Bending acrylic

[Maurice55]

I did it years ago to make a new hatch for my caravan, but then the stuff I used was a lot thinner and it was a much smaller hatch all together.
Now we are talking about 800mm square and 10 or 12mm acrylic so I need to be a bit more carefull.
Has anybody got any experience with this king of job, if I keep the design I've got in mind, I just need one bend bang in the middle wich shouldn't be too difficult, what do you think ?




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[snowleopard]

the accepted way is application of heat. a gas ring under a frame to give the right bend. i very much doubt you'd get an even enough heat distribution to soften such a thick piece but if you're determined to try the key will be slow and even heat to allow it to penetrate fully.

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[johnneale]

I bend thick acrilic into a shallow windscreen by first making a rough mould, then pouring boiling water onto pressure pads (plastic bags filled with sand). It was slow, but didnt burn or blemish the acrilic.. It would be better if you could use a hotter boiling liquid (say cooking oil) - worth experimenting with

Cheers
PS have sent you a personal message - please reply

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[pvb]

I've had success with an electric hot air gun, as used for paint stripping. I sandwiched the acrylic between 2 pieces of plywood and clamped the whole thing in a Workmate, so that the position of the bend was just outside the plywood. Then ran the hot air gun rapidly along the bend line, from side to side, so that the hot air was only hitting a small area of the acrylic. Then gentle pressure will bend it along the line of the plywood.

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[Avocet]

I heated some up in a domestic oven that I'd extended with some heat shileding so I could use it with the door open to fit a bigger piece in. It was good for getting a nice even temperature through the whole section. At 12mm thick I think you'll have to "soak" it for ages to get the temperature even right through. If it gets a couple of degrees too high, tiny bubbles start to appear within the Perspex.

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[johna]

Not sure the degree of bend you are looking for but when I made a large 900mm square hatch I laminated two 6mm thick sheets by screwing on to shaped formers that were part of the finished hatch. To maintain the straight edge I fitted brass channels that acted a slides for the hatch. If this is helpful I could send a diagram.
Johna

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[Maurice55]

The heat gun seems a good one as there is no way(unfortunately) I could find an oven big enough.
I can "sandwich" the sheet between two pieces of plywood either side of the bend, leaving a strip just wide enough and use the gun to warm it up slowly untill soft enough and hopefully without the dreaded bubbles.A few trials on some off cuts should help .
Thanks for the help, every body.
Maurice.

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