need to buy some clear slightly smoked plastic for covering my dash gauges. Not sure the best stuff to use acrylic, perspex, lexan ? Anyone know of a supplier in the Midlands (pref. Derby Leicester Nottingham) who will sell small quantities ?

thanks

Hi Hammer

Try:

Soden Plastics Polythene Roofing & Perspex

(0116) 244 8446

477, Welford Rd
Leicester
LE2 6BL

They sell small quantities of acylic including tints.

They may even send you a sample.

Perspex and acrylic are one and the same, Perspex is just a trade name. The Americans call it Plexiglass.

Perspex (acrylic)should be ok. I replaced the rear quarter light about 12 years ago with acrylic and it still looks fine after years of washing and kids grotty fingers.

Polycarbonate (Lexan) is tougher than acrylic, but is harder to keep looking nice. Its not easy to polish marks out, it is also very expensive.
Perspex can be polished with brasso if it gets scratched.
If it was me I would use Perspex (acrylic)

If you do go the perspex route, then clean only with soapy water, NOT spirit based cleaners, they could cause cracking.

Do not get solvent based products onto the acrylic, they will melt the surface.

Hope this helps

Best of luck

Dave.

thanks Dave I'll give them a call in the morning.

I take it you wont need much, theres a plastic place near us who sell offcuts at much cheapness, got enough lexan to make a windscreen for my bike for a fiver I'll call in when passing if you like or are you in a big rush.
Cheers,
Bob

Thanks, which side of Stoke are they on, only I work out of Derby and ofter pass that direction en route to Manchester Bolton etc

Its a place called Oakbray,after you leave the A50 onto the A500 heading for the M6 north you hit a roundabout with lights, go right the way round it and back down the A500 heading M6 south just after you leave the roundabout the road bends right there is a slip road on the left, take that road within 20 yards you go under a bridge, Oakbray are on the left hand side just past the bridge.
They also sell BF Goodridge brake hoses and are very reasonable.
You do have to ask for an offcut,its a good tip to tell them what you want it for as this seems to lower the price if they're interested.
I wanted some Lexan for a screen for my microlight aircraft a while back and they ended up giving it to me.
If you need some lights as well theres another place just up the road where I got my hamburger rear lights for a fiver each (£35 a pair from SVC)
My mobile number is 07970416525 if you get lost.
Cheers,
Bob

thanks,
won't be up that way for a week or two but I'll call in when I am passing

thanks Bob, called in to Oakbray on my way back from a last minute job in Knutsford. Got a small piece of clear lexan for next to nothing.