Acrylic Adhesive

[ravix]

I went to Home Depot today to ask this question, and naturally, didn't get a very helpful answer.

 

My next mod is going to use 1/4" acrylic sheets. I haven't worked with acrylic much, but I will need to do two things:

 

1.) bend the acrylic

2.) glue pieces of acrylic together

 

How should I bend the acrylic? I am thinking that a hair dryer may produce enough heat to very gently bend it a little at a time..

 

What should I use to glue to acrylic together? It needs to be airtite. Basically, I want the two ajoined pieces to be like one solid chunk.

[FunkyMonkey]

there are special acrylic benders

it's like a plastic heat strip

 

for gluing weld-on 40 is very good

[k1e1v1i1n]

u wont b doing to much with a hair dryer

[FunkyMonkey]

hairdryers dont work

go to a glass supply store and ask for a acrylic heat gun

those things go up to 400C so wear some gloves

[kobalt]

Even with heat gun you'll need to be very careful, you can easily make the acrylic bubble and ruin your piece, do several passes at a respectable height if you dont see results go down a bit and dont stay on the same spot always go from one end to the next, till your acrylic gets hot enough to bend, and i,d ecommend to have a mold under, so the warmed piece will have something to form to, if it's rounded use a metal, or tin sheet that you have previously rolled to desired size etc. and heat your acrylic on it till it molds the tin mold.

you know what i mean <_< loll

[ravix]

Thanks. How much do heat guns usually run? Or do some stores let you use them onsite?

[FunkyMonkey]

check homedepot first they let you rent the tools

but their no much like $30

[Kamikaze_Badger]

You can just bake it in the oven(on a damp towel) at 350 F. Not sure how long... keep a VERY close eye on it.

[kobalt]

I did (and will do the next mod) with a blow torch, those blue propane tanks that you use for plumbing very cheap but they shoot out a whole lot of heat, be careful if you choose that way as i said plexi bubbles quickly

Edited December 29, 2004 by kobalt

[jonnoyeo111]

As Kamikaze_Badger said dump it into an oven at the highest temperature for say abt. 10min..... get some gloves and pick it up, if it's all bendy and flexible it's ready to be bent. You obviously bend it out of the oven . Concerning glueing it....at school we use a two based glue....the two chemicals are seperated at first but you have to mix it to make the glue. If you want to be adventurous get an adhesive called tensol.... it's based on chloroform which can make you unconcious so wear lotsa gloves and stick it together in a well ventialted place.

 

Note: I am not held responsible for any harm or injury concerning the use of tensol ......