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Acrylic tube bending... why are my bends are turning hazy?


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I'm laying out my watercooling loop using some petg clear tubing. I'm making good bends but all my bends are a hazy milky white color after. Why is this? I'm sure once the coolant is in you won't see it but I've been trying to correct this issue. Thanks in advance.

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Edited by hove131

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I'm free handing the bends as I've seen many do without issue. I am using the insert core though. I keep the tubing a good distance while spinning it the whole time.

Edited by hove131

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Are you air cooling tubing after bending with a fan,.. or dipping in cold water,.. I got the same cloudy haze cooling too quickly when dipping in cool water,.. cooling slowly is better.

 

Also I noticed the cloudy haze when I bent tubing before it was hot enough,.. I got good results heating for a bit longer till acrylic is molten hot and vary soft easy to bend.

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from experience it looks like its not getting hot enough before bending. are you using heat resistant gloves? I did a couple practice with the same tube and if i didn't let it get hot enough it would end up looking like that. also cooling down to fast can cause some problems also. best of luck.

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It is a bit stiff when I'm bending it. And I am also running it under the sink to cool it. I'm just afraid to get it too hot. I hold it above the heat gun for a good little while until it starts to sag down on its own. Should I keep heating it for awhile after this point? I'm not wearing any gloves to do this. I'm thinking it may be from me cooling it too quick. I see guys on the l net cooling theirs in ice water after with it being just fine. I just used the kitchen sink.

Edited by hove131

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Yes you will need gloves,.. if tubing is a little stiff when bending it will haze,.. try heating it a bit longer,.. do not cool by running water or dipping in water,.. let air cool slowly or use a fan.   :thumbsup:

Edited by Braegnok

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I'll get some more tubing and heat it longer and fan cool it. Do you use low or high settings on hear gun? And about how long do you heat yours before making a bend? Thanks for the help everyone.

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I use high heat setting,.. and keep moving tubing by twisting/turning around while also going back and forth,.. for apx. 2 min per bend.

 

You want the acrylic to be molten hot,.. but no air bubbles forming that's too hot,.. it takes some practice to do the clear tubing. 

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I'll just send you my mock up pieces to use as a template for my finished pieces ;) lol. I'll keep at it. I'm thinking I had it a shy bit cold and quenching it under water didn't help. I think I should be good to go now. Now I just have to wait for more tubing to cone in.....sigh

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