How To Bend Acrylic Sheet

Mark the location of the fold on the.

How to bend acrylic sheet.

After removing the acrylic from the strip heater bend it in accordance with your desired shape. Gather the materials that you need in order to bend a piece of acrylic with a strip heater. If the area to bend is on an outer curve or bend or if you want to create a tighter corner try using a frying pan on low heat to hold the plastic area to bend. Cut down the sheet of acrylic to the size or shape.

Once heated it will bend easily. Leave the acrylic in a cool dry area for several minutes to cool. Heat source small projects with bends that are close together will need upon heat source which can be easily aimed at small areas. Never place the acrylic sheet on a grid but on a flat heat resistant plate or tray.

The reason this works is because acrylic plastic actually melts at 405 f. I baked it at 180 celsius 350 f for about 12min. Once it is at the required angle use a bending fixture to hold the sheeting in place. Calculate the dimensions of your craft or enclosure if necessary.

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. Place the part of the acrylic to be bent just above the open door wait for it to soften enough and then bend it to the angle desired. In the case of a sharp edged design remember to bend it with the cut edge on the outside. Bending acrylic with a strip heater 1.

When the set temperature is reached 160 degrees celsius let the acrylic lie for 4 to 5 minutes thinner sheet thicknesses up to 5 millimetres are more bend ready. Fyi tonight i oven bent 10mm acrylic. I was only putting in a simple bend so i used wood blocks cut at the angle i needed one for each side of the acrylic plus the cool metal bench to press against. 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.

If you don t have a toaster oven you can carefully use a heat gun to heat the acrylic. Place the acrylic in the oven during preheating and allow it to heat gradually.