Acrylic help?
- Thread starter smprior
- Start date
Not sure what you mean by "cheap" but look up plastic distributors in your city and shop around... There is a pretty wide range of prices depending on product. Or you can have it shipped to you, depending on how much you're needing. For cutting acylic, best to use a table saw w/ a fine finish blade (60-80 teeth with 0 rake). A router or jointer will help with edge prep for welding acrylic together. As for bending you will need a heat element to heat the materials so you can bend it to a desired shape, and then allow it to cool. If you can be more specific in your project, I can help further.
I once ran into a company that offereted me a two inch thick four foot tall by eight foot wide sheet for $1300
I found some 4'x8'x1/2" sheets on Craigslist for $200.00ea.
Some company had leftover sheets from some project.
Its easy to cut not so easy to bend the way you want it. I know TruVu developed there own method heating copper tubes to get precise bends. I think I heard people using a propane torch but I'd practice on some scrap pieces first.
Some company had leftover sheets from some project.
Its easy to cut not so easy to bend the way you want it. I know TruVu developed there own method heating copper tubes to get precise bends. I think I heard people using a propane torch but I'd practice on some scrap pieces first.
I just looked up how to bend plexi on youtube. There quite a few vids on it.joey02;5012868; said:
After watching a few of them it looks quite easy if you setup a heating tool. There vids showing you how to make a heating tool easily.
Here's the strip heater I use... Works great, any heating tool will work but if you get it too hot it will blister and difficult to heat your material in a straight line.
http://www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/..._Code=DPI&Category_Code=Plastic_Strip_Heaters
Score and snap works for thin acrylic, but not sure what it is useful for... As a baffle it's too thin and will bow. To be welded to other acrylic, the break is not clean and square making it difficult to do. Anything thick enough to be useful needs to be cut IMO and I'm a nano tank keeper.
http://www.delviesplastics.com/mm5/..._Code=DPI&Category_Code=Plastic_Strip_Heaters
Score and snap works for thin acrylic, but not sure what it is useful for... As a baffle it's too thin and will bow. To be welded to other acrylic, the break is not clean and square making it difficult to do. Anything thick enough to be useful needs to be cut IMO and I'm a nano tank keeper.
The scoring and snapping of the acrylic works for several things. It actually works for ever thing you mentioned that it doesn't calvin415.
As a baffle... 6mm works perfect. I use them currently.
To be welded to other acrylic, that works too. You simply have to prepare the edges like you would have to no matter how you cut it.
The method i posted, is simply the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to do it. While not the best, it still works. Especially if you dont have the proper tools at your disposal.
I have a "Bending Acrylic" video being posted on my channel as well soon.. using the torch method.
As a baffle... 6mm works perfect. I use them currently.
To be welded to other acrylic, that works too. You simply have to prepare the edges like you would have to no matter how you cut it.
The method i posted, is simply the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to do it. While not the best, it still works. Especially if you dont have the proper tools at your disposal.
I have a "Bending Acrylic" video being posted on my channel as well soon.. using the torch method.