Heat Shaping Acrylic Sheets

The rate of radiant heat input can be decreased but that would result in a longer heating cycle.

Heat shaping acrylic sheets.

Acrylic oven baking sheet aluminum foil timer felt for handling the acrylic and to prevent scratches tools for forming tools for forming may include. Plexiglass or acrylic sheet this system works well for small pieces of plexiglass in thicknesses of up to 1 8 inch. Preparing hot air gun w. For instance the smallest complete circle you could form with a sheet of plexiglass 1 32 inch thick would have a radius of 5 6 inches.

Heat create melt our plastic sheets with heat gun 150f and mold to any shape you like by using your hands or using tools. Over bend the sheet slightly to prevent memory and then let the sheet relax back into the form. Tutorial for how to. It comes in both transparent and colored options and can be machined laser cut or heated and bent into almost any shape.

A mold any object shape you can press the acrylic into to give it shape mallet and or a peen for shaping caution i ve only tried this in an electric oven. Acrylic is a wonderful plastic that can be used for all sorts of different projects. I can t recommend for. Bending shaping plastic with hot air gun heat gun.

Modify the timing as necessary. Attempting to create a smaller radius would snap the sheet. Ideal for perspex acrylic plexiglass polycarbonate. Note that the minimum radius of the bend you create is 180 times the thickness of the plexiglass sheet.

Hold the sheet in position for a few minutes allowing it to cool and re harden. 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. This phenomenon is relatively common in thicker sheet. Cut out different shapes from the sheet.

This article uses a sheet about 1 4 thick so all times are about 10 to 15 minutes per step. Force the plexiglass into the desired shape. The only major variable that can affect the forming process is the thickness of the plastic sheet. Continue to direct the heat jet back and forth along the bend line until the acrylic sheet fits into the form at the correct angle.

Strong reusable our sheets can be re melted again and again so you can build reshape and add to your work as often as needed.