# What plastics to use for an electronics enclosure? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 2, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070 "2005-11-02T12:39:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/1 "2005-11-02T12:39:02Z")
I’m building a high intensity light box, running an 10" x 10" array of LEDs on a printed circuit board. Now that it is all together, I need to build an enclosure for it. Something plastic, rigid, and strong. It won’t need to withstand a lot of heat, as the whole thing will only consume 10 watts or so, and I’ll put a fan in for the power supply. My first thought was to use something like PVC that is easy to work with, and is essentially welded together when you glue it. I am having trouble sourcing solid PVC sheets, though. What materials are typically used for building prototype enclosures, and where am I best to get the supplies? I live in a medium sized town, about an hour outside of Toronto, and I’m hoping to get the supplies locally. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/2 "2005-11-02T12:54:19Z")
There are companies that specialize in such enclosures – We used to order from them a lot back when I worked at a place that made scientific instruments. There ought to be one, or at least a rep, in Toronto. Most such boxes, however, aren’t purely plastic – they’ll generally have some, or even mostly, metal construction. (You can get electronics boxes at electronics supply stores, and I think you can still get them at Radio Shack, although they’re tailing off the supply for hobbyists. But again, it’s likely to be a metal-plastic mix, and I don’t think they stock them that big.) I’ll almost guarantee you have a plastics distributor in your area, from whom you can buy sheets of material that you can assemble into a box. Probabvly in different colors, too. Look up Plastics in your yellow pages or online. PVC sounds OK, but there’s no reason you couldn’t use plexiglas or polyethylene, either. ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/3 "2005-11-02T13:02:52Z")
You’d have to be dedicated to build your own box. There’ll be an enclosure on the market that would be exactly what you want. Farnell has lots of [enclosures](http://export.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/searchPage2.jsp?N=1003962+401&=Electrical&No=0&Ntt=&Ntk=&comSearch=true). As for the material, there are lots to choose from. ABS and polycarbonate are pretty impact resistant, polystyrene is easy to cut. All sorts of poly_whatever_ plastics are available. Some enclosures can be bought with a transparent lid, if that’s any help. ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/4 "2005-11-02T16:36:13Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be a custom build. The specs for what I want are just too tight. ---
**Author:** ![Fridgemagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@Fridgemagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fridgemagnet)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/5 "2005-11-02T16:44:31Z")
Fair enough. For a custom-build, we used to use Perspex (acrylic) and Tensol cement. Perspex can also be drilled and tapped with some degree of success. ---
**Author:** ![olpeculiar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@olpeculiar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/olpeculiar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/6 "2005-11-02T17:48:50Z")
I agree with Fridgemagnet. Acrylic sheet is pretty easy to get, and it solvent welds very nicely. Most acrylics are prone to fracture, though. If you’re looking for a plastic material that is a lot more shock resistant, look for polycarbonate. Easily worked with standard wood- and metal-working tools, it can be cut, bent, holes can be threaded, etc… Polycarb also solvent welds very nicely. What’s the trade-off? Polycarb typically has a lower UV-resistance, which means that over time (if exposed to enough UV light) its color can fade or yellow. This can be prevented by painting the finished box with a good spray paint designed for plastics. A glass company or picture frame company will carry acrylic sheet, and a good one will carry polycarbonate as well - polycarb is very popular for outdoor advertising signage. Start there for local sources. My main source for all sorts of raw materials is the infamous McMaster-Carr. Check them out on the internet - just google “McMaster”. Their catalog is a wealth of technical information. You can review their products and determine for yourself what will suit your project best. Even if you don’t/can’t purchase from them, they are a great reference resource. Best of luck! ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-plastics-to-use-for-an-electronics-enclosure/329070/7 "2005-11-02T19:10:21Z")
McMaster-Carr is awesome, and you should definitely check them first. If you don’t have any luck, move on to [Grainger](http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/searchresults.jsp?xi=xi). The link goes to their “enclosures” search but you can hunt for anything.