Quote from Midland Plastics (just down the road) was $128 for a 4/8 sheet ofr polycarbonate. Yikes! I don't think that's gunna fly.

I think we need to find an expanded steel sheet. They look like they have diamonds punched in them, but infact are sheard in an alternating pattern and then stretched. This results in a peice of sheet metal that is light and you can see through it.

im not sure just how cheap it is, but maybe you should try some lexan, and mold it into a loop.