bending acrylic/plastic at home

nerf · Post by **nerf** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:24 pm

hi, I'm wanting to bend sheet acrylic (3mm thick) at home for making jewellery, is there any inexpensive way of heating it up without using a line bender? or any fancy machinery?
any comments or help would be greatly appreciated!
thanks, Rosie

bredred · Post by **bredred** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 1:40 pm

We replaced a 10mm thick piece of acrylic that was cut and then shaped to replace a broken one for a pillar drill guard. We bent a steel plate 90 degrees then clamped one end of the acrylic to the steel. We then placed the steel / acrylic into the oven at as low a temperature as we could until the acrylic was able to soften and form around the steel plate - once its soft like that, you can assist it with your hands (using suitable gloves). Can't remember the temperature, but i'd be inclined to start around 140 degrees and work up from there. It's a bit of trial and error.

The oven we used was an industrial oven, but thats not really of any relevance.

Post by **ultimatehandyman** » Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:06 pm

Sorry Rosie,

I missed this post and only noticed it when bredred replied

You can try a heat gun-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUTNcQlHiho

Stoday · Post by **Stoday** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 12:52 am

If it fits in the oven, you can heat it until it goes floppy. If you heat it too fast you can get bubbles forming.

I've found it very much more difficult to use a heat gun.