At what temperature does plexiglass become pliable?

[cirthix]

i need to bend a 1/4th inch thick piece, any tips? what temp do i set the oven?

 

[mchammer]

This is ATOT, does it look like "place to come for all those looking for the best way to bend plexiglass" ?

 

[mchammer]

Is this for case modding, you're going to use a reqular oven?

 

[mchammer]

Text

 

[cirthix]

not so mcuh modding as making... piece will look like this, but larger. ignore periods. regular electric oven (no gas where i live)
..._______________
..|...........................\_____________
.._
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......\

 

[JinLien]

i need to bend a 1/4th inch thick piece, any tips? what temp do i set the oven?

Use a strip heater.

During my schooling I use to set the forming vacuum kiln to 280F, at higher temperature I have slumping and pooling problems.

PolyCast Acrylic -- Material of a thousand uses. -- 275-360F

 

[Xionide]

http://www.sdplastics.com/polycast.html

 

[Lvis]

It can be worked with a heat gun.

 

[cirthix]

Originally posted by: Lvis
It can be worked with a heat gun.

i'm thinking maybe a modified hair dryer... piece is 13.75" wide along the bend, or soon to be bend. think its enough heat? i'm not sure... maybe on high with low fan lol

 

[Lvis]

Originally posted by: cirthix

Originally posted by: Lvis
It can be worked with a heat gun.

i'm thinking maybe a modified hair dryer... piece is 13.75" wide along the bend, or soon to be bend. think its enough heat? i'm not sure... maybe on high with low fan lol

I work in a boatyard. We make the wind screens for our boats out of plexi, and bend the ends with heat guns. I doubt anyone there knows the temp that we do it at. We use fairly decent guns that the heat can be adjusted on. If you start at a low temp and work your way up you should be fine.

 

[mercanucaribe]

I've tried a lighter.. Didn't work. I've tried a mini butane torch (Radioshack soldering iron with a torch tip) and it worked great. You move it up and down the bend axis, and eventually it gets soft.

 

[cirthix]

cool! i'll be doing this during the wekend sometime

 

[Eli]

A heatgun would work infinitely better than a modified hair dryer. Trust me. Especially if it's a good one that is variable(The cheap ones can only do 2 temps).

I had been using a modified hair dryer for heatshrink for a long time, until I got a heat gun.

No comparison. Hair dryers just can't get that hot... which is probably a good thing.

 

[cirthix]

Originally posted by: Eli
A heatgun would work infinitely better than a modified hair dryer. Trust me. Especially if it's a good one that is variable(The cheap ones can only do 2 temps).

I had been using a modified hair dryer for heatshrink for a long time, until I got a heat gun.

No comparison. Hair dryers just can't get that hot... which is probably a good thing.

haha, the image that popped into my head with a 300 degree hair dryer LOL...


you've got a point hahaha. maybe if i decrease the amount of airflow, it will reach the needed temperature range.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: cirthix


you've got a point hahaha. maybe if i decrease the amount of airflow, it will reach the needed temperature range.

Decreasing the airflow too much WILL cause the mica support assembly for the nichrome coils to overheat to the point of opening the microtemp overheat protection device rendering your hair dryer useless. Solution? Jump the bitch out and you'll get some real heat but do be gentle as most housings cannot take long duty cycles at high temps and it just may melt down completely or turn into a 15A plasma torch. The latter most definitely applies to those with Federal Pacific CB's that absolutely refuse to trip. Well until your wires start smoking.