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Acrylic Podiums- the Issues
Here you can see one of out acrylic podiums at mock up stage.
It still has the paper over the plastic, so you cant see that it would have been clear. This pulpit would have been light enough, but it was nowhere near strong enough. It also has a very small top -only 50cm (20")wide (great for an extremely minimalist pastor, but not for most pastors). It also had a triangular structure which helped with strength, but the triangle at the base was too small- making it very unstable.
Another issue with acrylic podiums is that it is a relatively brittle material. This is fine when joints are well supported (like where the arc stem and top are joined), however on this lectern you may be able to see a many holes and joints. Without proper dampening (by using rubber for example), cracks may form around joints as the lectern is accidentally hit or jarred.
This is even worse if glue is used. Glue may be a great way to join a lip onto the top of a pulpit ( for a book or papers to sit on), however it is not good if the entire structure of acrylic podiums are dependent on glue. Glue manufacturers may claim that the joint is stronger than the material itself, however our experience with acrylic joints (even using the strongest adhesive) does not line up with this. Over time they become very brittle and easy to break.
What about polycarbonate? you may ask. Polycarbonate (PC) is a clear plastic that is extremely strong, in fact bullet proof windows are generally made from it. However, amazingly despite being potentially bulletproof, this material scratches very easily. Compared to acrylic podiums, such lectern would get very badly scratched in a very short amount of time.
Reflection is another issue with acrylic podiums (click to find more about reflection on the FAQ page). They can often have the same effect as a mirror when it comes to stage lighting. While it might look great in regular lighting, under stage lighting it can act like a disco mirror ball. We have talked to a pastor who had to put sheets of cardboard all over the pulpit to stop the reflections. Another covered his completely with a cloth.
Having said all this, if you have a situation where:
1. Your acrylic podiums are going to stay in one position and not be moved.
2. your stage lighting is carefully placed so that you do not get unwanted reflections behind the preacher or to the sides of the preacher.
...then they could be the right choice for your church.