plenty for a case.

Check your local phone book for plastics shops. Most will sell off-cuts and scrap for $2-$4 per pound. If you do not have any locally I've been offering to deal plastic for OC forum members for some time. Most of the polycarbonate I have access to is Hyzod brand (really stiff) 1/8" or 1/4" sheets.

Also let me know the dimensions of the case you want to build. If you're building a Micro ATX box I may have something that could save you alot of time and effort.

I've found Mcmaster is really proud of their polycarb. Like the Captain said, the phone book is your friend for cheap polycarb.

Captain Slug is right on. 1/4 is a wee bit thick. Unless you have a gun and plan on using as a target. j/k
Like the guys said check around before you buy.

1/8" would be plenty thick for a case. I picked up a sheet of 32"x72"x.125" at Home Depot for $60 a couple months ago. I was able to build a case, a res, and a shroud out of it, and still have about 24"x 32"(aprox.) of the stuff left.

TheGhengisKhan said:

1/8" would be plenty thick for a case. I picked up a sheet of 32"x72"x.125" at Home Depot for $60 a couple months ago. I was able to build a case, a res, and a shroud out of it, and still have about 24"x 32"(aprox.) of the stuff left.

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The problem with Home Depot is that each location buys from a local supplier to save cost. While this allows them to sell it at a reasonable cost, it does however make every Home Depots stock completely different. Each location generally tailors to local needs, so the cut dimensions are usually specific to home repair.
So some Home Depots will have a nice selection of polycarbonate. But most only stock Acrylite, Optrix (ick!), and 1/16th polycarbonate.

Check your local store, but don't expect to find a wide variety.

Captain I just might take you up on a buying some of that off of you. It seems that everywhere around me has Acrylic, but no lexan or polycarbonate. Plus i like to help out the oc comunity . I will give you some dimentions here soon and see if you have some pieces that might work.

Hey, at least he will know his case will be safe incase there is a war.

Oh, also Lexan, Tuffak, and Cyrolon are all Polycarbonates.

Nah I need that bullet proof stuff. My 40 dollar AMD is just to preciouse

j/k

Anyways, thanks guys. As for HomeDepot, they have this no name acryllic that is a little more expensive than the polycarbonate at mcmastercarr!!!!

If you brace it enough 1/8" is plenty for a case.

Check your local phone book for plastics shops. Most will sell off-cuts and scrap for $2-$4 per pound. If you do not have any locally I've been offering to deal plastic for OC forum members for some time. Most of the polycarbonate I have access to is Hyzod brand (really stiff) 1/8" or 1/4" sheets.

Also let me know the dimensions of the case you want to build. If you're building a Micro ATX box I may have something that could save you alot of time and effort.

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Sweet! Yea, I think 1/8 will probably do fine for me. Thanks for the offer but this is not going to be Micro ATX. And I kinda want to build it myself to just to experience it. Kinda like building my own comp, I could have gotten a Dell but I decided, I would build my own for a change, and what do you know? Im happy with it and overclocking and looking to build a clear case and swearing I will never buy a factory built again. So you never know, I may have a love for case building, I dont know till I find out

Thanks for the offer though!

As for in town, I will check it out. There has to be something. Thanks for all of the replys!

Cheers!
-0cer

I paid 60 bucks for a 70"x20"x.250 of Lexan I didnt think it was all that bad.


I went to a local Plastic fabrication shop and talked to a guy about what i was doing and he thought the .250 was about right.


Problem i have with using .125 would be getting everything put together. screwing it together is a chore in itself.


I wouldnt even attempt trying to butt joint .125 together with machine screws im having a hell of a time doing it with .250...i keep blowing out the sides.


Hex

Id drill the case(starting small getting larger, then stick maybe 1/16" lexan or acrylic dowels in to join the seams. less sightly than a screw, with glue its just as strong.

whatever you do, drill it before you dare screw anything like that. Ive never done plastics, but I have done wood stuff, and if you try to do that with wood youd waste alot of wood till you got the screw in perfectly straight and didnt crack anything. pilot holes are your freind.

Yes, pilot holes are a must. If they're really close to the screw size and you use machine screws or the regular case screws you won't need to tap them.
I've built 6 completely customs enclosures out of plastic, so if you have any questions, refer to the sticky, or ask me.