Vacuum Form - What is the thickest acrylic for it to form around a mold?

Hi,

I’m unfamiliar with this tool so I don’t know if my question is weird? I need to bend a piece of acrylic around an object. Can 1/4" acrylic work? Or worst case 1/8" ??

I looked on the Wiki but didn’t find any insight there.

Thanks so much!

I’ll try to ask Capt later. He’s not on Talk and I’m down the hall. You might google the machine we’ve got and see if the manual gives any clues.

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It did.

Based on the model number listed on the wiki, the manufacturer’s spec sheet says max thickness is 6mm (i.e., nearly 1/4").

I updated the wiki to link to the spec sheet.

EDIT:

Thank you for looking on the wiki! Sorry it wasn’t there, but the fact that people actually look at it makes doing it worthwhile.

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That sounds a bit sketchy if you ask me. @Chris_Wischkowsky, didn’t you attempt to use some thicker with subpar results? I seem to remember that but I could be completely wrong.

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What sort of “bend” are you wanting to do?

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Not exactly this but Something like this

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It should work for that. The heater should soften the acrylic enough. You don’t really need the vacuum even, though it would hold the acrylic in place as it cools.

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I tried doing it by hand. It didn’t go so well. I’m hoping I can salvage it. It’s all crooked.

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I bet there are plastics places around town that have acrylic bending machines that might better suit your needs. If you had a one-off need as opposed to mass production, that might be a better way to go. Flat pieces can be superglued on to the bent ones as needed.

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We have an acrylic bender.

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We do? Other than the vacuum form???

I need to find it. Where is it? I tried doing it by hand with a torch… It isn’t uniform so I need to find a better way.

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In the PIG sig area. Its under one of the tables.

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Acrylic is usually solvent welded rather than super glued.

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If you need help on this I used to fabricate acrylic boxes for a living.

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Not when I do it!

:crazy_face:

The acrylic bender is a hot wire. It takes a little while to soften.

Acrylic has form memory. As it cools, it wants to return to it’s former shape. It needs to be held/clamped in place.

@dallasmagna formed a motorcycle wind shield using an oven to soften the acrylic.