Full Version: Bending Plexiglass
is there a way to heat up plexiglass and mold it to fit a curved surface ?
Yes and no. If you have the right tools, of course, you can do anything. If I were you, and you really want to do this, test it on a small, cheap piece of plexi. You can probably get a 1x1ft. piece for a few bucks.
Maybe you could attach it to a sawhorse with a vice, and use a heatgun (like for stripping paint). I'd try waving it over the area you want to bend, with a little pressure on the side not attached to the sawhorse. It'd probably be easier with two people doing it...
Just an idea.
Maybe you could attach it to a sawhorse with a vice, and use a heatgun (like for stripping paint). I'd try waving it over the area you want to bend, with a little pressure on the side not attached to the sawhorse. It'd probably be easier with two people doing it...
Just an idea.
I realize this is kind of... late, but if you want to bend plexi, there are several things you should know.
First off, you want 'cast' plexi, not extruded. I was told that the best way to tell is that cast plexi will have a brown/nontransparent covering on it, while extruded plexi will have a clear film covering. The reason for this is that when the sheets are made, cast plexi is forced into a mold as a liquid, and then allowed to cool, whereas extruded is, as the name implies, heated and stretched into the appropriate size/thickness. When this is done, all of the chemical 'chains' that make of the plexi are alligned in one direction, making it much less durable, and the ability to bend in it one direction or the other much less.
That, of course, only applies if you're going to be doing any extreme bends, or anything that is load bearing (ie, if you're making a full tower out of plexi, you probably want to stay away from extruded plexi).
As for bending it, yes, a heat gun works pretty well, especially if you're looking to do curves and the like. If you have access to a band-saw, you can make 'molds', curves and the like, then heat the plexi, and press it in between the two pieces of wood until it cools (like 20 seconds).
If you're trying to do corners easily, there's a tool that is essentially a long box with a crack running down the middle of it, inside of which there is a recessed heat wire (think hanging florescent light with only one bulb running right down the center of the enclose, and without the plastic covering). You put your plex on top, turn it on, and wait a while. The heat wire in the box heats the plexi locally - right where you're going to make the bend. When it's hot, you bend it over the corner of a table, or whatnot.
Okay, that was very in-depth. Hopefully, it helps someone...
First off, you want 'cast' plexi, not extruded. I was told that the best way to tell is that cast plexi will have a brown/nontransparent covering on it, while extruded plexi will have a clear film covering. The reason for this is that when the sheets are made, cast plexi is forced into a mold as a liquid, and then allowed to cool, whereas extruded is, as the name implies, heated and stretched into the appropriate size/thickness. When this is done, all of the chemical 'chains' that make of the plexi are alligned in one direction, making it much less durable, and the ability to bend in it one direction or the other much less.
That, of course, only applies if you're going to be doing any extreme bends, or anything that is load bearing (ie, if you're making a full tower out of plexi, you probably want to stay away from extruded plexi).
As for bending it, yes, a heat gun works pretty well, especially if you're looking to do curves and the like. If you have access to a band-saw, you can make 'molds', curves and the like, then heat the plexi, and press it in between the two pieces of wood until it cools (like 20 seconds).
If you're trying to do corners easily, there's a tool that is essentially a long box with a crack running down the middle of it, inside of which there is a recessed heat wire (think hanging florescent light with only one bulb running right down the center of the enclose, and without the plastic covering). You put your plex on top, turn it on, and wait a while. The heat wire in the box heats the plexi locally - right where you're going to make the bend. When it's hot, you bend it over the corner of a table, or whatnot.
Okay, that was very in-depth. Hopefully, it helps someone...
well that deffinatly helped however it was very late instead of putting a window in the top of my curved monitor like i origonaly planned i bought a 17" LCD 
Psywar put his in the oven for a while, then bent it.
That works on a budget. The only thing to note is that using the oven method, you end up heating the whole sheet, and if you're trying to bend a specific spot, the probablity of the rest of the sheet getting bent is relatively high. Also, if you leave it in too long, or don't support it somehow, it's going to gain indents from the oven grill due to its own weight.
That's everything I know about Plexi. I'm tapped out. Sorry about it not being of much use - I just joined this forum.
That's everything I know about Plexi. I'm tapped out. Sorry about it not being of much use - I just joined this forum.
That twisted mods project seemed to produce a severe cooling problem within the monitor, it needs those holes to breathe. I wouldn't ever do it.
QUOTE (d3bruts1d @ Jan 8 2003, 08:47 PM)
Psywar put his in the oven for a while, then bent it.
the oven works pretty well, heat it for a while at 250ºf, over a shape/mold (wood works best).
keep an eye on it if it starts to bend it's plenty hot (just before it bends is best, take a little practice) take it out WEAR HEAVY gloves, hot plex hurts!!
press it around the mold and let it cool
If your just doing a straight line try a heat gun
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