My lab just got a laser cutter and I realized I could make a pretty nice projector enclosure with acrylic. Everything would be cut precisely and very cleanly. You can even load an image and it'll etch it onto a surface, it's pretty sweet!
My concern is obviously the heat and the fact that plastic melts. I'm looking for opinions on the amount of heat. If I made the main light box out of something else, could I get away with the rest of it being acrylic? Also, people have sked about shielding with metal and everyone has said don't put the metal against wood. So how do you actually mount a light box to the rest of the enclosure? You think I could use a ceramic standof or something?
An example of a picture etched from a laser cutter. Ours is considerably larger than this guys.
LAser etched PowerBook
My concern is obviously the heat and the fact that plastic melts. I'm looking for opinions on the amount of heat. If I made the main light box out of something else, could I get away with the rest of it being acrylic? Also, people have sked about shielding with metal and everyone has said don't put the metal against wood. So how do you actually mount a light box to the rest of the enclosure? You think I could use a ceramic standof or something?
An example of a picture etched from a laser cutter. Ours is considerably larger than this guys.
LAser etched PowerBook
I use a strip-heater when bending/forming acrylic. It only heats up to about 150*F - 175*F, and after about 5 minutes 1/4" acrylic is super-soft and easy to bend. 
So, I would think that making an entire case out of acrylic would be a bad idea, actually for two reasons.
1) The heat problem
and
2) Light! Unless you use solid-color acrylic (which can still glow/transmit some light - except black) you would have to paint it or otherwise make it so light doesn't get through. If you are doing that, why not just you sheet-metal?
At least, that's my take on it. Now, fwiw, I am using Acrylic in my projector build - but only on-edge to achieve a specific look (it won't be exposed to any heat).
So, I would think that making an entire case out of acrylic would be a bad idea, actually for two reasons.
1) The heat problem
and
2) Light! Unless you use solid-color acrylic (which can still glow/transmit some light - except black) you would have to paint it or otherwise make it so light doesn't get through. If you are doing that, why not just you sheet-metal?
At least, that's my take on it. Now, fwiw, I am using Acrylic in my projector build - but only on-edge to achieve a specific look (it won't be exposed to any heat).
The other problem with acrylic is fastening it all together... you'll have to use acrylic solvent to 'weld' all the parts together, and once you do that, it's pretty much a self-contained, disposable device.
Screws really don't work either, because if you even 'slightly' overtighten a screw... *crack*.
You'd also need to go with some pretty thick acrylic, because thinner sheets are pretty flexible... and the last drawback, is you can't hide anything.... 😀
As far as metal against wood, the metal would have to get really hot before the wood would even scorch, much less combust... I don't have the figure right here offhand, but I think the combustion temperature of wood is over 500 degrees F, and if you had that much heat inside your projector, I'd think that wood combustion would be the least of your worries. 😉
The reason I'm able to say this stuff with a bit of authority, is the fact that I have a reef aquarium in my living room that's built from 3/4" acrylic, and lit with 1300w of Ushio 20K and 10K halide bulbs. I have the bulb reflectors screwed directly to a wooden canopy that sits on top of the tank and the wood barely gets warm to the touch, much less bursts into flames. 😀
Screws really don't work either, because if you even 'slightly' overtighten a screw... *crack*.
You'd also need to go with some pretty thick acrylic, because thinner sheets are pretty flexible... and the last drawback, is you can't hide anything.... 😀
As far as metal against wood, the metal would have to get really hot before the wood would even scorch, much less combust... I don't have the figure right here offhand, but I think the combustion temperature of wood is over 500 degrees F, and if you had that much heat inside your projector, I'd think that wood combustion would be the least of your worries. 😉
The reason I'm able to say this stuff with a bit of authority, is the fact that I have a reef aquarium in my living room that's built from 3/4" acrylic, and lit with 1300w of Ushio 20K and 10K halide bulbs. I have the bulb reflectors screwed directly to a wooden canopy that sits on top of the tank and the wood barely gets warm to the touch, much less bursts into flames. 😀
Remember guys, not all plastics are transparent or even translucent.
It'll cut up to about 1/2", I'm not sure about thicker. Maybe with multiple passes.
I thought perhaps I could make the light cone out of something else, atleast up to the lcd. It might be nice to be able to see in a bit if everything is kept fairly clean, which is of course a big if. I'll look into it a bit more and let you know how it goes.
It'll cut up to about 1/2", I'm not sure about thicker. Maybe with multiple passes.
I thought perhaps I could make the light cone out of something else, atleast up to the lcd. It might be nice to be able to see in a bit if everything is kept fairly clean, which is of course a big if. I'll look into it a bit more and let you know how it goes.
since you said that you can even load an image and it'll etch it, it sounds like you're going for the decorative factor, here. i understand that mdf is pretty ugly by itself, but, why not cut some thin acrylic and adhere it to the mdf if it's simply a matter of what's pleasing to the eye. if you're talking about making an enclosure out of acrylic just for the sake of doing it, you might just be a little overexcited about your new toy. i'd stick with the mdf.
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