OT :Transparent Parts??

May 28, 2009 4 Replies

I have a customer whose mech engineer want to make some of their product bodies transparent for display purposes.The part is usually



6061 and is a gearbox assm about a 6in cube.My thought was plexiglass or lexan,relatively easy to machine and I'm told not too hard to get most of the tool marks out of.I'm told an acetone mist works,but not having done it I'm open to new knowledge.If anybody has some different input I'm listening. Thanks

Make it from polycarb, much stronger and a pleasure to machine;

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If it's just for display, make it from acrylic, much easier and forgiving to machine, and it doesn't scratch as easily. Furthermore, it's a piece of cake to buff out the tool marks with a cotton wheel, or you can use some solvent cement or acetone to polish it.

Suspending it in methylene chloride vapor might work too. Nasty stuff though so use precautions to avoid exposure.

We used to do a quick dip of plexiglass parts into acetone. Let them air dry from a hanger. Then, if their still some haze, rub a little vegetable oil on them and dry with soft clean towel.

-- Bill

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