Comparing plastics- Acrylic, polycarbonate (Lexan), and PETG

[KerriAnn]

not too long ago i bought a huge sheet of acrylic from HD for my mods. ive used it all up now, and i have been looking online at the different types of plastics similar to acrylic that i might be able to use for windows and such. does anyone know the disadvantages of using Lexan or PETG?

 

[cheapgoose]

well, I looked into lexan and the dudes from Tap told me Lexan are a bit harder, more brittle and it has a higher melting temperature. this is important because I use my heatgun to soften and bend/shape the pieces.

hope that helps.

 

[AnnoyedGrunt]

EDIT:
I had links that worked from Google but they take me to a login screen when I post them here. Strange.

Anyhow, from checking the material properties, I see the following:

Acrylic is actually the most brittle (elongation at break is only 2% or so). Polycarbonate and PETG will elongate much more than Acrylic.

PETG has the lowest deflection temperature, with Acrylic next and Poly @ the highest.

PETG and Ploy are the strongest.

PETG is probably a better choice than Poly because of the deflection temp, but that might only matter if you are bending like cheapgoose.

-D'oh!

 

[KerriAnn]

thanks.
i would be bending it- some of the time. i cracked my psu cover in half the other day, so ill need a replacement made for that...
btw- when i made my psu cover, i used my oven to do it. i just put the original psu cover underneath the premeasured piece of acrylic, then put it in the oven at 275 F. for a minute, then bent it over the aluminum cover to shape it.
please tell me there is an easier way, cos if i don't get it right the first time, its very difficult to reheat and reshape it.