There are a couple sources and they are all pricey in some way or another.
For instance, I've been getting PVC squares from McMaster Carr. I also
noticed their prices on acrylic tubes (which I used for the Van De
Graaff Generator I built for the wife) is less than many sources, but
that may be the only thing that's cheaper.
I found Small Parts to be more expensive than other on line stores in
everything except the HDPE and UHMW. This may be a temporary aberration.
But I just bought a slab of 1" thick 12x12" UHMW for my primary and it
was about 3/4 the price that McMaster was quoting. Also, I tend to find
that not every vendor has every geometry you want. Some sizes I found at
Small Parts weren't available at McMaster, and visa versa. It was a lot
of trial and error.
I go to Tap Plastics for the polycarbonate because I can almost always
find what I want either in their castoff bin or on their showroom floor.
All the polycarbonate disks I get I just buy "off the rack" at Tap.
Their ends and odds bin usually doesn't have anything larger than
12"x12", but sometimes you can find a slab of 1/2" clear polycarbonate
in a weird form factor, like 6" x 24", and you can take it home and cut
it into something yourself. A piece of 12x12" polycarbonate sheet costs
about $1 in their cast off bin.
But heavens forbid you ask them to custom cut something for you. Then
you pay through the proverbial nose. Last week I bought a rectangle
12"x24" of 1/2" polycarbonate for my wife's VDG project and it ran me $38.
And if anyone knows any other sources of raw materials, do let us all
know. There's always a situation where you need a certain geometry or
material and one or more of the on-line guys won't have it.
Oh - one more thing. You can't get Garolite at TAP. I"ve been getting
all my G10 from either McMaster, or I just found that On Line Metals
also carries it. Though On Line Metals may be most costy of all.
Cheers,
Joe
On 8/24/2010 7:03 PM, Brandon Hendershot wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for all your input guys, I really appreciate it, and it always
helps a LOT! :-) This'll be my last question on this topic, hopefully;
Where do you guys get your plastics?
I'm only really concerned with getting some HDPE right now. I know all
of you don't get it just from home depot/lowes etc.
I've heard of TAP Plastics, but I'm looking for someone in Arizona
(preferably).
It's always really expensive wherever I find it, and I know we've got
a few seasoned bargain shoppers here. ;-P
Thanks a bunch,
Brandon_______________________________________________
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