flexible plastic sheets

[pjoseph]

are there plastics like this that can bend 90 degrees, thinking about one continues piece for the sides top and bottom. this will cut down on the paint since i will just paint the front.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk:80/stores/__W0QQLHQ5fSellerWithStoreZ1QQ_nkwZblackQ20sheetQ20plasticQ203mmQQ_sopZ1?_rdc=1

thanks .

 

[highfigh]

are there plastics like this that can bend 90 degrees, thinking about one continues piece for the sides top and bottom. this will cut down on the paint since i will just paint the front.

http://shop.ebay.co.uk:80/stores/__W0QQLHQ5fSellerWithStoreZ1QQ_nkwZblackQ20sheetQ20plasticQ203mmQQ_sopZ1?_rdc=1

thanks .

How would you be using this?

 

[Rickster71]

Are you thinking of wrapping a pair of speakers with the stuff?
If so, I'd ask the seller.
It looks to me, it's a material that has to be mitered on a band saw, or CNC machine. I don't think it's flexible enough to bend 90 degrees.

 

[pjoseph]

I will be using it for a diy sub box i built
I will be painting the front and i was looking into something like in the above link to cover the sides and top.

I want one long piece that will start on the bottom then a 90degree turn up the left side then another 90 turn across the top and another 90 down the right side and another 90 back to the bottom.

 

[lsiberian]

you never know until you try I suppose.

 

[adwilk]

It can be bent, but requires some special tooling. Its not something you'll be doing at home in all likelihood. Especially black, it'll turn white in the corners. This is usually done on a special bending table that applies heat in a very area across the panel.

I helped build one of these tables for a Bathroom Remodeler that used acrylic panels.

I just noticed that its 3mm plastic.. you're not doing that at home.. you might be able to find some really thin plastic that MIGHT work...

 

[highfigh]

If you look at this link, the listing shows a section for Additional Services and in that area, it includes Line Bending. Being in GB and possibly using a different term from what is used in the US, Line Bending may be the same as using a hot tube with a heating wire inside at the edge of a large, flat surface. The only problem with making a box and covering it with this plastic is that you have to get the box inside, somehow. 3mm plastic is far from thick enough and the corners will need joining, too. If you can make a box with 5 surfaces and join the corners, adding the bottom once the wooden box is inside, you could join the top to the bottom.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-3MM-ACRYLIC-PERSPEX-PLASTIC-SHEET-1000-X-1000MM_W0QQitemZ130320878876QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item1e57bacd1c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

[lsiberian]

If you look at this link, the listing shows a section for Additional Services and in that area, it includes Line Bending. Being in GB and possibly using a different term from what is used in the US, Line Bending may be the same as using a hot tube with a heating wire inside at the edge of a large, flat surface. The only problem with making a box and covering it with this plastic is that you have to get the box inside, somehow. 3mm plastic is far from thick enough and the corners will need joining, too. If you can make a box with 5 surfaces and join the corners, adding the bottom once the wooden box is inside, you could join the top to the bottom.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-3MM-ACRYLIC-PERSPEX-PLASTIC-SHEET-1000-X-1000MM_W0QQitemZ130320878876QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item1e57bacd1c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I think you are talking about mitering the box together. But I'm a little confused.

I could see him making the cuts and adding the plastic to each piece then gluing them together.

 

[dougg]

Google "Plastic Veneer"

Speakers and furniture use it.
Doug S.

 

[Loren42]

You have a lot of choices. You could simply apply vinyl or even leather (if you are well heeled) or carpet (like they use on pro sound equipment) or fake fur.

If you want a flexible plastic, you can buy thin sheets of Kydex, which has what is called "hair cell" grain texture on one side. Kydex can be stretched or shaped after it is heated in the oven or with a heat gun.

I would think you could buy some 1/32" thick Kydex sheet, glue it on one side of the cabinet, wait for the glue to dry, heat the corner and fold it 90° for the next side of the cabinet.

Since Kydex is pretty soft it is easy to work with, cut, and shape. It is available in a number of colors and pretty durable.

However, you might just as well use vinyl and contact cement. You can even buy the same stuff that is used on guitar amps.

 

[Loren42]

How would you be using this?

Perspex is the same stuff they make aircraft canopies from (obviously it is clear unless you want the Peril Blocking canopy, which is totally opaque so that you can't see when you are about to auger into the ground).

The stuff must be heated in an oven and cools fast, so you need to move quick. If you are doing simple bends, a heat gun might work.

 

[highfigh]

I think you are talking about mitering the box together. But I'm a little confused.

I could see him making the cuts and adding the plastic to each piece then gluing them together.

I meant cutting the piece for the top and sides in one piece (starts out being marked like a Tic Tac Toe grid, then the corner pieces are cut out) bending the sides down and fusing them along the edges. This can be slid over the box and secured (caulk, glue or ?) and the bottom fused to the sides. If you have ever done sheet metal pattern development of fabrication, it's very similar. Making this and having the corners look good will be the tricky part.

 

[highfigh]

Perspex is the same stuff they make aircraft canopies from (obviously it is clear unless you want the Peril Blocking canopy, which is totally opaque so that you can't see when you are about to auger into the ground).

The stuff must be heated in an oven and cools fast, so you need to move quick. If you are doing simple bends, a heat gun might work.

I know what it is, I just didn't know the application going by the original post. The link showed black but I know it comes in many colors.

It can be heated in an oven but that makes the whole piece flexible and for this, only the corners would need to bend. That's why I mentioned the heated tube.

 

[fredk]

It can be bent, but needs to have heat applied to the bend area to soften the plastic. Its not too hard to for small pieces and up to 3/8 thickness, but after that it gets tricky. For wide bends you need to buy a heating strip or DIY one out of something like toaster heater coils.

 

[pjoseph]

Well, i thank you all for your input .
I emailed Kydex to see if they have something that will fit my application.

I will update once i get a response.