Going to use Plexiglass on Kart!

[Stevostyle]

Well I am always thinking of ways to make things look cool or so I think ..so here we go I am ordering some green fluorescent plexiglass sheeting 1/8 and 1/4 thickness and make my front nose piece, front fairing , and attach some to my nerf bars. ,The Kart is getting painted Kawasaki lime green and some black accent. I will fab the brackets out of aluminum and use rubber grommets where I attach bolts to prevent cracking.. I hope it works . I will be heating it to bend the front nose and fairing .. I think it will be interesting . let me know what you all think .. its going on an older racing kart street only.. going to be too cool

 

[Tango71]

Well I am always thinking of ways to make things look cool or so I think ..so here we go I am ordering some green fluorescent plexiglass sheeting 1/8 and 1/4 thickness and make my front nose piece, front fairing , and attach some to my nerf bars. ,The Kart is getting painted Kawasaki lime green and some black accent. I will fab the brackets out of aluminum and use rubber grommets where I attach bolts to prevent cracking.. I hope it works . I will be heating it to bend the front nose and fairing .. I think it will be interesting . let me know what you all think .. its going on an older racing kart street only.. going to be too cool

Doesnt plexiglass turn into shards when stressed? If so I would not put that anywhere near my body. In the event of a mishap plastic shards can do a lot of damage.

 

[ML-TOYS]

Doesnt plexiglass turn into shards when stressed? If so I would not put that anywhere near my body. In the event of a mishap plastic shards can do a lot of damage.

Yes it does, theres a reason the plastics are called PLASTICS

 

[itsid]

well actually... not really;
while of course plastics (material) sometimes are plastic (physical plasticity) there are some that are very elastic too

Acrylic glass is not the most elastic material I admit, but compared to real glass it's very close
Acrylic glass will not shred into shards very easily..
pick a 1/4" sheet (letter sized) and try to smash it with a hammer.. I doubt you can.
(not on raisers ..it'll just bend, not flat on the ground it'll just absorb the shock)

motorbike windshields are acrylic ...
race cars sometimes use acrylic sidewindows...
and blast shields are acrylic glass..

So I think it's nowhere near driving around wrapped in nothing but barbed wire,
it's actually not a greater risk than your average plastic Manco steering wheel

'sid

 

[machinist@large]

Plexiglass is a poor choice for anything that's going to see any abuse, because it does shatter. It's not approved for any industrial enclosures to prevent/contain potential flying debris.

What you need to get is Lexan, and/or a Lexan equivalent. It was originally developed for the aviation industry, and its pretty much shatter proof. That's why it's used extensively in industry for machine windows and enclosures.

The reason most people label any clear plastic sheeting as Plexiglass is because it was one of the first clear resin's developed and brought to market. Lexan is a newer material, that was developed to fix Plexiglass's shortcomings. There's other options as well, but the cost gets kind of pricey as you climb the strength scale.

 

[ML-TOYS]

Lexan is great, at the sheet metal shop we would run it through a punch press and then bend it in the brake. Had to do a slight overbend to get where you wanted but would always end upmsquare.

 

[DirtyDamage]

Lexan is the equivalent to plastic gold...

 

[Poboy kartman]

well actually... not really;
while of course plastics (material) sometimes are plastic (physical plasticity) there are some that are very elastic too

Acrylic glass is not the most elastic material I admit, but compared to real glass it's very close
Acrylic glass will not shred into shards very easily..
pick a 1/4" sheet (letter sized) and try to smash it with a hammer.. I doubt you can.
(not on raisers ..it'll just bend, not flat on the ground it'll just absorb the shock)

motorbike windshields are acrylic ...
race cars sometimes use acrylic sidewindows...
and blast shields are acrylic glass..

So I think it's nowhere near driving around wrapped in nothing but barbed wire,
it's actually not a greater risk than your average plastic Manco steering wheel

'sid

Yep....What he^ said....

To heck with it....I'm getting a plexiglass flywheel and taking off my governor.....

 

[machinist@large]

Lexan is the equivalent to plastic gold...

As in it's worth it, or because you choke on the price? If you're shopping at Grainger's, then yes it's expensive. Everything from Grainger's is overpriced. The supplier that we use at work is less than half that price. Look around.

There's also the fact that I stated and/or equivalent to Lexan. This formula is no longer under patent. There's several different grade's as well, the most common differentiator is the scratch/abrasion resistance. The more scratch resistant, the higher the price....

As someone once said, you don't get what you didn't pay for.

 

[DirtyDamage]

I'm saying because you choke on the price. Lol. A sheet at Home Depot is $100.

 

[itsid]

Plexiglass is a poor choice for anything that's going to see any abuse, because it does shatter. It's not approved for any industrial enclosures to prevent/contain potential flying debris.

What you need to get is Lexan, and/or a Lexan equivalent.

Sorry Pat, I disagree!

Just five years or so ago.. plexiglas WINDSHIELDS have been approved
it's used as your window in a passenger jet as well as a canope for small planes...

it's literally everywhere!

Lexan is indeed more flexible, which can be good..

but if plexiglas is good enough for cars (interior as well as exterior incl windshields and roof top windows)
plexiglas is good enough for a kart IYAM.

don't forget it comes in different 'flavours'

some reads?
http://www.plexiglas.de/product/plexiglas/Documents/Marktsegmente/522-1-Aviation-en.pdf
http://www.plexiglas.de/product/plexiglas/Documents/Marktsegmente/511-2-Automotive-en.pdf

I'm not saying Lexan isn't a safer alternative..
it very likely is... but again, sometimes is "good enough" just that good ENOUGH

'sid

 

[crazykart]

Lexan is more flexible, BUT from my experience when it breaks, it shatters into a million shards. We use it everyday, and while its by no means easy to break, it does break.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Actually....I could be wrong....but I'm pretty sure the canopies on F-16's were plexiglass....they tested them starting with 1/4"....

They had a a cannon that fired whole frozen chickens at 300 mph....it went right through 1/4"....broke 5/16"....but bounced off 3/8".... so F-16's have 3/8" thick plexiglass canopies.....(at least that's the story I heard working there)....

EDIT: And I know small planes, race cars , and helicopters DO have plexiglass windshields....I think a kart will be just fine.....

 

[machinist@large]

I stand by Lexan. As ML stated, you can form Lexan without any other prep work using sheet metal equipment and not compromise it. Plexiglass will flat out shatter in the same application, which is why its not rated for industrial safety applications in the US.

If price is the biggest concern for you, so be it. I've worked with a great many types of plastic in the last 28 year's, and Plexiglass is one of the last type's I'll spec out for any application. If experience doesn't count in this debate, so be it.

Live and learn, or you won't live long.

 

[Poboy kartman]

I stand by Lexan. As ML stated, you can form Lexan without any other prep work using sheet metal equipment and not compromise it. Plexiglass will flat out shatter in the same application, which is why its not rated for industrial safety applications in the US.

If price is the biggest concern for you, so be it. I've worked with a great many types of plastic in the last 28 year's, and Plexiglass is one of the last type's I'll spec out for any application. If experience doesn't count in this debate, so be it.

Live and learn, or you won't live long.

Pat.....you need to get out more.....get real....pull your head out and wrap it around this: Just exactly what kind of plastic do you think kart bodies are made of?????

 

[itsid]

Pat.....you need to get out more.....get real....pull your head out and wrap it around this: Just exactly what kind of plastic do you think kart bodies are made of?????

very likely polyethylene... neither acrylics (plexiglas) or polycarbonates (lexan)

So let's not get confused.

And for the heck of it (and your viewing pleasure)
.. a plexiglas '39 Pontiac deluxe six

(made indeed by pontiac for the world's fair)

And no, I know it's only remotely relevant... but it's funny

'sid

 

[crazykart]

Lmao I love that car! Its by desktop background on my laptop (when the kids dont change it)

Now lexan is great, but it is also pricy as all get out.

Plexi is decent, can be fairly easiky formed if you do some research and do it right, and on the thicmer side is very safe as far as shatter resistance. Its also a hecj of a lot cheaper.

We're talking karts here. Plexi would be fine and safe as long as you go thick, and especially if you put some type of shock absorbtion with it, say like rubber grommets between it and the frame when mounting.

 

[machinist@large]

Lmao I love that car! Its by desktop background on my laptop (when the kids dont change it)

Now lexan is great, but it is also pricy as all get out.

Plexi is decent, can be fairly easiky formed if you do some research and do it right, and on the thicmer side is very safe as far as shatter resistance. Its also a hecj of a lot cheaper.

We're talking karts here. Plexi would be fine and safe as long as you go thick, and especially if you put some type of shock absorbtion with it, say like rubber grommets between it and the frame when mounting.

Are you speaking from actual experience, or spouting off an opinion? When it comes to mine or someone else's safety, I refuse to recommend something dangerous based on price. Any trip to the ER will cost several times over the price difference from half it,versus doing it right.

Anyone else want to claim that cheap at the cost of safety is the way to go?

My name won't be attached to it.

 

[Zombient]

Everyone is right, plexiglass will shatter.

What you're looking for is "Polycarbonate." Poly is what they use to make bullet proof glass, football helmets, motorcycle windshields, etc.

But it is expensive.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[landuse]

I don't think I would use plexiglass either. Why take the risk?