Looking for a special plastic sheet

[karimwassef]

It's Christmas and almost every toy comes in a box of cardboard and semi-rigid plastic. This is the plastic I'm looking for.

It's not a flexible sheet. It's not hard like plexiglass sheet. It's definitely semi-rigid.
It's very thin (<1mm?)
It bends by hand and retains the crease, but without breaking.
It tears, not breaks. I can cut it with a razor blade or scissors.
It will hold itself rigid for several feet with just a corner crease.

What is it?
Is there a type that will resist UV yellowing and is clear to UV?
Where can I get an 8ft x 1ft sheet of it?

 

[dattack]

what exactly are you trying to do? packaging can come in pvc, pteg, polyethylene, or polycarbonate. I think if you want UV stability, might have to go with polycarbonate unless some kind of uv stabilizer is added to the other plastics.

 

[dukduk]

This is like the stuff used to make field expedient splints?

 

[karimwassef]

Seriously?

I need to take a picture of toy packaging??

Ok:
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Mobile%20Uploads/05F83EEE-47F5-414D-AB6B-5C367599327C_zpsku4vb5ot.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Mobile%20Uploads/05F83EEE-47F5-414D-AB6B-5C367599327C_zpsku4vb5ot.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 05F83EEE-47F5-414D-AB6B-5C367599327C_zpsku4vb5ot.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/Mobile%20Uploads/8E6968F6-EE83-4090-88DA-BF6F625F8183_zpsqa4ygsng.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/Mobile%20Uploads/8E6968F6-EE83-4090-88DA-BF6F625F8183_zpsqa4ygsng.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 8E6968F6-EE83-4090-88DA-BF6F625F8183_zpsqa4ygsng.jpg"/></a>

 

[dukduk]

They're use heat/vacuum to form those to the toys, sorry I don't know what that's callrd though. Have you tried the plastics companies? US Plastics, etc?

 

[karimwassef]

I don't even know what to search for. I don't need special shapes, just flat sheets of that same material.

 

[03LightningSVT]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic

My guess is Polystyrene

 

[billdogg]

how big of a piece are you looking for? I have some smaller pieces that I keep in my woodshop to use as micro-shims when a jig I make is just so very slightly out of square.

 

[nibor75]

The toy package is probably PETG or PVC. Polycarbonate is a good choice for UV resistance. Try www.tapplastics.com or www.professionalplastics.com.

 

[karimwassef]

Thanks,

What do I ask for to avoid getting soft cloth like stuff? Or the rigid hard plastic?

Thickness? Hardness? Is there an identifier for what I'm calling "semi-rigid" sheet? Rigid film?

Most of the stuff sold is at least 1/8 or 1/16 which is way too thick to bend by hand.

 

[karimwassef]

I'm looking for a 1' x 8' piece. I'm making my own LED fixture and need a moisture barrier. It will not be under pressure or hold water. I used Saran wrap successfully for a month (really), but some of the material got pressed against the LEDs and melted over time.

This stuff looks ideal for hand shaping and making a clear covering. Being semi-rigid is the key so it doesn't contact the LEDs over time.

 

[karimwassef]

This looks right? Thin gauge polycarbonate film 0.010?

http://www.tapplastics.com/product/plastics/plastic_sheets_rolls/thin_gauge_polycarbonate_sheets/541

 

[rwb500]

dude just buy some clear plastic sheet. no need to be so picky about what type.

 

[karimwassef]

What clear plastic sheet? Where from?
I'm not picky if I can hand form it and it's clear.

This stuff is everywhere but I can't find a source for an 8' piece.

 

[03LightningSVT]

For a DYI 8 foot LED light fixture, I recommend acrylic for the water barrier. The light transmission properties alone were enough to convince me, not to mention it won't yellow or fog if exposed to the light spectrums and salt water vapor found around a reef for a long period of time. All that being said, I made my eight foot LED light fixture using three sections of 1/16" thick acrylic for the water vapor barrier, see pics below.

 

[karimwassef]

How did you make the seal?

 

[03LightningSVT]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPDM_rubber

 

[03LightningSVT]

Both the 1/16" thick acrylic and adhesive backed EPDM "weatherstrip" should be available at your local Lowes or HomeDepot

 

[karimwassef]

But how did you make it removable? I can use adhesive backed rubber, but you need clamp pressure to hold it tight? Unless you glued it to both sides?

 

[03LightningSVT]

I made mine removable using aluminum angle, attached around the perimeter of the light fixture with stainless steel screws. Left arrow points to EDPM seal. Center arrow points to stainless screws used to attach aluminum angle to light fixture. Right arrow point to aluminum angle. The aluminum angle and stainless screws are once again available at your local Lowes or HomeDepot, see pic below.