Laser cut face shields -- material source needed

Ideas & Suggestions
1

Protohaven has a design for a laser cuttable face shield from PETG sheet here: https://www.protohaven.org/proto-shield/

This is getting good reviews, and Nathan at MSU says they are wanted. I’ve been playing with the design to figure out how much material we’ll need.

There are two different thicknesses called fo: 0.060" for the headband, and 0.020" for the visor. Our laser cutter dimensions are 700mm x 500mm.

For the visor, we can only get 4 on the bed at once. A 500mm x 500mm (20in x 20in). This is the 0.020" thickness.

For the band, 10 copies will fit on a 420mm x 600mm (16 5/8" x 24"). Or 12 copies on a 420mm x 700mm (16 5/8" x 27 5/8") This is the 0.060" thickness.

If anyone else wants to look at the design and figure something out, please do.

Now we need to find some material. I’m willing to put some money into this. This material isn’t the cheapest thing, but it’s not exorbitant.

2

Here’s the layouts I came up with:

Bands:

protohaven band layout
protohaven band layout2477×1393 654 KB

Visors:

Protohaven visor layout
Protohaven visor layout2579×1450 146 KB

3

What was the original thickness needed? I just realized I can source through McMaster Carr at MSU…we’ll, with permission which I am pretty sure we’ll get.

4

For this design? The Protohaven plan calls for 0.060" for the band, and 0.020" for the visor. Let me know what size McMaster Carr can supply (I think it comes up to 4ft by 8ft) and I’ll figure out what proportions we need.

5

1/16” is 32 bucks for 48” x 48”. Not too bad.

6

Do they have 0.020"?

7

I’m sure. In the morning I’ll get some of both. As is tradition, the elastic is proving hard. Even amazon lists it as “face shield elastic”.

8

We’ve got a bag of elastic hair ties, which look like cloth covered rubber bands. Two knotted together might work in a pinch.

9

MSU Stores is meeting today to see about how they can help support our efforts. I’ll be in touch when I know more from them.

10

I called around. Piedmont Plastics in Grand Rapids is sold out of all thin PETG. Six to Ten weeks before they get any more in. They did have Impact resistant acrylic but didn’t have a price. Did some research and IR Acrylic is cast and will crack at the edges under tension unless tempered. So not ideal.

Alro Steel told me they’re out of all clear sheet plastics. He said they sold a couple of hundred thousand sheets in the past week.

Yeesh.

11

How about large clear pop bottles? Might be workable? I think it is wonderful thing to see everyone working together to help out in this time of need. I have a brother who is an ER doctor and I see how appreciative he is when the community gets behind the medical community!

Keep the ideas going!

I stole this idea from 10 cloverfield lane BTW

12

If we can find suitable material to buy, I will definitely like to make a donation to help cover the cost.

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13

MSU is buying some material, and will give some to us.

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