bending acrylic...anyone done it?

[speakeraddict]

Has anyone in the group bent acrylic before?

I need to bend a 6" radius in a piece of 1/4" acrylic.

I can build a semi-circle jig, but don't have a way of heating it that I can think of.

Any input would be helpful.

speakeraddict

 

[fishfeeder]

use a propane torch...you can find them at ACE for about $15 or even wal-mart carries them. Just heat lightly!!!

 

[chinaman4u]

I use my electric stove, turn on a burner and heat the plastic. But if you heat to fast it will bubble.

 

[JimW]

How large is the piece you are bending? Heat gun (liked used for paint removing) is a very controllable source of heat if the piece isn't too large.

 

[Tomoko Schum]

8Ball made two beautiful hexagonal sumps good enough for display tanks. He uses a heat strip which obviously does a beautiful job. I use my heat gun to bend acrylic strips, but I have to be very careful not to let the acrylic bubble up underneath the surface. If an acrylic plate is thick, it takes a long time to heat it evenly hot. My heat gun shuts down for awhile (very annoying) when I work with a thick acrylic strip.

Tomoko

 

[speakeraddict]

The piece is going to be 1/4" thick and 16" wide and be a semi circle bend with a 6" radius.

The actual piece the bend is going in is 96" long so the heat source will have to be moveable.

IOW looking at it from the top it will look like a big U

Yes, this is going to be a bullnose end on a penninsula tank. The top and bottom will be easy enough. Just glue on an oversize piece then flush trim to fit. The whole thing will be made out of one 4 x 8 sheet of acrylic.

I actually thought about building a semi circle jig covered with carpet, clamping the sheet to one side of it and slowly heating it with a heat gun and clamping around the jig as it softens, that way it can be done gradually enough not to have a huge heater or risk bubbling the piece.

I will try this on a smaller scale and post pics....if it works!

speakeraddict

 

[8BALL_99]

lol Tys for the compliment Tomoko. And your right I used a heating element made for bending Acrylic.. I use it for larger peices. But its only 3/4 wide so it only heats up an area large enough to do an angle.

It would be tough to do. You would need to Build a solid jig for the bend. You would probably have to use a tourch for this kind of bend. The problem is to get a curve you would have to heat up a large area. Once the acrylic gets to the right tempiture it will be very easy to bend. You have to heat it up enough to the point where it bends without any force.. If you dont heat it up enough and force the bend it will cause stress cracks in the acrylic that ill make it weak and ofcourse look bad. The other problem is that when acrylic is heated up and bent it distorts it. I would for sure practice on smaller peices. Heating it to the point it bends without burning it or causing bubbles it tough. It takes some practice. GL

Will

 

[speakeraddict]

OK, nevermind!

Standard 55 it is!

HAHA!

I just had the idea and thought I might be able to pull it off.

speakeraddict

 

[Icepic]

i have an acrylic sheet bender ,, if any one want to travel to montgomery to use it there more than welcome to do so

 

[speakeraddict]

Really? That would be incredible.

I will pm you and we can work something out.

speakeraddict