Perspex Problems

[Taipan]

Hi just wanted to find out if anyone else has had this problem with the Perspex plate on the front of their casefeeder mine has completely cracked and fallen to bits (and no I did not hit it with a hammer )

My press is only about 8 months old and when I first noticed there were cracks forming I rang Dillon and asked to have a replacement sent out to me which they did so when the original fell apart to the point that it could not be repaired I would not have to wait for it to be shipped.

Well on Thursday the Perspex funnel did fall apart I replaced it with the new one but guess what it to is now showing hair line cracks in the funnel area

I also have a 650 and it is at least three years old and has not got any cracks in its Perspex case plate.

When I replaced the Perspex funnel plate I went out of my way to make sure I did not overtighten any thing just nipped it up nothing more.

Has anyone else had this happen to them ?

[noylj]

Polymethylmethacrylate and its copolymers will crack from physically being over-stressed or exposure to chemicals or exposure to ozone or exposure to UV. The parts may even be poorly molded and have excess stress molded in such that they are sensitive to any impact (even vibration).

Do you have a mercury vapor or sodium vapor light? If it real close to a fluorescent light?

Do you have electrical equipment operating in the area?

Do you use aerosol sprays in the area?

Does the area get very hot? Above certain temperatures, the polymer will stress crack from exposure to environmental agents that it is inert to at lower temperatures.

I can say that mine have never had any problems and, in general, the material isn't sensitive to a normal reloading environment.