Working with Acrylic and mounting?

[fminus]

The front of my case is an 2mm aluminum panel with a usb port. I would like to mount a piece of acrylic in there that is flush with the front. (Similarly to what Streacom does with their IR ports).

What would be the best way to do this? Get a 3mm piece of acrylic in the dimensions of the USB port and wedge it in? Or in the same dimensions but 1mm wider, melt the edges, and wedge it in?

 

[Ceros_X]

I think maybe order the acrylic large than the hole, trace the hole out on the acrylic and then use a dremel or whatever to trim a bit of material off so that it fits flush against it. Use some epoxy to mount it to the aluminum.

If you don't care about it being exactly flush, order the acrylic 1 inch or so larger on every side and then use some double sided 3M 4010 Tape to mount that to the aluminum. This is what a lot of modders use to mount case windows - it is beastly or so I am told.

 

[fminus]

Thank you. I planned on getting the acrylic laser cut to the proper dimensions.

I don't know if its possible to melt the edges and while it's warm push it in till cooled.

 

[Sicaris]

I wouldn't recommend it, you won't get the nice finish you want. If you can get the laser cut piece to the right tolerance then great, otherwise get it oversize and sand the edges down gradually until it fits. Probably worth asking @robbee I think the lettering for Stoomdoos was inlaid cut acrylic.

 

[robbee]

Probably worth asking @robbee I think the lettering for Stoomdoos was inlaid cut acrylic.

Yes it was

I didn't really plan it though. Worth knowing when you're gonna laser it: the laser beam is about 0.2mm wide so you might want to expand the shape by 0.1mm to get the best result. My result was not nearly as nice as Streacom's though. I just hammered the letters in the cutout

 

[fminus]

Thank you guys. I will probably get it cut a few mm larger then sand it down slowly till it fits.

 

[robbee]

Thank you guys. I will probably get it cut a few mm larger then sand it down slowly till it fits.

A word of advice: circular paths are very hard to keep in perfect shape when you sand them!

 

[fminus]

@robbee I am hoping a light hand sanding will do the job. If not, ill cut it a bit larger and hammer it in. (Softly)

 

[Josh | NFC]

This is something you should consider getting CNCd.

Laser/Waterjet/Plasma plastic tolerances won't be good for this type of thing. Laser especially will warp the material slightly and it will cut it at an angle.

I vote you get the exact dimensions and cut it out with a CNC router .5mm over, .2 over, .08 over and exact (this part is cheap) and see which fits best. You will have to lightly sand the tabs down but it will be very easy compared to the curves which will be extremely difficult.

 

[fminus]

Thank you @Josh | NFC , I will try and go along the CNC route.

 

[fminus]

Hopped on a machining forum, and I got this reply:

Mill the acrylic with "step" and leave "step" inside equipment. Use step to glue or double-side-tape the acrylic to aluminium
Laser is not accurate enough. Press-fit will never hold or look clean.


visible side
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--------ooooooooooo-------
inside

This seems like the best method, now just to find a person to do this for me.

 

[Josh | NFC]

Yeah definitely.

If you can't find anyone I can do it for you. I'm just really busy.

 

[iFreilicht]

Hopped on a machining forum, and I got this reply:

Mill the acrylic with "step" and leave "step" inside equipment. Use step to glue or double-side-tape the acrylic to aluminium
Laser is not accurate enough. Press-fit will never hold or look clean.


visible side
------------ooooooo---------
--------ooooooooooo-------
inside

This seems like the best method, now just to find a person to do this for me.

Yes, that's the way to do it. But you can also just make a 45° chamfer, that would be absolutely sufficient. That way it's very easy to machine and you can work out any kinks if needed by sanding, and gluing it in is also easier.