Some experience but it's been a while. I'm in a bit of a hurry, I'll try to help a little here. There are various types/styles of plastics. Thermoplastics can be heated (to soften them), then pulled/pushed into the desired shape, and let cool so they set. Usually a big pricey Vacuum/Steam press or the like is used to heat and "convince" them to move - you need a mold, either positive or negative. Some can just be "hot glue gun" welded (The standard "hot glue gun" sticks are a quite common plastic, you can form a case with a hot mold and a hot glue gun & LOTS of glue sticks, or better yet a larger melter <G>) Some plastics are dissolved with solvents (like PVC plumbing pipe.) Some are glued, instead (Lexan? I think.) Fiberglass could make a pretty nice case, if you can form a negative mold, someone with a "chopper gun" could then spray this with gelcoat and then later with fiberglass, you trim and finish it, should be fairly cheap. You could also lay down gel-coat, then brush resin in there and add a few more layers of glass cloth and get a fairly strong, thin case, stronger than with a chopper gun, just not as quick! And a lot messier; You have to work to remove bubbles etc.; I've made canoes with others' help, in the garage, that way, it's a bit of work but the results are *strong* (We'd have lost a chopper gun canoe in one mess-up we hit, it would have crushed, not bounced, off a rock in the Skycomish river here. Did mess up the gel coat!) A positive mold, for those not "in the know", is a plug that'll fit the inside of your desired box; A negative mold, would fit outside the box, you then brush your box's body inside the mold. (You DO get a good, "perfect" outside the box with this method, which was why I mentioned it; If finish is a "Not Care", you coulduse a positive mold, it's faster to work with, but the end gelcoat is uglier and so on.) Hmmm, could you just Fiberglass over that metal case? <G> Cheapest is to find a case that's already existing, of course; I've seen a few cases made of PC board material, even, with wood corners for rounding. Pretty good EMI on those <G> If you can find a local plastics and/or fiberglass shop, and talk to the workers there, they should be able to help you figure out how to do what you want to do, learn about the way you plan to go first, though. Mark Jeremiah T. Isaacs wrote: > > so, I am about to venture into the world of custom plastics and dont have > a clue. I just know that for my case I need a plastic shell. (it will be > an outer plastic shell on top of an inner metal case for the boards and > drive) > > if anyone has gone down this path, has any resources they could point me > at, 'twould be appreciated. > > -- >
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