Hi guys, i’ve been reading on this website for quite a while now… and i have just undertaken the task to build my self a FTIR table. :D I’ve been looking around the forums and have read that for a table top design the ideal thickness of the Acrylic should be around 3/8”. I’ve been been to Home Depot and Rona near my place (Toronto, Canada) for acrylic but all i’ve been able to find is 1/4” thick acrylic sheets, and i’ve been to a couple of online plastic vendors as well, but their shipping charges are quite steep.
First question is does anybody know of a local Canadian supplier for acrylic in or around the Mississauga area or the GTA? As well as that does anybody know of a cheap online vendor that will ship to Toronto?
Second question can 1/4” thick Acrylic sheet be used for an FTIR table that is 24x32”, my assumption is that it will bend causing the entire screen to act as though its been touched, am i correct about this?

Thanks for your help
Taha

Taha:  I am in the GTA and also embarking on building a FTIR multi-touch table.  I don’t know about the big box stores, but you should be looking to sign shops to get the acrylic sheet from.  Just call any sign shop near you and ask them where you can buy cast acrylic, laser cut to your dimensions - if they can’t help you, they will most likely recommend a shop that can.  That’s been my experience, anyways.

Good luck!

EDIT: Wow, I just got off the phone with my local sign shop, they are asking for $140CDN for a 80cm x 60cm x 10mm piece of clear cast acrylic.  It seems steep to me, I am going to make some more calls.

EDIT2: Just got off the phone with a place, called Laird Plastics.  They are a wholesaler of acrylic for the GTA.  I could get the same acrylic as above for only $42, only difference is they cut it with a saw (not laser) so it will have rough edges, but they can be polished!  You can get a whole sheet (4’ x 8’ x 3/8") from them for like, $227 or so.

Thanks for the info Rossman, yeah i know about how expensive some places are i was astounded, in anycase i tried contacting Laird Plastics like you suggested today, through email but didn’t receive any reply back from them. I plan to call them tomorrow morning. Did you call them? if you did, did you just call their regular number (800-387-4987 or 905-673-8008). and by any chance do you know if they sell to individuals, because i contacted some manufactures today, but they all said they only deal with businesses.

I called the local number listed on their Toronto site (ie. 905-673-8008).  I’m pretty sure they’ll sell to individuals.

Wow i dont know who you talked to Rossman, i got a reply to my email “We do have in stock 3/8” thick acrylic clear sheet which when cut to 24” x 32” which be a cost of $81.66, plus GST & PST” maybe i’ll give them a call, they might give me another price. even 81.66 is cheaper than what i’ve gotten from a lot of other places. So looks like Laird Plastics is where i’ll be buying it from.

Thanks for the help.
Taha

The guy I spoke with there (I should have gotten his name, damnit), said that a 24” x 32” x 3/8” piece of clear cast acrylic would be $42 per piece.

Sounds like either they gave me the wrong info, or they’re charging you for double?  Maybe we can meet there and get a deal by getting both pieces at the same time?

Yeah sure… that would be great, from what i know they are open monday to friday 8am-5pm. I’m free this Monday, how about you?

Bummer, I’ll never be able to get there between those hours :(

Damn having to work!

Hey Rossman… i dont know whats wrong with this place. I called them up today. And they gave me a quote of $46 for the same size sheet.Now this 3 different prices for the same size and same thickness sheet of Acrylic from the same company.
I’m most likely gonna head there either this friday or monday and get it then, hopefully its near 40 bucks cause 80 is my upper limit. I asked about shipping to my place i live near Winston Churchill and Eglinton and shipping from their factory to my place was near $40 its better to go and pick it up than actually get it shipped.

Taha

Taha, can you let me know what actually happened once you get your acrylic?  I’d love to hear how it actually turned out in the end, and what the final price ended up being!

Cheers!

Hey Rossman today i went and bought my acrylic sheet from Laird plastic in sauga.
It cost me $46 + taxes which came out to be $51. As you can see from the pictures that the sheet is just like any other acrylic sheet.
however edges do require polishing. They are very opaque, and require quite a bit of sanding to polish them up.
If you have any other questions, always here to help.

Hope all works out for you.

Taha

hey
just wandering what type of acrylic is better to use ?  cell cast material or an extruded grade

cheers

Cast, but don’t take my word for it.....heres a typical description on the product…

their site link
http://www.silwoodplastics.co.uk/info2.cfm?info_id=61720

thanks jay

yeah, i’ll go with the cast one