Help needed on bending acrylic windows

[Shane]

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

[depatty]

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

[Shane]

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

[depatty]

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.

[depatty]

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

[chorizon]

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.

[ssrjim]

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.

[Shane]

Thank you All

Polycarbonate looks like the way to go.


Shane

[kennyrayandersen]

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.