Choosing Lexan or Plexiglass for your Aircraft

[@itdly]

Excellent presentation. The explanations are brief, accurate and very useful. The guy is a natural pedagogue!

[@evopwrmods]

You can Glue Acrylic to each other with Acetone. Apply the acetone to an edge and then press/ clamp to a flat acrylic surface for it to Bond to each other.

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

smart tnx :)

[@keith488]

I found this video to be very informative. The gentleman spoke Claire And slow enough to understand him. The give me every answer I could have possibly have thought of to ask. Well done my friend

[@williamsmith8857]

You mention that polycarbonate scratches easily, and that scratches cannot be sanded or buffed out. True... BUT... There is a fast, easy way to remove scratches from polycarbonate. Simply play a loose flame from a propane torch gently over the scratched area. They will disappear like magic!

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

safety glasses r polycarbonate idk how they get the scratches out

[@MrDR1STEVE]

Quick note to try on your scratched Lexan. Lexan is a material that like to return to its original condition. Take a heat gun and heat the scratched area, starting with a low setting. Slowly bring your heat up until the scratched surface returns to its original condition. This method often restores light scratches to an un-noticeable condition. Give it a try on some negligible area. It really works.

[@HomebuiltHELP]

Interesting! Thanks for tip!

[@kenweldsit]

Steven Smith

[@lmc333]

This is one clear and definitive video on this topic... THANK YOU very much. This is awesome!

[@MrGian91]

3:30 This is actually wrong, the fact that polycarbonate didn't break means that it's less brittle NOT that it is stronger. Acrylic has higher tensile, compressive and flexural strength.

[@irestrepo2788]

I was thinking the same thing. I don't believe most people understand even simple basics about engineering. And when it comes to placing yourself 12,000 feet AGL? That is kind of scary.

[@robertschulke1596]

In the marine environment, polycarbonate has been found to become. Brittle after a few years of constant UV exposure, making it more fragile than acrylic. Many use thicker acrylic.

[@markh7288]

What we need is a hybrid of both. I know of a situation of a pilot having his windshield shatter without warning. He got down safely, although he did sustain some scratches to his face. Imagine if a bird flew into it, it might not have ended the same way. What would be best would be to get some sort of laminate that could offer the best of both, particularly for the windscreen.

[@AdmiralRustyShackleford]

I imagine somewhere there's a laminate solution for a windshield, such as a piece of poly sandwiched between layers of acrylic to give it rigidity and strength. If something were to hit it, the poly keeps it from shattering and you can safely land (or stop in the case of a land vehicle). Then if possible replace the outer layer or replace the entire windshield. The outer layers would not only keep it rigid but also keep it from scratching and hopefully keeping it from yellowing/fogging which is common on poly windows in race cars.

[@EllipsisAircraft]

Acrylic/Polycarbonate laminates are how they make bullet proof and vandal proof windows. Found on every toll booth and public transit bus in the world. There is an adhesive double sided tape which is pressed in between. It's more complicated than that, but you can see how this works.

[@kindsofpcsheetsandacrylics1435]

well done! I'm glad that we are in the same industry. Our company also has many kinds of acrylic sheets and polycarbonate sheets.

[@DmenDuroRider]

This guy is cool he has stewie on his plane. Good info I'm going with lexan for my adv bike windshield because it won't shatter in my face when I go down.

[@redmetalicrobotdemon6409]

if you slightly heat the acrylic at the drill spot it will drill better. (little heat gun)

[@wiredcoati]

When I worked with acrylic, I used to run the drill backwards, heating it up as it worked the bit through it, never lost a piece to cracking from that.

[@lisacarey4951]

watch a fire video of the difference between acrylic and polycarbonate. Plexiglass/acrylic is ridiculously flammable and keeps on burning and dripping flaming pieces long after the flames have stopped igniting it. It should be banned!!!

[@flytoday]

you can restore PC with paint swirl removers. PC is also hygroscopic so it absorbs dirt with that moisture

[@daisyliu3951]

this is a good point !

[@DTT420]

The problem with the door is its lack of rigidity. It broke because of all the stress on the acrylic. Vibration is also a big factor in the cause of cracks in brittle materials.

[@JohnBaileyDarke]

Such great and instructional videos. Finally used the KZbin setting of speeding up to 150% speed as you normally talk quite slowly. Works for me. Keep up the videos...

[@tinolino58]

I had a heffty birdstrike at 150 Kts with a Mooney. It was SHOKING! The BUBBLE type design enhances the strength of the plexiglas.

[@RichardHoltVen]

I remember the quote about plastic from 'The Graduate' in 1967.

[@maxlever9196]

Also in "It's a Wonderful Life", 1946.

[@glendooer6211]

We should have raced and go started..instead of looking at boobs.

[@Wuety06]

@1:30 ..yep already know acrylic isn't gonna go down like that lol. Cutting acrylic isn't as hard as u make it out to be. I use a miter saw or a table saw with a 80tooth 10inch 30dillar blade from harbor freight. Also I believe bullet proof glass tends to sandwich poly between acrylic.

[@mfsolutions]

Great video but as mentioned below the properties listed under "Strength" are not strength. Strength = allowable stress which in tension or shear is simply force /area, bending is more complex ( stress =My/I) but for the same bender and same thickness of material, strength reduces to the ability to resist force. So if the Lexan bends before the acrylic under the same force then the yield strength of the acrylic is higher. The property you want to explore here is "toughness" or the ability of a material to absorb energy up to fracture (= the area under the stress-strain curve).

[@David-pk9be]

The Graduate! Great reference to us old enough to know it.

[@z1522]

Other variations of Lexan suffer from exposure to ozone and also ammonia, which makes many ordinary window cleaners very bad, especially if you are cleaning home plastic window block inserts, or worse, an airplane windscreen, where micro stress fracturing can go unnoticed until a stress event causes failure that the original would not have experienced. Military aircraft may use advanced Lexan type polycarbonates for their vastly superior strength, but likely with additives and coatings that add too much cost for civilians to consider; they can also probably enforce stricter maintenance protocols to avoid problematic chemicals that civilians will fail to recognize, and when that item needs replacing, we civilians pay for it, as well, anyhow. Lexan can have scratches polished out - but that removes the UV protective and anti-scratch coatings. Low speed aircraft may not be at high risk from bird strikes, etc. and so acrylic is the accepted trade-off, but above a few hundred miles per hour, you don't want an acrylic windshield between your cockpit and the stray goose. For hobbyists, Lexan can be more aggravating to work with, as many glues don't bond it as easily as acrylic; regular plexiglass can be heated, molded, bent, and polished to a glassy sheen, with only cutting and drilling issues to consider, but solvent welding and many other gluing options make for easy craft uses that don't require bulletproof shields.

[@ThereIsNoGodOnlyUs]

Actually, there are many examples of uv/ scratch resistant coated polycarbonate that lasts great and ate around the same as a regular automotive safety glass. In order to protect the uv protected polycarbonate and maintain upkeep, using a ppf covering works wonders and there's reason it can't hold up well

[@gljim5908]

I wish I could give you an idea of how much your videos have helped me. I bought a used Kitfox, this is my first airplane ever, the airplane has not flown for the last 15 years and I have used so many of your videos as home build school for me. I bought lexan that is guaranteed not to go yellow for 10 years.

[@RezaRob3]

"There is a future in plastics, somebody used to say," indeed! 🙂

[@urbanthedk4653]

Here i am watching how to build yourself a plane and I cant even afford to pay this months rent -.-

[@drj8994]

ain't-it-mann

[@jayycolee1566]

🤭🤭😅🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@JinzoCrash]

Was debating on Lexan or Acrylic to make Arcade 1up marquee customs. I like that Lexan is forgiving in cutting, but Acrylic seems to be the winner.

[@preguntaleacharly7319]

Thank you very much for your advice. The example of the fold was very clear.

[@surendersingal2192]

Thank you sir Awesome explanation with clarity. Should safety not win n be 1st consideration over price when building plexiglass or lexan usable items ( not toys or other one time use lab flasks etc).? Also can both plastics be not overlaid to get all properties? Good day

[@bryanreeme8584]

An additional consideration can be heat expansion. Those panels will change size with the temperature. One material is more stable, sorry can't remember which (plexi I think?).. This can cause problems with frames, fasteners, seals, etc

[@Dino20008]

Great video and explanation for a student in aviation

[@gipsymoth2]

Excellent presentation, there is also a problem with forming lexan to make windshields and formed door windows. Could you please mention the problems with heating lexan to form on molds. Thank you.

[@1sinister80]

Thank you I am building an arcade cabinet you saved me a head ache I'm going with polycarbonate.

[@powertothetubers456]

Very informal appreciate the scientific breakdown 👏

[@BetterAircraftFabric]

Well, a good video as always, Appreciated ! - But I wish you would mention that there is a distinct difference in the optical properties between the two materials. I have had Lexan in side-windows that are not very important and its ok there but I would not want to use Lexan as a Windshield in my planes because of the lousy optical properties of it. Plexiglass for the windshield for sure on my stuff. Best Regards, Lars

[@HomebuiltHELP]

Good point! Thanks

[@JohnF732]

Good video, but a quick off-topic note on the broken door... I had identical well-fitted CH701 pilot-side doors open in flight and break at speeds under Vne. Root cause was prop wash getting under bottom-front corner of the door and bending it back till it fractured during a powered (but sub Vne) descent. Neither latch point failed, only the door. Solution is a third latch point at lower front of door on pilot side to ensure -zero- gap for prop wash to get under.

[@daisyliu3951]

yes, this is a point. but I am afraid acrylic is a little bit fragile especially at 2mm,3mm thickness. polycarbonate almost meet the same optical properties with acrylic at thses thickness. best reagrds,Daisy

[@LTVoyager]

That home builder got it exactly backwards. The windshield should have been polycarbonate and the doors acrylic. I’d much rather hit a bird with poly than with acrylic. And you can get hard coated polycarbonates that are quite scratch resistant for a long time.

[@michaeltucker8145]

What about resistance to bird strikes? I would think that the acrylic (Plexiglas) would shatter and possibly injure the front seat occupants? Any comments on windshield impact damage?

[@nunya___]

Outer layer acrylic, inner layer poly.

[@hucknbarry3496]

Saved for future reference. I need to bend for 59 boat cuddy window and will be referring to this most informative video later. Cheers.

[@wickedprotos1937]

I did not know you could bend Polycarbonite in a metal bender like that. Wow.

[@gabedaxe477]

5:42 what special coating can I use? I’m from Florida and the UV and the heat is causing struggle on my project , what do you recommend? Great video by the way

[@robertlafnear4865]

TRENT, HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR ......Fly Safe. See ya at the races next year.

[@rcbif101]

That's weird. I hear plenty warn of fuel issues with polycarb, but on McMasterCarrs website says for their "Clear Impact-Resistant Polycarbonate" that it has excellant chemical resistance to Bleach, Diesel Fuel, Gasoline, Hydrogen Peroxide, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phosphoric Acid, Water. Unless they only mean that stuff wont destroy it, but could still alter the quality.

[@ianmangham4570]

The Sound Of Silence/Mrs Robinson "There's a future's in plastics"

[@neilhathaway7051]

Great video, what's a common thickness for a front windshield for a homebuilt aircraft?

[@kashikhan7265]

Sir Nice To Know About Polycarbonate And Acrylic

[@Arcona]

Why use acrylic at all on light aircraft? Surely the risk of vibrations and impacts cracking the whole thing is much worse than it tinting a bit over time but being incredibly solid with polycarb.

[@PDZ1122]

I don't know why anyone would still use plexiglass, other than than their excessively anal A&P won't let them use something better on a certified aircraft. I detest acrylics. I worked in the eyeglass industry and polycarbonate lenses have nearly totally eliminated acrylic CR39 lenses. For good reason.

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

Thank you. So, pelxIglass is acrylIc and is breakable like real glass, and is relatively chemically resilient to petroleum. That's what I needed to know.

[@karkule5919]

Acrylic is breakable but not like glass, it is over 10 times more impact resistant than glass.

[@hrench]

Great vid. Plexiglas has one "s".

[@MURUR1025]

Great narration delivery.

[@aggibson74]

Is there a protective film you can put over lexan to help with scratch, UV and chemical resistance?

[@stolaircraftsuyanto9728]

Nice video 👏👏👏

[@foesfly3047]

I’m wondering which is the better candidate for thermoforming- especially compound curved under vacuum. I’m sure I can find that somewhere though.

[@ivansbacon]

I expected an answer to the choice for one type on the windshield and the other on the door.

[@p.kuansuwan2070]

Perfect. Very well explained, thank you!

[@Hundert1]

Which has better insulation properties from the cold? Which is better for using to replace my household window with? I had 1/2" thick dual pane Andersen window. Thanks

[@LTVoyager]

BMW uses polycarbonate and is the only mainstream motorcycle maker that I know of who does so. Everyone else uses the much less expensive, but much less safe, acrylic material.

[@davidebrunetta5485]

Hi,.....how well does the Lexan deal with Bird strike.....?

[@lasaraungbakri7386]

Can we cover the lexan with clear tape to protect it from chemicals, scratches, and UV?

[@DJJ959]

We're now playing a game of finding Stewie, good luck everyone.

[@riesenfliegefly7139]

I saw him while I watched :D 2:00

[@cohall46]

What happens when a bird strikes a plexiglass airplane windshield in flight? Would it just bounce off if the Lexan but crack the plexiglass?

[@EnchantedSmellyWolf]

This will go well in my car. With such flex it can prevent people from breaking in. Also nice Stewie decal. Haha!

[@MarkBaldridge]

This is a great little video! Thank you! And well done!

[@rubypereira7212]

Very informative thank yoi for sharing this video

[@Afrocanuk]

Very well explained comparison.

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

how do they get the scratches outta safety glasses?

[@angeloc3842]

Good video but can you mold poly carbonate using heat like acrylic?

[@aabb-zz9uw]

As the windscreen has to be made of acryl because of fuel and uv, how about putting handphone gorilla glass on it to make it stronger?

[@lesterfalcon1350]

Set playback speed to 1.25 for normal speed.

[@Bluntedco.]

this was very informative!

[@otrotland5377]

thank you, notes taken.

[@sabercruiser.7053]

THANK YOU SIR .

[@rmpitton]

Very helpful video. Can I use polycarbonate as a cover for my awning? And where can I purchase in NYC? TY

[@Vids599]

What about lexan over plexiglass keeps the service from scratching

[@theeabster1983]

Seems like damned if you do the damned if you don't if you make your doors out of polycarbonate we're going to have to replace them due to the UV light from the sun. But not last chance of it breaking and cracking or virtually no chance of breaking and cracking. If you buy the stuff that has a UV coating on it and you get a deep scratch in it and send it out I guess you lose the coating that blocks the UV that's just a matter of time before it gets destroyed by the sun. Any idea how long it takes before the UV destroys the poly on average? Thank you for your time

[@CHIBA280CRV]

Very informative video thanks 👍

[@gundamepyon241]

THANK YOU SO MUCH SIR.... You are helping much for my report study

[@frankenstein3163]

I wat to make double wall acrylic similar to double wall POLYCARBONATE sheets. Do you think the double wall acrylic with have a better insulation property's that the double wall polycarbonate ? I'm attempting to make a glass studio/office.

[@Medievalfan94]

I want to try to build my own DIY e cymbals. I was thinking about vaccum forming them from real cymbals. At first I thought about acrylic glas, because it is nice and rigid and so on, but I have not thought about it shattering so easily. I do not want it to crack on the first hit. Do you think polycarbonate would do better here? I would glue on some rubber padding to the beat zone and edge to protect it from scratches and silence it a bit more. Can you glue polycarbonate or will it make it brittle?

[@soundtechiesevents9043]

Hi... I want to built my own led dance floor.. which one is best polycarbonate or acrylic... Could u help me?

[@brunotulliani7483]

Thank-you for a nice video and the info will help me in my decision.

[@cricri7066]

What about PETG?

[@mehdielmazouni6604]

I want to know please, how can formed a piece made of polycarbonate using pellet

[@kevinatspeed]

so you stated that PC can be enhanced to manage it's poor performance when exposed to UV. What about the poor performance of acrylic when exposed to stress...how can acrylic be enhanced to manage its Achilles heel?

[@backforblood3421]

Unlike polycarbonate, acrylic is not toxic as a solid.

[@martinjrichter55]

Considering bird strikes or FOD, which can with stand the impact for say a 125 kn impact?

[@onewithall7618]

Thx your video help me choose and know the difference

[@Arcona]

8:05 You hear a windows noise, probably it's reaction to seeing another kind of window being broken :p Nice vid by the way, very informative.

[@kentvandervelden]

Good ears! I had to really turn up the speaker to hear that :)

[@luishnk3983]

i want to building acrylic bolw forming for my rov but i have some problems

[@00HiGhGuY00]

What about a window/canopy made out of ALON "transparent aluminum"

[@AccountingBBA]

How can i get plexi glass from bangladesh?plz help me.

[@supermoon1430]

Can acrylic be used for a cutting board

[@palashchoudhury5565]

Do Lamination in Acrylic Glass than It ll not Crack & Scatter

[@xbeanx3000]

Does light transmission for Acrylic over 10+ years go down to 85% from 92% when it was new (if used outside), and if yes then why? One last question is I'm thinking of buying some 150 x 150 cm extruded acrylic to rest on top of 4 corner poles but don't want it to bend in the middle if it's too thin and when it snows (each pole will be 15 cm from the edge). What is the minimum thickness do you think I should use? Because every mm costs money I don't want more thickness than is needed.

[@AzangBugs]

If you can envision an emergency situation where you might have to punch your way through it, your only answer is plexiglass.

[@Ryzler13]

what is the frozen chicken rating for these.

[@omar0xc]

Thank you

[@sms9106]

Good info

[@christianfrank8131]

Thank you so much

[@SE45CX]

Hi Sir, Are you sure about your claim that Polycarbonate in incompatible with gasoline? You know I consulted Cole Parmer database and for all types of gasoline listed there the compatibility is stated as Excellent with Polycarbonate. What source did you use?

[@HomebuiltHELP]

Isn't that interesting! I believe you - however, I have personally ruined several door windows on my aircraft from spilling/splashing auto fuel on them. And there are plenty of other pilot/builders with the same reaction. A quick Google search of "gasoline and polycarbonate" will reveal the confusion also. The greatest and quickest damage occurs when gas gets into the rivets used to hold the poly material to its support frame. This means the gas is getting to the edge of the poly sheet. Hard to understand that the edge is more sensitive than the surface....

[@SE45CX]

@@HomebuiltHELP Alright. Thanks for the reply. My plan is to do a head gasket replacement on my car. I plan to use a sheet of polycarbonate to cover the engine block and other gasket surfaces during the time I'm not working on them so that no oxidation will form on the surfaces. I think I'm going to experiment first with a tiny sheet and some chemicals involved (like motor oil and WD-40) to see what happens.

[@HomebuiltHELP]

@@SE45CX And don't forget a sample test for gasoline! (around the edges)

[@jackhandy3776]

great info thx....

[@rjminton534]

Thank you for your video

[@rmhutchins7]

I enjoyed your video. It was very helpful. Thank you!