Using heat to form styrene

d_coombes · Post by **d_coombes** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:31 pm

Hello,
Back at school we had a device for bending perspex. It was basically 2 fire bricks, with a hot wire between them.
It would get a narrow area of the perspex hot enough that you could put a tight bend in it. Think menu holders in restaurants.
I'm thinking I want to make my own one for working with styrene.
My current project requirement is for a small set of wings ( 7cm span) with wing tips that radius up into tiplets, rather than having the tiplets just bolted on.
So my plan would be to take sheet of plastic cut it to shape, file on a aero foil and then heat and bend the tips through 90 degrees.
I'm thinking I can make a device as described above from a battery operated foam cutter from the craft store and balsa wood and a volume knob....

Has anyone tried this or have a better idea?

I did think about making a buck and vac forming the wing which would give a similar result... so I could try that instead?

Any suggestions?
Cheers
Dave

USSARCADIA · Post by **USSARCADIA** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:23 pm

You might try this:
http://www.craftics.com/products.cfm?Category=86
I bought mine years ago and love it. I most recently used it to bend the struts on my feddie carrier:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/u ... 014_12.jpg

It takes a little getting used to, timing-wise, but does a nice job.

d_coombes · Post by **d_coombes** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 2:53 pm

Yeah... thats exactly what I was thinking about....
I think I might wuss out and just glue the plates on though... its a tiny model. Maybe next time I'll try one of these!

I did think of making the wings from brass sheet too... but I'm not sure how I'd scribe the elevators....

Dave

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 3:31 pm

You can also heat styrene in boiling water, then bend the pieces over a rod or something, the whole piece will be flexible, so you need a little care to avoid bending the parts you want to leave straight.

CB2001 · Post by **CB2001** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:55 pm

big-dog wrote:You can also heat styrene in boiling water, then bend the pieces over a rod or something, the whole piece will be flexible, so you need a little care to avoid bending the parts you want to leave straight.

Actually, I know this trick can be done with any plastic. A while ago, WIzard Magazine (I think it was Wizard) had an article on how to make a Captain America action figure from a Hercules action figure. They heated up water in a coffee cup (I think they used a microwave to zap it), sat the part of the figure they wanted to shave the plastic off of into the water, waited two minutes, took it out and it came off very easy with the use of an Xacto knife.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 4:25 am

If it's a small part and thin plastic, try borrowing a hair-drier from someone. Clamp a steal ruler (or something else straight and metal) to each side of the sheet to keep the bend straight.

For really thick plastic you can use a hot-air paint stripping gun on minimum setting. But with this you need heat resistant gloves and tongs otherwise you'll end up in ER with a big red notice stamped on your forehead saying "IDIOT".

d_coombes · Post by **d_coombes** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 4:37 pm

Hey I even own a hair dryer...its one of the most useful tools on my bench.....I use it to help paint dry and also to blow dust off models before painting them....

I eventually wussed out and glued the tip plates on... then I put a fillet of super glue down the inside and rounded the outer edge off ( danger will robinson )... Its not ideal but I think I'll get away with it. Next time I'll try the hair dryer and some rulers trick.
Cheers
Dave