lexan

[rickoshea]

okay,last aug. i bought a miter saw and a really nice bristle dartboard from a guy on facebook.nice guy,chatted for an hour,he gave me 2 4x8 1/2"clear lexan sheets with the backing paper still on.my question is, has anyone tried to heat form a lexan sheet this thick and what did you use? i'm thinking maybe trying to fashion a half roof for the p1k-5.i would like to try and form it over the 1 pce hardcoat poly windshield and maybe apply some window tint on the top.i need some input before i try the heat gun.don't want to trash a sheet experimenting because i can use them for other projects.

 

[Admin]

 

[L2R]

look up youtube and you will see videos showing various ways to bend it and or heat it.
one guy unraveled the wire from a blow dryer and stretched it out flat to focus the heat along a straight line.
good luck

 

[Alan_Vander]

iv seen people do everything from heat guns to rose buds on it. a lexan roof would be sick. havent seen anyone do that yet but iv seen them bend it for half windshield alot.using clamps and 2x4s to hold straight line and let the weight do the work.

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[popeye]

I’ve never bend lexan, but have heated up pvc conduit to a larger inside diameter, plastic will stretch, but I had a had a hard time not making the plastic turn black from the heat. Might be tough with a transparent plastic

 

[L2R]

you don't have to use heat if you have a way to bend it.
it won't turn black unless you are getting a flame too close.
most don't use a torch, a heat gun will do it and a hair dryer for thin stuff.
pretty amazing stuff.
suggest you get a couple of small pieces to play with and develop how you want to do this if you want to protect both big pieces

 

[snuffnwhisky]

I bend 1/4" on my press brake without heat no problem. Don't know about 1/2".

 

[BWAF]

We did 3/8 in sheet metal break if it's true lexan

 

[rickoshea]

We did 3/8 in sheet metal break if it's true lexan

it's true lexan,says so on the backing paper,however,i don't have a metal break or access to one either.

 

[snuffnwhisky]

I bought a 6' long heating element for a food warmer to make a heater for long parts. Never did finish it. Youtube has examples.

 

[Adam490]

I don't think lexan likes window tint either. The plastic releases gasses and creates bubbles in the tint if I remember correctly.

 

[rickoshea]

not really a big concern for me.more than likely it'll get trashed from trees/branches anyway.plus it's not fresh lexan,probably a decade old.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

not really a big concern for me.more than likely it'll get trashed from trees/branches anyway.plus it's not fresh lexan,probably a decade old.

just clamp 2x4s and heat it with a couple heat guns. (Both sides together is best.)