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Cutting & bending 2mm acrylic sheet; Any advice?
Topic Started: May 25 2018, 08:22 AM (128 Views)
jvenables
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Hawk
[ * ]
I picked up a sheet of 2mm clear acrylic last week, primarily for a household application, but I have at least one modelling use in mind too.

For the household job (a weather shield for a security camera) I need to cut a strip of about 20cm wide and 30cm long, then put a gentle 90 degree curve/bend in one end while maintaining full clarity.

Has anyone here had any experience cutting & bending this stuff who could advise the best way of doing both tasks whilst keeping it neat and without crazing the plastic?

I am guessing gentle application of heat from a heat gun (the type used for paint stripping) would be the best thing to soften the acrylic to do the bend. Unfortunately, my heat gun is 8000 km away, in storage in Australia and I have never even seen one here in Laos. Would a hair drier produce enough heat?

Any advice out there?
James from Brisbane, Australia
Now living in Laos

Nil illegitimi carborundum
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walrus
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Porco
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Not tried bending, but have found that scoring with a rescribing tool until you can flex the halves as with plastic card was the easiest way to cut the stuff.
@20x30cm it should be easy enough to get a good snap of the halves

Hope that makes sense

I doubt a hairdryer would work tbh
Paul from Birmingham, UK
Now living in Barnsley.
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Mark Schynert
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Yeast
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From the Web, looks like you need a temp of 275°F to 325°F to bend or form acrylic sheet.
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woody
Hero
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A hairdryer will probably not produce enough heat. What about holding it over a burner on the stove? Obviously you don't want to get to close to the burner. Electric would be less hassle than gas but either would work. Expect to need a couple of tries to get it right.
Cheers,
Woody
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