Evergreen Clear Styrene

[NOBLNG]

Just curious if anyone has used Evergreen clear styrene? I recently bought some that was not what I would consider clear. I called the toll free number and they offered to send me replacement sheets if I sent them a picture of it. However the HS where I bought it gave me a refund so I did not bother. I guess I will just use clear packaging if I need it!

Edited February 6, 2019 by NOBLNG
spelling

[2002p51]

I've been using it for years, never had a problem.

[peteski]

What thickness was that?  I think the 0.005" might have slight texture, but the thicker sheets should be perfectly clear.  Another possibility is that instead of paper separator sheets they started adding a protective film over the sheet, which needs to be removed?  It's been a while since I bought any Evergreen sheets.

[NOBLNG]

It was .015" thickness, and there was no protective film on it. It did have the tissue paper between the sheets.

[MrObsessive]

If you're using this for 'glass' why not try clear stencil sheet (acetate)? IMO, it looks much clearer than styrene and 'reads' like real glass. The only caveat is that you'll need to use some sort of epoxy to put it in, and it's better for flatter type glass as it likes to be bent in only one direction.

[NOBLNG]

7 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

If you're using this for 'glass' why not try clear stencil sheet (acetate)? IMO, it looks much clearer than styrene and 'reads' like real glass. The only caveat is that you'll need to use some sort of epoxy to put it in, and it's better for flatter type glass as it likes to be bent in only one direction.

I never thought of that. I imagine an office supply store like Staples would carry it? That stuff is pretty thin I believe, so I may have a bit of a gap where it meets the dashboard. The windshield that came with this AMT '62 Corvette scales out to 2" thick in 1-1. I could use it but there is a gap on both sides where it does not mate up with the windshield frame.

[MrObsessive]

Greg, you may have to build up the dash a bit on the top pad to get it to mate up with the windshield. I have to do this from time to time where I don't want to use the kit glass (distortion) and yes, the stencil sheet is very thin. Roughly .005 to .010" thickness.

I get mine from the Arts and Crafts store. When asking for it, let them know you're looking for clear stencil sheet and not simply acetate. They'll look at you funny and won't know what that means.

Some of it comes in packs. Make sure it says 'clear' on the package and not the opaque kind. That's the foggy stuff that won't do any good.

Hope this helps!

[peteski]

I know that modelers generally call most clear plastic sheets "acetate", is it really acetate?  Acetate (actually Cellulose Acetate) was one of early thermoplastics, and I don't think that it is actually used much in our hobbies anymore.

Most clear plastic sheets are Polystyrene, PET, PETG, Acrylic (Plexiglas), or Polycarbonate (Lexan).  I Acetate?  Not so much.

[89AKurt]

15 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

Greg, you may have to build up the dash a bit on the top pad to get it to mate up with the windshield. I have to do this from time to time where I don't want to use the kit glass (distortion) and yes, the stencil sheet is very thin. Roughly .005 to .010" thickness.

I get mine from the Arts and Crafts store. When asking for it, let them know you're looking for clear stencil sheet and not simply acetate. They'll look at you funny and won't know what that means.

Some of it comes in packs. Make sure it says 'clear' on the package and not the opaque kind. That's the foggy stuff that won't do any good.

Hope this helps!

I asked for this at Michaels today, nothing without pretty scrapbook junk printed on it.

I ordered this Evergreen .015" the other day, got it yesterday and then saw this topic.  Yea, looks terrible, now I'm ticked off.  I will look in my stash, think there is just enough of something that is nicer, but I'll be lucky.

Bill:  This what you are talking about?
[...] Heavyweight .020” film is available in 12×12” packs of 4 sheets also in 8×8” and 12×12” packs 25 sheets. [...]
Grafix: Craft Plastic Film

[89AKurt]

Since I can't find it on the Hobby Lobby, and Michaels websites, I see this store carries it:

Jo-Ann 8"x8" .020 25 pack is $27.  

[MrObsessive]

That was it Kurt but it wasn't in that type package. Where I got mine you could buy it in single sheets and not in packs. It was something like 25¢ a sheet or in that range years ago. Make sure it's the 'stiff' type and not the super flexible stuff.

That'll curl up in years to come like a potato chip!

[89AKurt]

Thanks!

Wait a cotton picking minute!   Check this out, I'm eating these brownies, and noticed the package.

[MrObsessive]

That'll do......same stuff basically but more than likely PETG or Vivak.  

[89AKurt]

Thought I would take over this topic.    I am using another food package plastic, it's not as "dirty" from the vacuum-forming process, used a clean area to cut out the glass.  I also didn't want to risk gluing it in, and have it pop off after buttoning up, made aluminum retainers.

[Deuces]

Cool....☺️

[misterNNL]

I use .005" stuff from Hobby Lobby for scratch made window glass all the time with no problems. My adhesive of choice is Micro Krystal Kleer brushed in place. The brand name is Grafix and is called clear-lay film. My package contains four 8 1/2 x 11 sheets. The co website is grafixarts.com.  Made in Cleveland,,Oh.

[Oldcarfan27]

Anybody ever use those clear and colored clear report folders (the kind with the plastic channel for the spine that holds the papers together)? They can be found at Staples and Wally Mart and other stores that sell school supplies. They may even come in light blue and smoke tint if you look around.

[NOBLNG]

Now this stuff is clear! The original kit windshield is on the left. I was able to form it with a little heat from a hair dryer, and it kept it's shape. LePages superglue does not seem to cloud it and neither does MM liquid cement. My first try at forming the windshield doesn't quite conform to the frame, but for $5 a sheet, I can make a few attempts to get it right!

[Jon Cole]

I'm surprised people are using what I believe is petroleum based glues like MM cement. Get that on the clear window, and your window is trash. 
I prefer 2 part epoxy. Should any excess epoxy squeeze out around the edges, just wait for it to reach a semi-cured state, then use a toothpick to gently roll it up like it was rubber cement. 
Also try covering the open areas of your window with Post-It note, cut to shape. Both sides. If you get some glue on your finger, it's not the end of the world.
Greg, good tip on that .020 poly. Thanks.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Jon Cole

[Len Woodruff]

On 3/18/2019 at 1:01 PM, NOBLNG said:

Now this stuff is clear! The original kit windshield is on the left. I was able to form it with a little heat from a hair dryer, and it kept it's shape. LePages superglue does not seem to cloud it and neither does MM liquid cement. My first try at forming the windshield doesn't quite conform to the frame, but for $5 a sheet, I can make a few attempts to get it right!

Thanks Greg. What heat source did you use for this?  Did you just lay it across the kit windshield and hit it with the heat?

[NOBLNG]

27 minutes ago, Len Woodruff said:

Thanks Greg. What heat source did you use for this?  Did you just lay it across the kit windshield and hit it with the heat?

You're welcome! I used a hand held hair dryer and I bent it around the handle of my bench vise.

[Rosemary]

On 2/5/2019 at 10:50 PM, NOBLNG said:

It was .015" thickness, and there was no protective film on it. It did have the tissue paper between the sheets.

Have You or anyone else tried clear acrylic gift boxes? Amazon sells them in 50 packs flat (you fold them into cubes for gifts) Not too pricey for what You get.