Looks awesome,
So I think it is exactly what I was hoping for. If I tried to get it accepted by a committee, would you be willing to teach a class on how to use it? This would help my ability to get it accepted. Plus, I’m sure it has a quirk or two that you know better than the rest of us.
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yep not a problem, just lmk.
I’m sure it can be modified, like adding folding table legs or better ways to hold down the arylic, squaring it up etc.
I’ve also added a digital angle finder to it since its been been, if you do it right, there is no evidence heat was even applied.
The only real overhead on the tool is the monochrome wire, which i have a nice size roll of that i’ll toss is with the machine for maint purposes. I’m still on the first strand of wire, with constant use, i’m not sure of the life span of the heating element, easy to change out though.
What became of this tool?
I would like to be able to form 1/2-inch-thick sheets of acrylic into arches two or three inches across that could join together to form tight-fitting tubes. Would this machine be able to do this?
That machine is more for bending on an angle, not sure if there would be any way to fillet the bend.
Its still available nobody claimed it yet for their space. If your just trying to put bends in the acrylic it will do what you need. It jist softens the acrylic in a straight line, at that point you have a few secs to do what you need to it
Im coming to the space tomorrow for some cnc work…i can bring it and you can see if it works for what your trying to do…
Thanks. I’m afraid of that. I’m sure that bending plastic would be highly useful; lots of people are using plastic.
Thanks. I cannot be present tomorrow, but if you could leave it in the Science area with your name and contact info, I could look at it later.
Lmk when you will be there i can make a double trip
I won’t be able to get to the Space until Saturday.
Ok I’ll try to get up there on saturday
Man I like that. I’m not sure at the moment what I’d make with it but sure beats the ol heat gun & mold.
I reached out to @AlexRhodes 18 days ago about accepting a donation of the acrylic bender as a possible over lay for one of Allen’s inexpensive work tables. I still haven’t received a response from him. Either he is too busy or just ignoring the request.
@rablack97 I see that @Opcode (Richard) is definitely interested in the bender as well. Richard can accept the donation as the chair of the science committee. But, it will take support from others in the group to get it a useful spot in the workshop. I personally think it is useful especially as it seems to be a simple machine to operate and helpful to multiple committees such as wood shop, science, vector, machine shop, creative arts and especially laser. All these committees do projects that could incorporate bent acrylic.
Good luck with the donation.
Wood shop doesn’t want it. Please find another committee to accept. Sorry, one of those things where I told my self I would respond later, but forgot.
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I like the table overlay concept, reduces storage footprint significantly. Will it store in a folded position? What’s the smallest footprint it can make. Have a possible idea I’m playing with.
Pictures above just scroll up. ^^^^
That’s a good idea, but I can see some caution needed in it. Allen’s tables aren’t meant to be durable; they are meant to be cheap. They also get abused. People spill things on them. Lumps of dried glue stick to the tops, paint gets on them, people drill holes through their projects into them. Any table top is going to get damage pretty fast. I think it would be better for the bender to be in a drawer, or, at least, have a disposable, protective cover.
I agree with your assessment that the table top will be abused and beat up. What I found particularly nice about the acrylic bender design was everything is rebuild-able. So once half of the table is messed up, you cut a new piece of MDF and replace that half. in lesser instances the aluminum channel will get something burned into ti and may need to be replaced. But from the looks this would all be easily done and for very little cost in material.
At that point it seems like it is worth putting out in the open to be used and abused. Plus, constantly being setup means it is constantly visible to members to use. I’ve bent acrylic 4 or 5 times now, it is very intuitive and I believe most people can learn the process while only messing up one piece of acrylic.
The main concern I have about use is someone burning themselves. I would suggest any committee wanting to accept this bender find a way to cover the filament during cool down. Because filament like this can still be hot enough to burn even when not glowing. Alternative to covering the filament mark the table clearly stating “Caution Filament Can Be Hot Even If Not Glowing Red.”
Yep, it does have it’s dangers, but common sense will keep you safe, there is absolutely no reason anyone should be touching the filament before or after bending. We can add some signage on the tool to state what you have said above.
I think a quick class on the tool should alleviate any concerns for those that want to use it.
I’ll be happy to consider holding the bending table when I’m able to examine it.
Although bending acrylic would be useful, I really would like to be able to make a lot of other shapes than just angled bends. Do you suppose a bending table could be configured to make things like tubes?
Not this table, I dont think tube forming acrylic is even possible outside of manufactured extrusion.
This tool is specifically for angled bends.
Your looking for something that could heat an entire sheet of acrylic. If you want to be innovative. You might take this tool and expand it, maybe multiple aluminum channels that would heat smaller sections to enable you to roll the acrylic around a pvc pipe etc. Or maybe even a heating bed with heating elements that would uniformly soften an entire sheet.