bending acrylic

[hackman72]

what would be used to heat acrylic enough to bend it without burning/scalding it? I want to make something that will hang inside the tank or sump

 

[hackman72]

dawgdude;398071 wrote: Heat gun from HD or Lowes. It takes a while, just keep the heat gun moving and heat it slowly and evenly. Keep the heat gun a good ways away and be patient.

something like an 800 deg. paint stripping heat gun? I'm not overly familiar with what I'll be looking for.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

That's the one. Make sure to wear a good pair of leather gloves too. Acrylic holds heat for a very long time and will burn on contact. If you're heating acrylic tube and want to bend it say in an elbow fashion...fill it with sand to keep it from collapsing.

 

[ckwatson]

I have done it with a plumbers torch. You do have to be careful or it will bubble. If you keep the torch moving and don't touch the flame to the acrylic you should be fine.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

I've used a plumber's torch as well with a good deal of success. ckwatson is absolutely correct in you have to keep it moving otherwise it WILL bubble on you. The real trick here is to take the torch away soon enough because the acrylic will in fact generate heat after the flame is gone and then you'll see the bubbles begin. Be ready to cool it off but not to quickly or you risk cracking it.

 

[hackman72]

thanks for the input. I think I'll stop at lowes and get a sheet and make a few dry runs at it before trying to actually go through the trouble of measure, cut, mess up the bend and get mad...lol. Thanks again

 

[acroholic]

I've bent PVC pipe before by carefully warming it over the flame from a gas stove burner.

 

[reeferj]

+1 on the gas stove for pvc

 

[chymos45]

Another handy tool with a tad bit more control than a plumbers torch is a kitchen torch (from William Sonoma or some such kitchen store). Same concept, but smaller scale and easier to handle/get into smaller spaces.

 

[zavala83]

A heat bar would be sufficient! I have one here at the shop. It heats evenly and all the way accross the peice... It is what is made for.