Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Acrylic Molds

["Dan H." <JMachine@adelphia.net>]

Doc,

I made a bend like that one time, but the plexi wasn't that thick.   Mine
was only quarter inch.

I did the bend by laying the Plexiglas flat down with the bend line hanging
off the end of the work bench.  I ran a horizontal steel rod a few inches
under the sheet and hooked the ends of the rod to a welder on really low
amperage.  The rod got hot and heated the Plexiglas directly above it in a
straight line.  It got pliable above the hot rod. Be sure to keep the height
of the rod even and don't work in a draft.  It has to heat evenly to bend
evenly.  With your thick stuff you may want to make shields on each side of
the heat rod so you don't heat two wide of an area if you want a tight
radius bend.

Hope this helps,  Dan H.


----- Original Message -----
From: <DJACKSON99@aol.com>
To: <personal_submersibles@psubs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 11:11 PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Acrylic Molds


> Doc
>
> I need to bend a 35 degree turn in a 1 inch thick sheet of Acrylic that is
4 feet by 4 feet. I found a couple of helpful web sites (below) but I'd
really like to see a photo and description of your oven.
>
> http://www.chemcastacrylic.com/technical/techinfo.htm
>
http://www.bayplastics.co.uk/product%20guide/Altuglas-guidenavbar/prod-altug
lass-tech(bending).htm
>
> Please keep it online.
>
> Thanks
> Doug
>
> >Mark;
> > I've done considerable research and testing on different ways to form
> > acrylic in the barn, from gravity to blow molding to drape forming of
> > up to 1 inch thick over a male fiberglass mold. For blow molding or
> > gravity forming, you can coat your separation points (ring) with a
> > layer of epoxy resin or gelcoat and a thin coat of car wax. You can
> > build a 4'X8' forming oven out of plywood or chip board, aluminum foil
> > , a piece of 1/4" plate glass and a propane barbecue!
> >
> >Doc
>
>