Acrylic - heat bending methods

[Coffeeinbed]

Hi,


What's are the ways to bend acrylic (up to 1/4")? I've seen the 2' and 4' heaters from Tap Plastics. Is there another way? Just curious.


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I'm buying some gear to do basic Acrylic construction.

Currently have - 12" Drill press

Am purchasing - Table saw (10" Dewalt portable), variable speed 1/2" router with plunger option, cheap router table,60 degree drill bits,80 tooth Diablo blade, and maybe a cheap 10" tabletop jig saw. All loud equipment has to be taken outside to operate (noise) so thus the Dewalt.

General suggestions welcomed....

 

[perkint]

Make your own with some nichrome and a few wooden planks. Check youtube for guides

Tim

 

[bricksheethouse]

build the shape you want out of ply-wood, place acrylic on top of mold begin heating (best in a large furnace) slowly to reach the glass-transition temp of acrylic, let it slowly cool! or it will be structurally garbage. When you heat a material, you allow motion of the internal microstructure, if this micro structure doesn't have time to realign itself you can create an amorphous nightmare that will have varying structural properties throughout it.

 

[SaltyWalter]

I use a heat gun and have made some nice bends. Took a couple attempts to stop getting distorted areas near the bends but now I have the tecnique down. All on small bends however, nothing over a foot long.

For longer bends I have used an oven and a mold like mentioned above, however only use cabinate grade finiched plywood as I have noticed if its not smooth enough the grain will sometimes show slightly in the acrylic. I also have used pices of glass and tin as molds.

 

[Laardvark]

build the shape you want out of ply-wood, place acrylic on top of mold begin heating (best in a large furnace)...

I have no practical experience with this, but have read several sources that say heating acrylic produces explosive fumes which could be quite dangerous in a kitchen oven.

 

[Fishyoga]

I have no practical experience with this, but have read several sources that say heating acrylic produces explosive fumes which could be quite dangerous in a kitchen oven.

You don't want to melt it, just soften it. That will happen below the temperature necessary to volatile off-gassing. Get the plastic warm to the point of being able to form it into shape, not so hot that it fills the shape on its own.