Dana you mentioned you had heated an acrylic bar to form it to fit. What temperature did you find works well to soften the plastic. I just got a 6 foot piece for about $20 and will try to make a few.

Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks

Our electric stove is not very accurate. I ran by heating until it felt right. You walk a fine line between hot enough to be pliable but not so hot you melt it.

I used my Lodge fire gloves. Welding gloves would also work if clean. Handling is tolerable. I put the pieces on an old towel on a cookie sheet. It won't be any good after you are done. It scorched from the head applied. I didn't want it to flatten the bottom side.

I used a piece of heavy gauge copper that I cut and bent to shape following the pictures I have seen. Gave me a site model, something I could look at as I bent. It worked seeing I didnt have an original to go off of.

If you get the heat right it should bend but the rod itself should not change shape. Round will stay round. If to hot it will deform, buckle and stretch and narrow.

If you don't deform you can heat multiple time until you get them just right.

I tried using a couple pieces of PVC pipe that fit snug to try and help make the bending easier. They would bite into the rod. Best thing the gloves and anther soft towel to shape.

The net has temp info I just used as a rough setting on the stove and kept checking until it felt right.

You will get some smell but it dissipates quickly and doesn't stay.

It goes without saying Be careful don't get burnt.

From Industrial Engineering:
What temperature is best suited for bending acrylic?
>>>>The correct bending temperature is 130 degrees C /350 F


try this, too!
[Barth upgrade??]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...bedded&v=DVqnmZHHnSg

....pretty cool project.
note that it was heated in an oven, not a flame.
a larger rod would take longer to heat.
the problem is that you have to heat it all the way through.
and you want it to cool slowly, so it doesn't craze.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Smiley:
From Industrial Engineering:
What temperature is best suited for bending acrylic?
>>>>The correct bending temperature is 130 degrees C /350 F


try this, too!
[Barth upgrade??]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...bedded&v=DVqnmZHHnSg

....pretty cool project.
note that it was heated in an oven, not a flame.
a larger rod would take longer to heat.
the problem is that you have to heat it all the way through.
and you want it to cool slowly, so it doesn't craze.

---

How did your handle turn out when you created it?


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