P1000 HDPE PLASTIC

[rubyred16]

Can anyone who has bought hdpe plastic tell me where and how much. I would like to make a roof and and some skid plates.

 

[Dirtstiffs-1000]

Buy one from this Sites' Supporting Vendors or

Look for a Multi Craft Plastics Co. Facility,
close to you. They sell bulk or one off's and will custom cut for very little. If you can score a template and then order would be ideal. Prices will vary based on thickness, qty and account status. Some box stores carry it too.
I'd also suggest using UHMW(skids), rather than HDPE(roof).
Difference between HDPE and UHMW

Good luck

 

[Gator]

Buy one from this Sites' Supporting Vendors or

Look for a Multi Craft Plastics Co. Facility,
close to you. They sell bulk or one off's and will custom cut for very little. If you can score a template and then order would be ideal. Prices will vary based on thickness, qty and account status. Some box stores carry it too.
I'd also suggest using UHMW(skids), rather than HDPE(roof).
Difference between HDPE and UHMW

Good luck

I don't see how that sight can claim "low cost". I've had to buy it for some jobs and it was always expensive.

 

[rubyred16]

Buy one from this Sites' Supporting Vendors or

Look for a Multi Craft Plastics Co. Facility,
close to you. They sell bulk or one off's and will custom cut for very little. If you can score a template and then order would be ideal. Prices will vary based on thickness, qty and account status. Some box stores carry it too.
I'd also suggest using UHMW(skids), rather than HDPE(roof).
Difference between HDPE and UHMW

Good luck

big help thank you!

 

[Dirtstiffs-1000]

I don't see how that sight can claim "low cost". I've had to buy it for some jobs and it was always expensive.

Agree, everything is out of control expensive, now.
I just bought some UHMW 4'x10' for my Pioneer project through Multi Craft plastics and was only affordable only being able to run through my company account.

 

[Heinecke2]

I bought a couple sheets of 4'x8' hdpe at 3/8" thick for $95 per sheet in spring from Menards. Had to wait 6wks for it to ship to local store.

 

[ToddACimer]

I bought .100 ($19.99/ 2x3' sheet) and .25" HDPE ($83/ 4x8 sheet) for my wife's roof and doors at Menards. The roof and doors aren't prone to impacts so HDPE was a good choice. For skid plates I'd recommend UHMW. I made my own Pioneer skid plate from 3/8" UHMW that I bought from Ideal plastic ($350 4x8 sheet with 1 cut 32"x8' and 16"x8')

Wildcat doors and roof

Wildcat build

Todd's Wildcat Build

So the Pioneer has been very good to us for 4.5 years but my wife has the itch to drive and having a second machine gives us some more opportunity to venture off on our own with the boys. I've been researching alternatives for several months but more seriously since the first of the year...

hondasxs.com

Skid plate build for Pioneer

P1000 - Flat Belly Build

I've been looking at aftermarket skid plates and decided the prices were a bit higher than I really wanted to pay especially for something I could probably build myself. I took some preliminary measurements and ordered a 4x8' sheet of 3/8" UHMW. I had the supplier cut the sheet into 2 pieces...

hondasxs.com

Actual build thread

P1000 - Todd's 2018 Build

It begins again. Picked up a 2018 Pioneer 1000-5. Here's a few photos at the dealer. I have a couple parts at home to install and the build should go fairly quick. In the end I'll have a pretty capable family trail machine. Current list of parts to install: FOX SHOCKS 28" Quadboss...

hondasxs.com

 

[Bones]

Agree with hdpe for top and umhw for bottom. Don't know where you live but some big suppliers I have used are SABIC Polymer shapes, Cope Plastics, Regal Plastics and Laird. I'm in the St Louis area and all of the places mentioned have facilities there. I'd also look at McMaster Carr. I have a file for the skid plate if you need it. Send to any one of these places (except McMaster) and they can cut it on a cnc router.

 

[rubyred16]

Agree with hdpe for top and umhw for bottom. Don't know where you live but some big suppliers I have used are SABIC Polymer shapes, Cope Plastics, Regal Plastics and Laird. I'm in the St Louis area and all of the places mentioned have facilities there. I'd also look at McMaster Carr. I have a file for the skid plate if you need it. Send to any one of these places (except McMaster) and they can cut it on a cnc router.

I'm near stl and thanks for the tips. I did look at menards thanks to the suggestions from others and my local store does have in stock the hdpe for the roof! I will look at those places for the skid plates thank you.

 

[rubyred16]

Agree with hdpe for top and umhw for bottom. Don't know where you live but some big suppliers I have used are SABIC Polymer shapes, Cope Plastics, Regal Plastics and Laird. I'm in the St Louis area and all of the places mentioned have facilities there. I'd also look at McMaster Carr. I have a file for the skid plate if you need it. Send to any one of these places (except McMaster) and they can cut it on a cnc router.

oh and yeah if you wanna send the file for the skid I will gladly take it.

 

[Heinecke2]

I know this isn't a popular opinion but I made 2 sets of full belly skid plates (one for me, one for brother) from the 3/8" HDPE I mentioned above. Both sets holding up well (no damage I could discern last time I dropped my skid). We mostly drag over down trees and clay creek edges. Not rock crawling.

 

[rubyred16]

I know this isn't a popular opinion but I made 2 sets of full belly skid plates (one for me, one for brother) from the 3/8" HDPE I mentioned above. Both sets holding up well (no damage I could discern last time I dropped my skid). We mostly drag over down trees and clay creek edges. Not rock crawling.

That is what I do with mine light trail and land work good to know thank you.

 

[Farmer]

A tip...just for a minute..... HDPE expands and contracts with temperature so be sure to use oversize fastening holes so that it can move freely without warping.

 

[bumperm]

A tip...just for a minute..... HDPE expands and contracts with temperature so be sure to use oversize fastening holes so that it can move freely without warping.

In that regard, UHMW has an even higher thermal coefficient of expansion. From Comparision

in/in/°Fx10-5

D696

7.0

11.1

 

[Prntckt]

I bought .100 ($19.99/ 2x3' sheet) and .25" HDPE ($83/ 4x8 sheet) for my wife's roof and doors at Menards. The roof and doors aren't prone to impacts so HDPE was a good choice. For skid plates I'd recommend UHMW. I made my own Pioneer skid plate from 3/8" UHMW that I bought from Ideal plastic ($350 4x8 sheet with 1 cut 32"x8' and 16"x8')

Wildcat doors and roof
View attachment 309862
Wildcat build

Todd's Wildcat Build

So the Pioneer has been very good to us for 4.5 years but my wife has the itch to drive and having a second machine gives us some more opportunity to venture off on our own with the boys. I've been researching alternatives for several months but more seriously since the first of the year...

hondasxs.com

Skid plate build for Pioneer

P1000 - Flat Belly Build

I've been looking at aftermarket skid plates and decided the prices were a bit higher than I really wanted to pay especially for something I could probably build myself. I took some preliminary measurements and ordered a 4x8' sheet of 3/8" UHMW. I had the supplier cut the sheet into 2 pieces...

hondasxs.com

Actual build thread

P1000 - Todd's 2018 Build

It begins again. Picked up a 2018 Pioneer 1000-5. Here's a few photos at the dealer. I have a couple parts at home to install and the build should go fairly quick. In the end I'll have a pretty capable family trail machine. Current list of parts to install: FOX SHOCKS 28" Quadboss...

hondasxs.com

Todd, how did you bend the HDPE and the UHMW?

 

[Dirtstiffs-1000]

Heat gun

 

[Heinecke2]

I made some relief cuts about half of the sheet thickness and about 2 saw blades widths. Works but if I had a heat gun I'd have gone that route.

 

[Keebler]

I know this isn't a popular opinion but I made 2 sets of full belly skid plates (one for me, one for brother) from the 3/8" HDPE I mentioned above. Both sets holding up well (no damage I could discern last time I dropped my skid). We mostly drag over down trees and clay creek edges. Not rock crawling.

I also used 3/8" HDPE for a full skid plate for my P500. I laid the 2 front parts of the stock 3 part skid plate on a 4' x 8' piece of HDPE that I bought at Menards and created a one piece skid plate that goes under the stock front 2 pieces (between the stock skid plates and bottom of the P500). The HDPE skid plate was extended to the outside of the side tubes and zip tied onto the side tubes. The original bolts were replaces with a 3/8" longer bolt and the original skid plate (plastic up front and metal in the middle) holds the HDPE skid plate in place. The rear section was just doubled up. I rode the 320 mile Rim Rocker trail with this configuration and did slide over a few rock selves and have numerous rocks shoot from the tires into the skid plate with no damage except a few shallow scrapes. One thing I did find out is that I need to create a couple inner fender well protectors pieces because the front tires did shot several rocks into the firewall and between the skid plate and floor. One other note, putting on the skid plate(s) takes a bit longer and requires me to start in the front and work my way back with the help of a floor jack. I used a solder iron to score a notch for the bend around the fuel tank, then a heat gun to make the bend. So far it has worked good and cost less than $100.

 

[bumperm]

I've done a fair amount of UHMW bending with a heat gun. You almost can't damage it, as when it "melts" it doesn't flow like most other plastics. At about 265 F it starts to turn clear (at least the white stuff does, I haven't worked with black or the non-virgin stuff). When it does that it's fairly easy to bend, but you have to hold it in the desired position until it cools, as plastic memory has it wanting to go back. You can use compressed air or a light water spray to speed the cooling process up. If it's thick, it'll cool on the outside first and still want to spring back, so maintaining position is important.

 

[ToddACimer]

Todd, how did you bend the HDPE and the UHMW?

I used a torch and various clamps and wood or steel stock. Heat along the bend line until it appears wet and then bend into shape and hold until it cools