Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi All !!

I want to put 2 windows in the front of my trailer. The front is round and leaning inwards so I will have to bend the acrylic windows a bit.
If you look at this picture where I have drawn on of the windows you will see what I mean.


The idea is to make two windows that looks like alien eyes in the front.
Have any of you got any advise on how to do it?

Best regards
Shane

Depends on the thickness of the plexiglas. 1/8 inch should bend enough to fit the curve I can see without any problem. 1/4 inch will be another story and will most likely require a form and an oven or other even heat source. There is a thread on here somewhere that goes into bending/forming plexiglas but I don't have it bookmarked. Try a search on bending or forming plexiglas and it should come up.

Great looking build!

Dave

Thanks Dave

If I need to heat it to bend it, then how do you do it? Will it work with some sort of hot air blower like a hairdryer?

I tried to search for the thread you mentioned but haven´t found it

Shane

Tried searching for it and couldn't find it using those terms either. There is mention made of bending polycarbonate and lexan in the Roswell thread at http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=26742&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=forming+windows&start=90 that mentions this link http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/how-bend-lexan-126467.html but that's not the one I remember. Will keep looking and post back when I find it.

Found it! Or the one I was thinking of anyway. Turns out it was about forming Lexan instead of Plexiglas. First link is the one I remembered which is about forming large HPV fairings. Hope this helps.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=29883&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45#536083

Dave

Yeah, I wouldn't mess with bending acrylic (Plex-Glass). I'd pay the few extra bucks (kroner) to get polycarbonate (Lexan, Hyzod).

Acrylic fractures very easily, polycarb is an excellent material to work with.

Shane wrote:Thanks Dave

If I need to heat it to bend it, then how do you do it? Will it work with some sort of hot air blower like a hairdryer?

I tried to search for the thread you mentioned but haven´t found it

Shane

Back when I was doing my student teaching we used a standard kitchen oven. 150 degrees seems to stick in my mind. We would heat the plastic throw it into a mold and shoot compressed air into it and form bowls. Worked great.

Thank you All

Polycarbonate looks like the way to go.


Shane

Search the web for HPV (human powered vehicles) and diy canopy, or diy windscreen. There is a lot of information on how to make canopys and form plastic. BTW, you could make some little bubbles to go over it , or keep them flat – either one.