I just had a heart attack

[Craig]

Rang a glass place today to get a price on a sheet of glass for my cocktail cab. They want $235 for toughend and $265 for laminated glass! That's Australian dollars.
Anyone else having people charge high prices for glass?

I think I will go to my local hardware shop and get a sheet of acrylic.

[Wyluli]

Holy cow man!  Pick up a used window at a rummage sale and cut it up.
Seriously though, have you checked the local hardware stores?

[Scott84]

How much is plexiglass?

[SirPeale]

You definitely have to shop around.

Case in point: I was looking for business cards a few years ago, and was calling all the local print shops.

The general prices was from ~$20 - $40 for 1,000 raised print cards.

With the exception of one place.  Called them, she said that they'd have to get back to me on a quote.

They called the next day, and quoted me $100.  I asked if they were gilded, and she of course said no, and asked why.  When I said that her quote was about $60 more than anyone else had, she said "well, I guess you won't be using us then, huh."  You got that right, lady!

[spongebue]

I bought a sheet of plexiglass at the Home Depot, and used a laser cutter at school.  Total cost? about $8 

[Quarters]

Glass is the way to go for a cocktail. Tempered glass is best. Like Peale said shop around. I got quotes ranging from $160 to $300 CDN for my custom cocktail glass.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,27612.0.html

add about 5% for AU dollars. Expensive yes but well worth it.  Any polymer product will scratch.

[quadmasta]

Any polymer product will scratch.

I'd not be that general.  I'd say that any polyresin will scratch ie: lexan, plexiglass, fiberglass, carbon fiber top coat.  Glass is your friend.  Don't use wingow glass.  I'd be willing to bet that most windows in Australia are UV tinted because of the amount of radiaton you guys get and besides that point it's not thick enough.