Would it be bad to make a PC case completely out of Plexi/Acrylic?
- Thread starter Jaxel
- Start date
Not at all. Lazer3D does it, Geeek does it, Parvum does it, as have many vendors over the years (Sunbeamtech, etc)
Plexiglass is just a brand name of Acrylic while Lexan is a brand name of polycarbonate sheeting.
I personally would prefer Acrylic over Lexan because Acrylic is less easily scratched + higher clarity + less yellowing over time. It is relatively better aesthetically, not that Lexan is ugly though.
BTW, I think Sunbeamtech and Geeek (and probably the rest) use Acrylic as their material of choice, probably for the above reasons. And, of course, acrylic is cheaper too.
But, there are other important factors if you are going to DIY your own case. Eg acrylic is more prone to cracking if you drill a hole through it.
Regarding static electricity, I once used an acrylic bench table for several years and I did not come across any related problem. This is just my personal experience.
I personally would prefer Acrylic over Lexan because Acrylic is less easily scratched + higher clarity + less yellowing over time. It is relatively better aesthetically, not that Lexan is ugly though.
BTW, I think Sunbeamtech and Geeek (and probably the rest) use Acrylic as their material of choice, probably for the above reasons. And, of course, acrylic is cheaper too.
But, there are other important factors if you are going to DIY your own case. Eg acrylic is more prone to cracking if you drill a hole through it.
Regarding static electricity, I once used an acrylic bench table for several years and I did not come across any related problem. This is just my personal experience.
I would recommend looking at a different material for the frame or rigid structure, like modding cubes (link) or T-slot aluminium beams (link) if your design requires complex structures that require glue. Be sure to connect the acrylic panels to ground so static electricity can exit safely. Usually if it touches the power supply casing, it should be grounded (correct me if I'm wrong).
Also don't skimp on panel thickness: the Lazer3D LZ7 as an example uses 5mm panels on a few important structural points and it feels a lot sturdier and stiffer than the 3mm panels. Matte panels also feel more familiar (the Plexiglass ones feel so soft to touch !) and are less fingerprint-prone.
Also don't skimp on panel thickness: the Lazer3D LZ7 as an example uses 5mm panels on a few important structural points and it feels a lot sturdier and stiffer than the 3mm panels. Matte panels also feel more familiar (the Plexiglass ones feel so soft to touch !) and are less fingerprint-prone.
I use both acrylic and polycarb in building biophysics instruments. Polycarb is softer and (therefore) less brittle, also polycarb is easier to drill (less cracking). Laser and water-jet are preferred for cutting both. To drill holes (especially large ones, >6 mm), I use special bits (specialized for acrylic)... been injured several times by flying pieces of acrylic/polycarb.
Hey, how would you go about countersinking 2.5mm holes that are already lasered in acrylic? Could this be done with a bit for metal?
Now, since you have 2.5mm holes you can probably just do it by hand with the tool below, if you do not need a professional quality countersink, but just want to bring the scew below the surface. If you have a small endmill, you can use an endmill and make a square well around the hole.
With bigger holes, I believe last time I did this I used a counter-sinkin deburring tool as shown below, and run it at a very slow speed (like 100 rpm). A drill press is important for this, not a handheld drill, as the bit (especially metal-specialized bit) will catch, dig in, and destroy everything. I lost a nail while figuring this out
.If one has a dedicated set of acrylic bits like second link below, the larger diam bits can be used as counter sinks for smaller holes.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolfcraft-...=1549489736&sr=8-19&keywords=Countersink+Bits
acrylic bits (not cheap)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Norseman...3:g:z6wAAOSwA3dYf8qR:rk:1:pf:1&frcectupt=true
Sites like 'practical machinist' would have more hints on how to deal with acrylic, this is where I learned all of the above.
