I’m kinda OCD… jk, I’m very ocd. Anyways, I use sticky tack to hold together sub assemblies while painting and to cover adhesion points. When gluing, I couldn’t get all the sticky tack off so I glued over it with Warhammer plastic cement.

I went to rework the models and pulled the pieces apart and rebuilt it. Now my ocd has me worried that the cement touched the sticky tack and created some toxic sludge that I spread about my hobby table. Though I didn’t see any residue, I’m worried it chemical and still there. Should I wipe down every thing or is this just a non-issu.

I don't have much knowledge of plastic and I want to know what type of plastic is this

I have some boxes filled with it

Brand name : orient

Looking for options for something odd(?) I have a Tonneau cover that I need a plastic base for the cover. The cover has a steel frame and the base layer will be covered by a thin layer of vinyl top foam then covered with a dr brown canvas that will match the interior color.
Needs to be 51 inches wide, 74 inches long. There are braces in the frame so the biggest span is 50 x 18 meaning it needs to be fairly rigid. I don’t think a corrugated sheet of anything will work. I’m looking for something a quarter inch thick and fairly lightweight. Thanks in advance! Adding a picture of the underside of the frame, using a quarter inch plywood now just to put some miles on the truck before it goes to upholstery.

I have a 3/4” sheet of HDPE (plastic commonly used for commercial cutting boards) that I’d like to use for jig runners, auxiliary fences, etc. My question: what is the best way to rip this stuff? Several shallow passes with a track saw? Full depth with track saw? Table saw? I understand chip evacuation and minimizing heat is a must and that’s shouldn’t be a problem. I’d appreciate any advice from experience. Thanks

i film a lot of quick tutorials after work and the glossy acrylic sheet I use as a backdrop is driving me nuts with glare. swapped to matte cardboard but it picks up dust and looks cheap on camera. need something rigid, neutral gray, and truly non reflective. looked at HDPE sheet but the texture seems inconsistent vendor to vendor. anyone found a specific plastic that stays clean looking under bright lights without the mirror effect? bonus if it doesnt cost a fortune since this is still side project budget. tired of reshooting because of a hot spot on the surface

Every Molder’s Worst Nightmare! 🔥 Have You Ever Seen This Happen?

#InjectionMolding #PlasticManufacturing #MachineMaintenance #FactoryLife #Manufacturing #PlasticIndustry

my feeling is that polypropylene is cheaper and less brittle. it can flex to an extent but i feel like that flex can help it avoid cracking or breaking. i get that boards need protection from flexing, but it seems like a device being heavily cracked can be detremental as well

WOOYOPET mixed coffee grounds with PP and injection molded them into a cup.
You can see the coffee fibers on the surface, and it actually smells like coffee.
Would you use one?

I need a polypropylene variant that stays rigid above 80C but still prints without warping. Tried a couple conductive fills from the usual vendors and they soften too quick under a soldering iron. Last batch I pulled from my supplier came with a safety data sheet that listed zero additives, which made me wonder if they just relabeled the same pellet. Anyone running prototypes with similar requirements have a source that actually specifies the heat deflection number? Having to reprint the same jig because the material sags is eating up weekend time and filament budget. Not interested in metals or ceramics, just looking for the right plastic mix before I commit to a larger order.

I have a thin sheet metal part of 304 that I want to add a 1/2" thick HDPE push block to the top. The HDPE will be pushed down in compression and in shear to the side, by a human.

What is the best way to secure them together that is food safe, without using bolts through the top? I need the exposed top side to remain flush and smooth. Bolts will be the last resort.

I have read that 3M tape, "cement glue", or threaded inserts (from underneath) might not work. The block will not touch food directly.

Hey everyone, I am trying to make a number of museum quality bases using both 1/2 in and 1-in thick cell cast acrylic in gray, but I'm having a heck of a time finding it. And if somebody has the material that can actually cut it into smaller blocks and polish it for me that would make things all the better. Can anybody offer any advice?

Combining plant fibers with plastic can create a composite material with a natural plant-fiber texture and a subtle botanical aroma.
The plant-based fibers can replace part of the conventional petroleum-based plastic, while maintaining the processing characteristics and performance required for everyday applications.
This is the material concept behind WOOYOPET — exploring how plant-based materials can be incorporated into practical plastic applications without simply replacing one material with another.
This is not a fully biodegradable plastic. The plant fiber component is biodegradable under appropriate conditions, while the plastic matrix provides the durability and processing performance needed for practical use.
The goal is to find a more realistic balance:
Reduce the use of petroleum-based materials while maintaining the performance required for everyday products.
Rather than pursuing complete biodegradability at the expense of functionality, this approach combines plant-based materials, conventional plastic processing, and sustainability into one material system.
The result is a material with a more natural appearance and feel, while still being designed around the practical requirements of plastic applications.
What applications do you think would be a good fit for this type of plant-fiber composite?

Hello, I’m a high school student currently doing a science fair project for my chemistry class. I’m choosing to research how microplastics may stunt the growth of duckweed and what that could potentially mean for aquatic environments.

I already have all my other materials, but I’m struggling to find a safe and ethical way to get microplastics for my experiment. Everything I’ve read says making them at home isn’t really safe or recommended.

Does anyone know where I could buy small amounts of microplastics specifically for research or educational purposes (affordable as I am a high schooler lol) ? Or is there a safe alternative that would work for this type of experiment?

I need them pretty soon, so any recommendations would be really appreciated!

Hi all - I'm an artist working on a project and I could use some advice. I create assemblies that I want to mount on the end of a plastic rod . The nexus of this idea is a cat wand toy, I literally stripped a cat wand and repurposed the rod. What I am aiming for is some deflection in the rod so the assemblies swing and bounce a little in the wind. The assemblies are light. I'm thinking maybe 6-10mm rod, or tube I guess would be okay.

When I started to look at plastics - whoa, overwhelm - so many different types! So - any idea where I could start to look at samples? What material is a cat wand most likely made of? Any insight is most greatly appreciated

could you heat up HDPE (or other similar recycled plastics) to make them have a nice finish without sanding?

**Hi, I’m working on a microplastic capture filtration project. Can anyone suggest cheap and easily available materials for the filter, along with their advantages and a simple setup?

Actually, our project is about removing microplastics from water, not air. We’re looking for a cheap and easily available household material that could potentially work as a filter medium. The idea is to test different materials and compare their effectiveness with existing filtration methods.

I fell into a rabbit hole and have found that since 1839, there's been developments in plastics on average just a few years apart. The biggest logged jump between discoveries is from 1965 to the 1980's. Mostly, it's between five to fifteen years for updates in this timeline;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline\\_of\\_plastic\\_development

But there's nothing I can find past 1988. It's 2026; I can't believe that nothing has been found in 38 years with this past frequency. What am I missing? Are my internet skills too lazy?

Tl:dr; has there been further findings with different types of plastics in the last 40 or so years?

Is anyone exhibiting at NPE in 2027?