Polycarbonate Suppliers Australia

[skippydiesel]

I am hoping to find an Australian supplier of 3mm thick, clear polycarbonate sheet, suitable for my Sonex windscreen 

 

I can look up suppliers but would rather get your recommendations 

Edited May 17, 2023 by skippydiesel

[Old Koreelah]

This is where I get mine- and lots of good stuff. The good news is that a few years ago the price of Lexan dropped about 50%, presumably when they switched to Chinese supplisers.

 

http://www.specialisedwholesale.com.au

 

[skippydiesel]

Hi OK,

 

My Sonex specifications for the windscreen, is for 3mm thick Polycarbonate .

 

The flat sheet will be cut & drilled before fitting. Fitting involves manually bending the sheet to conform to the locating system on each side of the fuselage, placing the sheet under considerable stress (the Polycarbonate selected must be amenable to this)

 

Australia seem to have the brands Lexan & Makrolon 

 

Both seem to have a small number of products in 3mm clear sheet (I am more than happy with clear).

 

Lexan offers; General Purpose, UV2 & Hardecoat

 

Makrolon offers;  HV , MAK-15, AR2, BAYBLEND MTR, Bayblend FR 3030, HYGARD BR750

 

I will ask suppliers for their recommendation (while trying to avoid mentioning purpose) however if Forum members would care to share their experience, I will be most grateful.

 

What did you use & why?

[Old Koreelah]

There was a thread on this a couple of weeks back. Someone asked why so thick? 3mm is thick, heavy and would be hard to bend. My screen is 1.5 or 2mm and quite adequate for hitting birds, etc. especially if your screen is sloped well back to deflect much of the impact.
 

You can bend it and secure it in place, but I suspect that invites stress crazing over time. When motocycle helmet screens did this, oncoming headlight glare was a major danger.

As I posted here long ago, I used heat to take the stress out of my first screen- that was a disaster! It turned milky white and exploded! 
Poly is hygroscopic, you need to cook the water out overnight in an oven at 60C before heat forming at about 130+.

[gareth lacey]

I purchased a full sheet 2mm thick they cut my windscreen size also, then i shaped cut to pattern curved around ok this also stiffened it , it is clear polycarbonate (makron) drill holes larger than fixing and no riveting make sure edge distance is sufficient.,i had my fibreglass molds already made drilled a few fixing holes and the sealed /glued with sika 21 held together with 3/16 clecos for 2 days till cured than fixed to fuse for trial all ok, take off and wrap in old sheets till final assembly , make sure to leave plastic cover on till you fix permantly or you will scratch it (ask me how i know lol) 

[skippydiesel]

12 hours ago, Old Koreelah said:

There was a thread on this a couple of weeks back. Someone asked why so thick? 3mm is thick, heavy and would be hard to bend. My screen is 1.5 or 2mm and quite adequate for hitting birds, etc. especially if your screen is sloped well back to deflect much of the impact.
 

You can bend it and secure it in place, but I suspect that invites stress crazing over time. When motocycle helmet screens did this, oncoming headlight glare was a major danger.

As I posted here long ago, I used heat to take the stress out of my first screen- that was a disaster! It turned milky white and exploded! 
Poly is hygroscopic, you need to cook the water out overnight in an oven at 60C before heat forming at about 130+.

The 3mm dimension comes from the existing windscreen.

 

My Sonex is capable of hitting a TAS of 147 knots straight & level and 171 Kn VNE. At these sorts of speeds, I would have to be very very certain, that a thinner polycarbonate sheet would provide  adequate "strike" protection.

[skippydiesel]

32 minutes ago, gareth lacey said:

I purchased a full sheet 2mm thick they cut my windscreen size also, then i shaped cut to pattern curved around ok this also stiffened it , it is clear polycarbonate (makron) drill holes larger than fixing and no riveting make sure edge distance is sufficient.,i had my fibreglass molds already made drilled a few fixing holes and the sealed /glued with sika 21 held together with 3/16 clecos for 2 days till cured than fixed to fuse for trial all ok, take off and wrap in old sheets till final assembly , make sure to leave plastic cover on till you fix permantly or you will scratch it (ask me how i know lol) 

What aircraft are you fitting the screen too?

 

Sonex plans do not have any suggestion of preforming the windscreen.

 

What polycarbonate product did you use? and why?

Edited May 17, 2023 by skippydiesel

[gareth lacey]

Low wing sort of RV ish ( my own scratchbuilt) Makron polycarbonate, 2mm forms quite easily bends twists rolls my estimated top speed is approx 160knots but will cruise in the 130 area for fuel economy you must leave plastic cover on when working it i see from sonex it has bent angles  it will bend ok use a heat gun but very carefully I have smashed an offct of 2mm with a big hammer it only dented no cracking ,

cheers Gareth

[gareth lacey]

OOPs sorry cured poly on the sonex ,the canopy and front screen are large curves ,should hae no problem bending that 

 

[skippydiesel]

FYI

 

Research to date:

 

Lexan MR10  - comes in one  or two side abrasion resistant

Macrolon  AR2 - abrasion resistant (don't know at this stage if both sides)

 

Many Australian retailer of both brands - have asked for several quotes (Sydney Basin).

 

Seems likely that both products are the same/very close.

 

Have seen specification down to 1.5mm, however 3 mm seems to be relatively common.

 

Some colours available (origional is Bronze) but I am after clear.

 

I am told that all other polycarbonate offerings will be so easy to scratch that I will be replacing them within a very  short space of time.

 

Two quotes just came in -

 

Lexan Clear MR10 PE 1220x2440x3mm - $522. 50

Macrolon AR2 1220x2440x3mm -$1705.00

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by skippydiesel

[skippydiesel]

FYI

 

So far unable to get abrasion/scratch resistant product, thinner than 3mm (appears to be available overseas)

 

Both of the above quotes have abrasion/scratch resistants BOTH sides

Edited May 21, 2023 by skippydiesel

[skippydiesel]

Sonex eventually got back to me - no great help. Repeated what I found in the aircraft plans "Lexan + .118"( 3mm) thick Bronze " - no product/part number

 

Luckily, when the Sonex description is Googled, you get Lexan 9034, which turns out to be a polycarbonate primarily aimed at indoor applications (no UV resistant treatment). It comes in clear and a variety of tints, one of which is Bronze. Seems Sonex are strongly motivated by aesthetics  over function.

 

So scrapped the idea of scratch/abrasion resistant polycarbonate - seems I would have had problems cold bending it anyhow.

 

Quite a few phone calls/emails later, I have ordered; Zenolex, Clear, UV2 (uv resistant) 1220 x 2440 x 3 mm from Mulford Plastics