Be Excellent To Each Other

Hello!
I need a sheet of clear plastic, maybe about 1cm thick, cut to a specific size about, say, 1m by 2m (I don't know, I've not measured..
Where the fuck can I buy that?

What kind of plastic? Are we talking about rigid stuff like PP or bendier stuff like PE? How flexible does it have to be?

These Guys?

Malc

A quick Google reveals:

http://www.plasticsupplier.co.uk/

Thick clear plastic..... You inviting Noddy Holder over?

I need to put it over my window for the summer. So, not bendy.

This lot ?
http://www.acrylux.co.uk/

1m x 2m x 1cm. Second one down:

[url=http://www.westwardplastics.co.uk/d_selector.php?page=1&cat=glazing&subcat1=Clear%20Acrylic%&subcat2=Thick]Here.[/url]

WTF is wrong with this URL?

http://www.westwardplastics.co.uk/d_sel ... %20Acrylic%&subcat2=Thick

[url]http://www.westwardplastics.co.uk/d_selector.php?page=1&cat=glazing&subcat1=Clear%20Acrylic%&subcat2=Thick[/url]

I have no idea what to choose from that lot. That's the main problem - I have no idea what I need.

280 fucking quid?

There's a space in it.

Spaces are (sort of) fine. It's % that shouldn't be in a URL.

You don't want it too inflexible either though, or it'll shatter if something hits it.

Ho hum. It's a tough one.

Yeah, it's the weird %& that's killing it. Fuck knows what that's doing there.

Why do you want it, out of interest? So you can drill holes in it and have the window open?

Oh yes. What on earth is that doing in there?

Nothing will hit it. It doesn't matter if it is flexible, of course.

Exactly
I want to drill a hole in it to stuff the aircon exhause hose through.

If you want somewhere local it might be worth trying sign makers, they usually have all sorts of grades and types of plastics as well as the kit to cut them up.

So you don't need a full size section, you just need a section big enough to cover the gap that's left when the window's open enough to let the hose through - So probably about 15cm x 2m.

Our windows hinge outward from the top, so I'll need to cover the whole thing.

I have foam stuff for this. Works well enough so meh.

Not small child proof though.

Ah yeah, course.

Neither are the windows. If he ever gets onto the windowsill then he'd be out of the gap pretty quick. He'd have a long time to contemplate his mistake before he hit the floor.

Ah yes, the "Eric Clapton" problem.

Still wouldn't work, though.

Ergo, is this the best solution? Don't you have communal aircon?

Or perhaps someone sells a ready made solution for people just like you who live in council flats luxury apartments?

Drill a hole in the door and dump the hot air out into the hallway.

This has been considered, but I'm not allowed to mess with the front door. Something through the letterbox, maybe.

Er, yes. If we strap plastic over the window they won't be open.


No. Fucksake cheapass fucking building designers.


They all want stupid money.

Are there no other vents you can tap into, dryer/cooker hood etc?

Hmm, cooker-hood is a possibility. Good thinking, sir.

Thick glazing plastic is expensive, it's used for smash-proofing shop windows and the like.
If it's for that sort of application or a vehicle buy margard (scratchproof ish), if it's for a garden shed just use thin perspex from B&Q.

edit: oh, you said. Well you don't need it 1cm thick anyway. It's pretty tough stuff.

Hmm, k. But we get fucking hairy windspeeds - it comes in fast enough from the Thames to shake the whole building.

I was hoping you were going to use it to revoke diplomatic immunity.

As long as you secure it all the way round properly (overlap it with a bit of timber with loads of screws through it for example), then it'd be fine - it's usually stronger than glass at similar thickness.

I'm assuming you'll be able to close the original window still, rather than taking it off?

Nope.

Hrm. You know, that might be a better idea, if you can arrange it. Cut the hole for the aircon hose where the handle is, and detach the hose and put your hand through to open/close the window.
Otherwise you're going to lose craploads of heat through it in the winter.

Not my window to cut, unfortunately. And I can't see a way of doing that anyway. I'll take some photos when I get home.

I think he means cut a hole in the plastic sheet where the handle is, so you can reach the window to close it in the winter.

Malc

Yes, and it also avoids the hassle of taking the original window off. Just put the plastic on the inside - then it doesn't have to be anything fancy, just use B&Q perspex at 20 quid a sheet or whatever.

Ah, good thinking.

We need to team up and create wherethefuckdoIbuythat.com. For srs.

Bah, that wouldn't work either, thinking about it - I'd have to lock the window open to stop it blowing shut, and you do that at the sides (and the handle is in the middle). Never mind.

Where there's a will there's a way! (Or something)

Indeed.
So perspex is cheaper than plastic?

Perspex / Plexiglass is a brand name of transparent acrylic plastic.
The cheapest available stuff is usually fairly thin, and not very scratchproof. It's handy for shed windows, display cases, etc.

More expensive varieties have a harder coating, better optical or better impact resistance properties. Lexan, Margard are brand names for that stuff.


What you could do, is put a piece of perspex covering most of the inside of the frame, leaving a 6" gap at the bottom. Put a hinged piece of plywood in there (with the hole for the A/C in it, which you can open to get to the handles properly. Or figure out another way of keeping the window open.

I take it it's a UPVc frame Grim...?

If so, try popping off the beading around the frame* to see if you can take the glass unit out from the inside then replace it with a perspex sheet cut to the same size (there will still be the faff of getting the correct thickness).

We did this to our conservatory door to install a big dog flap.

*not as scary as it sounds, just need a flat tool like a wallpaper scraper/chisel, the flatter the better.

Not my window!

Oh, good idea. We did that to install a cat-flap in a bathroom window (the external doors are glass and it's a rented house)