We've got a nice table base that is currently topped by a 18" round
glass. We're buying a restaurant and lounge and would like to put this
table into the bar, but are worried about having glass in a place where
people might not treat it as nicely as they would their own stuff.
My thought was to simply replace the glass top with a lexan or
plexiglass one. However, a search through Google and Yahoo didn't
reveal anyone that sells these kinds of rounds. I know that I can go
down to the Borg and get a square, then use my router to round it out,
but I'm not really sure how to finish off the edges then.
Does anyone know of a source for lexan or plexiglass rounds?
Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
lexan or plexiglass?
Thanks,
John
Would tempered glass be a better choice? What thickness? The glass
that came with the table is 3/8" thick.
Steve Dunbar wrote:
> John W. Fawcett wrote:
>
> ...
>
>>Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
>>lexan or plexiglass?
>
>
> It can be flame-polished with an oxy-hydrogen torch. Go to dejanews.com and
> search for postings on this subject in rec.crafts.metalworking.
>
> I suspect that a plastic table top like you're thinking of will get
> scratched up and look really bad in a short time.
>
> --
> Steve
Thanks to everyone who replied. After reading your thoughts and talking
it over with the guys at the glass shop, we've decided to go with the
1/2" tempered glass. The thickness should help prevent breaking and the
tempering will help prevent a lawsuit even if it does break.
John W. Fawcett wrote:
> We've got a nice table base that is currently topped by a 18" round
> glass. We're buying a restaurant and lounge and would like to put this
> table into the bar, but are worried about having glass in a place where
> people might not treat it as nicely as they would their own stuff.
>
> My thought was to simply replace the glass top with a lexan or
> plexiglass one. However, a search through Google and Yahoo didn't
> reveal anyone that sells these kinds of rounds. I know that I can go
> down to the Borg and get a square, then use my router to round it out,
> but I'm not really sure how to finish off the edges then.
>
> Does anyone know of a source for lexan or plexiglass rounds?
> Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
> lexan or plexiglass?
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 17:16:22 -0700, "John W. Fawcett"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Thanks to everyone who replied. After reading your thoughts and talking
>it over with the guys at the glass shop, we've decided to go with the
>1/2" tempered glass. The thickness should help prevent breaking and the
>tempering will help prevent a lawsuit even if it does break.
>
Make sure you're careful about sudden temperature changes. While we
have tempered glass trivets in the kitchen that we routinely put hot
pots and pans on, that have never shattered, I do have a friend who
owned a tempered glass table in a metal frame on their back patio.
Recently, it exploded right as the sun went on it. Google revealed
that metal directly touching certain tempers of glass will cause it to
act like it's been shot with a gun. This can happen to car windows in
certain cars when it's cold outside and the heater is on inside. It
happened to the rear window of our old Mercedes Benz 300D during a
snowstorm in Alabama, although my family /insists/ we were shot at
while on the highway.
On 22-Oct-2003, "John W. Fawcett" <[email protected]> wrote:
As others have said, plastic will scratch a lot. Lexan's tough, but
not hard. It'll have to be thicker than the glass it replaces, as
it's not as stiff as glass.
> Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
> lexan or plexiglass?
I've never done anything as big as a table, My experience is with 1/4"
plexiglass.
I just sand the edge until it's smooth and then switch to polishing with
successively finer grits. Eventually, it's clear as glass. Elbow
grease then a Dremel with buffing wheels.
Mike
As everyone has told you Lexan or Plexi will look like crap in a short time
You should not have any trouble with the glass top you alrady have, however
if your hellbent on using the Plexi/Lexan
it is eady to do the edges, after cutting wet san down to 220 with wet or
dry paper, you can go finer if you desire then just take your torch that you
solder copper pipes with and just heat the edges it is easy to do
No special gas or special torch is required.
The finer you wet sand the less torching you will have to do.
Keep the torch is motion slowly and deliberately do not stop at any point
all this is done just a few inches away.
Try it on a scrap peice until you get the feel.
after the first time that you do it you will feel like a pron and will then
ruin some stuff<F>
About that time you will be apro.
Good Luck,
George
"John W. Fawcett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1066875778.884729@yasure...
> We've got a nice table base that is currently topped by a 18" round
> glass. We're buying a restaurant and lounge and would like to put this
> table into the bar, but are worried about having glass in a place where
> people might not treat it as nicely as they would their own stuff.
>
> My thought was to simply replace the glass top with a lexan or
> plexiglass one. However, a search through Google and Yahoo didn't
> reveal anyone that sells these kinds of rounds. I know that I can go
> down to the Borg and get a square, then use my router to round it out,
> but I'm not really sure how to finish off the edges then.
>
> Does anyone know of a source for lexan or plexiglass rounds?
> Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
> lexan or plexiglass?
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
Look in the phone book for a plastics shop. Most towns have one. They will
cut a round and finish the edges to order.
"John W. Fawcett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1066875778.884729@yasure...
> We've got a nice table base that is currently topped by a 18" round
> glass. We're buying a restaurant and lounge and would like to put this
> table into the bar, but are worried about having glass in a place where
> people might not treat it as nicely as they would their own stuff.
>
> My thought was to simply replace the glass top with a lexan or
> plexiglass one. However, a search through Google and Yahoo didn't
> reveal anyone that sells these kinds of rounds. I know that I can go
> down to the Borg and get a square, then use my router to round it out,
> but I'm not really sure how to finish off the edges then.
>
> Does anyone know of a source for lexan or plexiglass rounds?
> Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
> lexan or plexiglass?
>
> Thanks,
> John
>
"John W. Fawcett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1066875778.884729@yasure...
|
| My thought was to simply replace the glass top with a lexan or
| plexiglass one.
Definitely go with glass. Lexan(TM) is good when you need transparency in
the visible spectrum and lots of shock resistance (hint: it's what we make
space helmet visors out of). It scratches badly, which is why space helmet
visors need protective covers when not being worn. If you use it as a table
top in a bar it will be trashed after about two months' worth of car keys,
cell phones, glasses, shirt cuff buttons, and all the other ill treatment
you anticipate. Glass will hold up much better in those circumstances.
John W. Fawcett wrote:
> We've got a nice table base that is currently topped by a 18" round
> glass. We're buying a restaurant and lounge and would like to put this
> table into the bar, but are worried about having glass in a place where
> people might not treat it as nicely as they would their own stuff.
>
> My thought was to simply replace the glass top with a lexan or
> plexiglass one.
Firt of all realise that it is not lexan or plexigladd it is Lexan a
registered trademark of Rohm & Haas Corp and is acrylic and Lexan is a
regitered trademark of GE Plastics for their polycarbinate. For you
purpose given those choises I'd go for the polycarbonate. It is much
harder than acrylic. That said I second another poster and say use
glass. some sort of temered plate glasss will be better and more
customer proof than polycarbonate, IMHO
jw
>
> Does anyone know of a source for lexan or plexiglass rounds?
> Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
> lexan or plexiglass?
I think your best bet is to look in the Yellow Pages or better yet the
B2B pages under plastics
jw
John W. Fawcett wrote:
...
> Alternatively, anyone know how to nicely finish off the edges of cut
> lexan or plexiglass?
It can be flame-polished with an oxy-hydrogen torch. Go to dejanews.com and
search for postings on this subject in rec.crafts.metalworking.
I suspect that a plastic table top like you're thinking of will get
scratched up and look really bad in a short time.
--
Steve