Supplier of generic plastic

[keith]

Hi All,

I am looking for plastic sheets that are 3/4 inch thick to be used for making tap handles for a brewery. As a test, I tried using leftover King Starboard plastic and it works great, but it's pricy and doesn't come in the colors I need.

Here are the specifics that I need:

- It needs to be in a sheet format, up to 4 ft by 8 ft
- It needs to be 3/4 inch thick.
- In needs to be available in red, white, and black, and all glossy
- Of course, I'd like to be easily "machinable"

Does anyone have any suggestions on where I can get something like this? I can do the fancy plastic route like King Plastics if they have the colors, but it seems like overkill to pay for stuff I don't need, like UV protection, etc.

Thanks.

-Keith

[Rob Gunn]

Keith, I get my Lexan, PVC and UHMW from Grainger but in clear, smoke or white. I dont know about your need for red and black.

[paul_z]

I'd also lean toward Polycarbonate (Lexan) However ...

1. A 4' x 8' sheet will be very heavy (~200lbs)

2. It could cost $2K + shipping

Paul Z

[Xray]

Yeah, anything you get that thick is going to be expensive & heavy, really a specialty item.

I have an acrylic supplier local to me who has everything you could imagine and more, if you'd like to chat with him pm me and I'll give you his number, real nice and helpful guy.
Not necessarily for any ordering, don't even know if he does mail orders, but more to pick his brain about possibilities.

[ntraub01]

Keith,

More than likely you are going to need to buy your material locally, especially at that thickness shipping will kill you. We purchase a large amount of Plexiglass from Laird Plastics and they have a number of locations throughout the US. We also use E&T Plastics as well as Regal Plastics. I would google all of those suppliers and see if they can supply what you are looking for.

As for the "glossy" and "machinable"...Glossy is usually a buffed polish or a flame polish applied/performed after the machining. Unless I am wrong, which would only be the third time today.

Enjoy,

NTraub

[bleeth]

For the color you are likely to end up with Acrylic rather than Starboard type HDPE. 3/4" in colorthrough is EXPENSIVE.

[Mayo]

You might check into Azek PVC also. Depending on the machined shape though, it may not have the strength you desire. You could paint the colors with a plastic paint or have a body shop do it.

If you have sufficient quantity of parts, the best way would probably be injection molding.

[pappybaynes]

Kleer Lumber comes in boards and sheets - great stuff!

[twelchPTM]

www.totalplastics.com , they have a few branches, it actually turned out that the majority of the places I was buying plastic from are getting it here first, obviously cutting out the middle man is great and I can buy whole sheets for the same amount as i was paying for pieces.

[jerry_stanek]

Have you thought about solid surface material.