Plexiglass razor rack and microscope stand

A while back, I built a plexiglass razor rack:

Attachment 168019

The shelves are held up by ledges epoxied to the sides:

Attachment 168020

The digital microscope I use for looking at edges while honing razors has a nice sturdy stand, but the stand is too narrow to slide razors across it comfortably. So I built a plexiglass platform to go over the stand:

Attachment 168021

The materials used in both projects were (1) sheets of plexiglass, (2) a jig saw, and (3) epoxy. For the razor rack, I also used some Velcro. At the back of the platform there are plexiglass ledges on which to prop the handles of the razors.

Attachment 168022

Propping the handles gives better focus and less light glare on the blade. I used Velcro to attach the ledges because I thought some razors might do better without the ledges. In practice, though, I never have not used the ledges. So if I were to do it again, I'd just epoxy the ledges in place. Occasionally, I need even more height than the ledges offer, so I have a stack of plexiglass rectangles glued together to form a prop higher than the ledges. I slide them up against the ledges and prop the razor handle on them.

Joe

Looks great, I like the razor house

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Originally Posted by Mark1065

Looks great, I like the razor house

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Thanks. The razor socks are from Jarrod at The Superior Shave. Silicone and oil, they protect razors from moisture. Good item (especially if you live in a humid climate), but they are oily, leave an oily residue on whatever they touch, so the plexiglass is a good material to use for them. One could also use wood with a finish, but it's nice to be able to see the razors through the plexiglass. Wood would be a little easier to work with, perhaps. Could use small screws. With the plexiglass, the most difficult part was holding the sides and bottom in place while the epoxy dried.

Joe

Very nice and creative use of the plexiglass.

Nice work. There is a solvent that works as a glue for plexiglas - it may be acetone. It's been a while, so I forgot the specifics. It works much faster than epoxy. Thanks for posting - I need something like that for my 'scope.

See, thats how you mount those usb scopes. Theres a few many threads about this. But carrolljc posted a pic. Look and learn. Do I spy an old calculator in the background?? Wait that might be a remote. Its by the printer and speaker. Is that a toaster oven?? jk.

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Originally Posted by HaiKarate

Do I spy an old calculator in the background??

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The old calculator is on the other side of the desk. That to the left in this picture is an old phone. I might have been the last person in St. Louis to stop using a rotary dial phone. Now I'm pushing to become the last person to use a land line, and not to own a cell.

Joe

I use an old vintage slide rule.

Here it is...

Attachment 168192

These thins work great!

For joining the ends, Acetone or Methylene Chloride - both act as a solvent-cement - work well. The edges have to be dead-on for the acetone as it is so thin - the methylene chloride is a little thicker but the edges still need to be quite accurate.

Methylene Ethyl Ketone (MEK) also works, but is even nastier than the Methylene chloride.

Anything cyanoacrylate-based (superglues) tends to stain and frost the surface if it touches it, and out-gassing from it also hazes acrylic.

I have used these at the University of the South Bank on a plastics course.

Super idea on the usb scope stand - well done!

Regards,
Neil

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Originally Posted by Neil Miller

Acetone or Methylene Chloride - both act as a solvent-cement. Methylene Ethyl Ketone (MEK) also works, but is even nastier than the Methylene chloride.

I have used these at the University of the South Bank on a plastics course.

Regards,
Neil

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Thanks! I'll try Acetone. Pretty powerful stuff. It melted a plastic ruler I used it on. I was trying to get rid of some stains. The stains did disappear, along with the ruler.

Joe

Iva washed my hands with acitone after chopping pine trees all day. It ruined my towels. Cheap crud from walmart.

I have better luck with Methylene Chloride for gluing plexiglass. I apply it using a glass syringe and about a 20 gauge needle. Sometimes I have to scuff the gluing surfaces with some 1000 grit sandpaper a little bit to get a stronger hold. The MC or Acetone will dissolve it back clear though.

Has anyone tried PVC pipe cement?

PVC cement contains Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), acetone, and PVC resin.
The PVC resin will turn plexiglass (acrylic) white.
I haven't ever tried it on polycarbonate though.
MEK by itself or with acetone will work pretty good, but MEK is known to cause cancer so use at your own risk.

If you want a truly good plexiglass cement take shavings or scrap chunks of plexiglass, put it a jar with acetone overnight to melt it down. Stir it up and you are ready to go. If it starts to dry out, just add more acetone.

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Originally Posted by criswilson10

If you want a truly good plexiglass cement take shavings or scrap chunks of plexiglass, put it a jar with acetone overnight to melt it down. Stir it up and you are ready to go. If it starts to dry out, just add more acetone.

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How fast does it set up? More or less instantly?

Joe

It depends on the amount of acetone. But with a model glue type viscosity typically it will stick immediately and have about 30 seconds of working time. About a minute later it will be stuck really good. It's permanently stuck in about 5 minutes.
Sometimes I have to come back with MeCl in a syringe and smooth up the joints where glue didn't flow correctly.

And if you get any on your skin, get it off immediately with acetone. Once it dries it will take the skin with it when you pull it off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by criswilson10

Sometimes I have to come back with MeCl in a syringe and smooth up the joints where glue didn't flow correctly.

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Just out of curiosity, what sorts of things do you build with it?

Joe

I use plexiglass as mock up material before I have designs milled in expensive metals. It's my last chance to realize that I left a screw hole out or goofed up a measurement.
I've also been known to build the occasional jig, box, whatnot, etc. with it.

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Originally Posted by criswilson10

I use plexiglass as mock up material before I have designs milled in expensive metals. It's my last chance to realize that I left a screw hole out or goofed up a measurement.
I've also been known to build the occasional jig, box, whatnot, etc. with it.

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Again, just curiosity: what designs do you have milled in expensive metals?

Joe

Usually one off stuff or short runs for biomedical research at universities. Lots of medical grade titanium 64 and CP, cobalt chrome , and 316L stainless steel; occasionally copper, platinum, and aluminum. Since they have to milled under medical device guidelines, a tiny mistake on my part gets expensive very quickly. So I always test with something cheap before sending the design off to be milled professionally.
The easiest thing I've built was a set of tools to be used under a microscope for a guy who had lost his index finger.
The hardest thing I've built was picoliter pump that could sit on the tip of your pinky finger.
And there have been a lot of fixture devices, specialty fasteners, and just oddball stuff that they need for just a one time test.

Edit: I should probably say that this stuff is for cell and tissue research. Nothing that actually goes into a living human or animal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by criswilson10

Usually one off stuff or short runs for biomedical research at universities. Lots of medical grade titanium 64 and CP, cobalt chrome , and 316L stainless steel; occasionally copper, platinum, and aluminum. Since they have to milled under medical device guidelines, a tiny mistake on my part gets expensive very quickly. So I always test with something cheap before sending the design off to be milled professionally.
The easiest thing I've built was a set of tools to be used under a microscope for a guy who had lost his index finger.
The hardest thing I've built was picoliter pump that could sit on the tip of your pinky finger.
And there have been a lot of fixture devices, specialty fasteners, and just oddball stuff that they need for just a one time test.

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Sounds like satisfying work. Constant challenges to ingenuity, inventiveness. Interesting materials, too.

Joe

According to my wife, I like to do tedious things. That is probably why I am enjoying the SR journey.