Mysterious plastic

[sp1nm0nkey]

I picked up this clear rod of plastic from the scrap yard. When I saw it with a hacksaw or machine it, it smells somewhat sour and gets warm pretty quick. It takes a lovely polish with steel wool... but I just got to thinking that it could be releasing some toxic gas as I'm cutting and heating it, so I just wanted to check in and ask if there's any clear plastic that I should worry about cutting and how I'd identify it.

[djr76]

Sounds like you have acrylic.

Call these guys, they will help you identify and supply you with a MSDS sheet.

AIN Plastics Divisional Headquarters :
1750 E. Heights Drive
Madison Heights, MI 48071
Telephone: (248) 356-4000
Fax (248) 356-4745

[Geof]

Very likely acrylic. Is your sour smell a bit biting? If you really get a lot of the fumes your eyes will sting.

Not the kind of exposure you want for many hours a day but a brief wiff of it will not hurt. It is something like the solvent glues that have the warning about using in an enclosed space; make sure you have good ventilation.

It is not something that is likely to make you go toes up straight away. But some plastics when heated can be very toxic; be careful with what you pick up at scrap yards.