Acrylic Sheet Heat Forming

At this point the pliable polycarbonate sheet is lowered onto the mold.

Acrylic sheet heat forming.

You can see my other artwork at http. Set up plastic or acrylic sheet in a simple bending jig. Wear gloves as you do this to avoid burning your hands. For thicker sheets it will take longer and for thinner sheets it will take less time.

Work on a smooth glass surface as the heated plastic won t stick to glass. Modify the timing as necessary. Preparing hot air gun w. It has tiny vacuum holes to facilitate the vacuum pump which sucks out the air between the mold and the sheet.

The process is straightforward. Just heat the sheets above 150 degrees f for 2 3 minutes until they turn from translucent to clear using a heat gun. These gases are potentially explosive if allowed to collect in an unventilated area. The rest of the sheet is heated largely by conduction.

Be sure that the marked line is above the heating element. Since plexiglas acrylic sheet is an excellent insulator the surface exposed to the heater may overheat before the rest of the sheet is hot enough for forming. To set up your plastic or acrylic sheet to bend simple curves for your miniature and model projects you need to first remove the protective covering from the material you wish to bend. Ideal for perspex acrylic plexiglass polycarbonate.

Use long thin 1 inch or so in width test strips to practice your technique and learn how your particular heat source affects your chosen thickness of plastic. This article uses a sheet about 1 4 thick so all times are about 10 to 15 minutes per step. Most kitchen ovens do not have accurate temperature control. Set the sheet of acrylic across the rests on the strip heater and turn it on.

And because air is not forcibly circulated in a standard kitchen oven the fumes will accumulate. Acrylic sheet is opaque to most wavelengths in the infrared spectrum the surface exposed to the heater absorbs almost all the energy. Lower molecular weight acrylic forms more easily and with great detail but is more sensitive to differential heating. Once soft mold them into any shape you desire.

The only major variable that can affect the forming process is the thickness of the plastic sheet. This is one way i heat form acrylic glass. Upon cooling they will be strong and permanent. I have used this technique for years with sizes up to 16 inches in diameter.

Acrylic sheets give off highly flammable fumes when decomposed overheating. Tutorial for how to. Higher molecular weight acrylic has better heat strength during forming but is more difficult to form due to its higher melt strength and elastic memory. Turn the sheet of acrylic over on the heating element every 30 60 seconds in order to avoid damaging it.

When they come into contact with the heat source there is likely to be an explosion.