[sdiy] plexiglass panels for modular?

[Echophazer at aol.com]

Very interesting topic. As part of an apprenticeship program my workplace is 
sending me to school. One of my classes is a machine tool technology course. 
Todays project was to mill out a features on a piece of Plexiglas. 
Lessons learned today:
Too much pressure = crack
Speed too fast = melted plastic (holes get bigger than planned)
To fast/too much pressure = at first it can take it but as plastic gets 
thinner it breaks easier. BB through glass window effect on drilled hole.
Go nearing with anything harder than a cotton ball = scratch

Next week I'm going to have to make it over.

I was thinking of making the side panels for my modular out of lexan for a 
while but now that I see how easy this stuff scratches I'm going to go in 
another direction. It would have looked cool... I was going to hand paint the 
inside of a clear panel for a cool 'looking through glass' effect. I just 
don't see this stuff as being worth the trouble and amount of work I was 
willing to put into it now.

All the best,
Peter