Recomended acrylic sheets for enclosures?

I am going to embark on making some custom built elnclosures, and not having had any experience using acrylic sheets before I was curious as to what thickness I should be using?

The enclosures will come in a couple of flavors, but basically they will contain a 2-302 HC, 2 120x38mm fans, a PSU (gutted), and will need room for pump and some basic switches and rheostats and plumbing. I was thinking 6mm thick sheets, but would that be strong enough?

They will range in size depending on the components

There will be a stripped down version that will just contain the HC and fans, with a lead out to be connected to the computer PSU

There will be a self powered version without a pump

And a self powered version with a pump.

i'd go with some 1/4" stuff


edit: make sure you get the special drill bits made for acrylic, and when using a holesaw for the larger holes, go in reverse

6mm I think is the 1/4 inch stuff.

that'll be plenty strong then

What type of hole saw would you recomend? I'm guessing a wood saw, as the teeth on a carbide saw are so small it would probably just melt the acrylic rather than cut.

you'd want something with small teeth so that it doesn't dig too far into the acrylic & crack it

Gotcha, I think the carbide tipps saw is too small, but there is a decently small wood saw. Well, now to just order up some acrylic.

Hopefulyl I'll have one or more of these done by the end of the month.

Also when cutting/drilling acrylic go slow. Let the tool do the work. Don't force it, you will only end up melting your acrylic. Use tape on the side you plan on cutting or drilling. You can also use that to mark out your cut lines, etc.

I use a rotozip with a circle guide for cutting acrylic and it works perfectly and cuts smooth as butter. The circle guide gives nearly perfect circles.