# Plastic is expensive!



## DavidR8 (Mar 18, 2020)

I was online looking for some ABS blocks to make some holders for the old style articulated desk lamps. 
Checked Plastiblocks, a 2"x6"x6" block of ABS is $40 CDN.
Checked a Canadian supplier and 12" of 2.5" Delrin rod is $26. 
My local plastic store only sells plastic in sheet form unless I want acrylic or UHMW.
I had no idea plastic was more expensive than metal.


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## pontiac428 (Mar 18, 2020)

I try not to use plastic because of the 19% interest if I carry a balance past the end of the month.

All of the plastics I have on hand are from drops, bought at a scrap rate from a metal supplier.  eBay usually has a lot of plastics and some good deals to be had.  Plastic can be pretty fun to machine.  I hope you find a deal on your material.


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## darkzero (Mar 18, 2020)

Yes it is! That's why I buy acetal or delrin & it machines nicely. But it can't always be easily glued without speciality adhesives & is why I look for ABS, nylon, acrylic, etc sometimes.


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## francist (Mar 18, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> My local plastic store only sells plastic in sheet form unless I want acrylic or UHMW.


Have you checked the scrap bucket at Industrial? I could have sworn there were some pretty chunky black bits in there on Friday that looked like ABS. I didn’t pick them up.
I had an interesting discussion there a couple weeks ago trying to source some round material. After several minutes of disbelief, another sales representative jumped into the conversation and asked me if I might be looking for “rod”, to which I said yes, round rod is what I am looking for. Well, with the clarification that I indeed want “ROD”, a whole page opened up in their inventory list with sizes up to 6” diameter.
Moral here, be very careful how you word your request with a couple of the folks out there. 

-frank


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## C-Bag (Mar 18, 2020)

All of the plastic I've gotten was off eBay. I guess i got the "plastic shock" back in the 90's when I wanted to make my own Anvil Case for sound equipment. I thought it was cheap too until I priced a sheet, ouch! So getting small pieces for $20 w/shipping seems like a deal. Yeah, it is more expensive that metal. Go figgur.


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## MontanaLon (Mar 18, 2020)

Time to buy a foundry setup.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 18, 2020)

francist said:


> Have you checked the scrap bucket at Industrial? I could have sworn there were some pretty chunky black bits in there on Friday that looked like ABS. I didn’t pick them up.
> I had an interesting discussion there a couple weeks ago trying to source some round material. After several minutes of disbelief, another sales representative jumped into the conversation and asked me if I might be looking for “rod”, to which I said yes, round rod is what I am looking for. Well, with the clarification that I indeed want “ROD”, a whole page opened up in their inventory list with sizes up to 6” diameter.
> Moral here, be very careful how you word your request with a couple of the folks out there.
> 
> -frank


Ohhh good tip for the terminology!
I looked in their bin and it was filled with maple slabs oddly enough.


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## francist (Mar 18, 2020)

They’re also selling dill pickles, just in case you missed them.


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## RJSakowski (Mar 18, 2020)

If you think ABS is expensive, look at PEEK or Torlon.   From McMaster Carr, a 1`"round 1 ft. bar of ABS is $7.34.  The same in PEEK is $61.46 and in Torlon is $147.


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## martik777 (Mar 18, 2020)

I've used leftover 12+ inch PVC sewer/water pipe the city buries in the ground. You can mill some decent size pieces depending on wall thickness.  I have even laminated pieces together with PVC glue. 

Hardwood is a good option depending on the application


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## DavidR8 (Mar 18, 2020)

martik777 said:


> I've used leftover 12+ inch PVC sewer/water pipe the city buries in the ground. You can mill some decent size pieces depending on wall thickness. I have even laminated pieces together with PVC glue.
> 
> Hardwood is a good option depending on the application



I need to make a pair of the blocks that are the bases that clamp on desks for articulating lamps. 
I have some oak I might use. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## francist (Mar 18, 2020)

Hmmm, my experience with many of the plastics like ABS is a fair amount of cold creep. They tend to squish gradually so what starts out as a snug clamp may slowly go slack on you. I get it you’re probably going for the black colour, but something to think about.

-frank


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## DavidR8 (Mar 18, 2020)

I’ll see what I can fab up using some oak I have on hand. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## martik777 (Mar 18, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> I’ll see what I can fab up using some oak I have on hand.


If possible the stress point should be across the grain


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## ThinWoodsman (Mar 19, 2020)

About the only protobox still worth buying (after yet another shipping fee increase) from Online Metals is the Plastic one. And yes, by the pound it is pricier than the steel one, but it ends up being half the price once shipping is factored in. Usually get some good-sized blocks in the 5-lb box.

HMK sells acetal rod for five bucks a foot, 1" dia. No blocks though.

Pretty sure both of these places will ship to the Great White North.


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 24, 2020)

martik777 said:


> I've used leftover 12+ inch PVC sewer/water pipe the city buries in the ground. You can mill some decent size pieces depending on wall thickness.  I have even laminated pieces together with PVC glue.



I've done the same with 4 in. ABS drain pipe. Cut a couple of chunks, heated and flattened with heat gun, glued them together to get thickness and made my part. I like ABS.


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## ericc (Mar 25, 2020)

Not only is plastic more expensive by weight, it is also more by volume.  A 1" rod is $8 in steel and $10 in delrin on online metals.  I was told by an eviction liquidator that they often get large quantities for free from evicting machine shops, and they will sell it to individuals.  They prefer to hoard delrin due to its price for the weight.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 25, 2020)

MrWhoopee said:


> I've done the same with 4 in. ABS drain pipe. Cut a couple of chunks, heated and flattened with heat gun, glued them together to get thickness and made my part. I like ABS.


ABS as in black plumbing pipe?


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 25, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> ABS as in black plumbing pipe?



Yes, that's the stuff.


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## homebrewed (Mar 25, 2020)

I've gotten some nice chunks of plastic this & that at a relatively good price from the local Tap Plastics cutoff bin.  They may not have any stores near you but there may be an equivalent business in your vicinity.


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## SLK001 (Mar 26, 2020)

You can get HDPE from common plastic containers and "cast" your own slab.  The 5 gallon buckets are HDPE (recycle number "2").  If you are resourceful enough, you can even get the color you want.


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## matthewsx (Mar 27, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> I’ll see what I can fab up using some oak I have on hand.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Wood, it grows on trees....


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