Product Question

[AndyW]

Do any of you sign maestro's know whether Foam PVC can be bent.

http://www.signwholesale.co.uk/acatalog/Foam_PVC_-_Matt_Finish.html

I know it can be vacuum formed, what I would like to know is if I had a sheet just about A4 (type writer paper sized) had it in a former, ran a heat gun over where I want the crease and ease it back whether it would work. basically I would like to use it as a free standing surface about 80 degrees from the horizontal, so would like to bend it through a 100 degrees. lookin at the 5mm stuff.

[maxxpaane]

I've never tried, did some searching and applying a heat gun will allow the product to bend. MP

[AndyW]

Cheers Max, was looking for info last night, strange how two diff computers give different results, probably get a piece to play with an see how I get on. Thanks for taking the time.

[JimmyG]

Yes Andy, PVC can be bent.....I have a heat strip that I use to bend mine that gives more heat than a heat gun....You will need something that will concentrate heat in a certain "strip" area to bend it properly....

[AndyW]

Thanks for the advice Jimmy, if it was metal would be good to go, but would like to bend this neatly.

I'll have a look around and see what I can come up with, any idea of temp required, or the heat strip output?

[AndyW]

Found this, is this the sort of thing Jimmy upp to 280F, and quarter inch thick acrylic.

http://www.professionalplastics.com/cgi-bin/pp.pl?pgm=co_disp&func=displ&strfnbr=3&prrfnbr=100465&sesent=0,0&search_id=9073

http://www.instructables.com/id/SQ87H6RF2H0OWJ1/ found this one as well lol........not for the faint hearted

[JimmyG]

Yes bending neatly is the key and my heat strip likely goes above 250-300 degrees, tho never measured it....I have 3 of them, 2 are woven looking heat strips and one looks like a straight oven element....

If you only have a heat gun, I will suggest that you build a sheet metal manifold or a nozzle tip for your heat gun that will concentrate the heated air into a 1/2 inch strip of blowing hot air...
You can then mount you heat gun stable and mount some sort of platform to position your plastic close to the strip opening for direct heat in the precise line that you want to bend it on....

Edit: Yes Andy, the plastic benders that I have are similar to the links you left above, except my plug in the wall outlet type strips heat up much faster....Like this link...
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=169

[AndyW]

Ha! cheers Jimmy, got a little project now to while away the time onboard now, can play with prototypes, stack's of metal and a heat gun, can even trial it with perspex.

Design mode comin up now.

[JimmyG]

and this link one is like my element strip heater that gets much hotter faster.....Mine is 6 feet and runs on 220v, I use it for acrylic boxes for neon window signs, and some pvc bends....
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=291&PHPSESSID=200811231317085159324

[JimmyG]

Ha! cheers Jimmy, got a little project now to while away the time onboard now, can play with prototypes, stack's of metal and a heat gun, can even trial it with perspex.

Design mode comin up now.
For perplex (acrylic plexiglass) you will need much more heat, pvc will bend nicely with much less....
Basically you need a concentrated heat strip....With a bit of ingenuity, even a spring coil element from a small $20 bathroom heater could be mounted in a straight line, insulated in a channel and do a real nice job....
Can you tell in my tinkering days that I have used one?

[AndyW]

Thanks for the links Jimmy, noticed some great further links on how to's there as well, have pasted the links for home, as can't watch the vids here.

Smallest strip I have found so far is 10 ft long, which even for me is a tadge excessive, woven plug in type, prices aren't too bad lookin if I can find one small enough length wise over here.

Thanks for the assistance most appreciated.

[JimmyG]

Here' the links for the videos Andy...one is how to make the simple bender and another on how to bend plastic....Their woven strip heater is 3 feet long for $65...might even find the same for cheaper somewhere else...

http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php

[AndyW]

Thanks again Jimmy

[Frog]

I got hold of a couple of heat resistant boards that plumbers us for soldering pipes whilst protecting the wall behind. I place these over acrylic in my case and the then blast the exposed area with a heat gun until bendable.

[AndyW]

Cheers for that Michael, have a mat type at home for doing the same job, as she didnt trust me with the silver foil lol.............

[Frog]

Not mats mine are like bricks like this on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOLDERING-BRAZING-MAT-HEARTH-PLUMBING-JEWELLERY-MAKING_W0QQitemZ150311778787QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ?hash=item150311778787&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318)
I'm guessing you have the cloth type. But the slab like ones can be cut into thinner strips and used for longer slits. works well for me.
would definately be easier with a strip heater though LOL.

[AndyW]

Handy right enough, thing I have is like a baby fireblanket, had it for years now.

[mmccoy555]

Here' the links for the videos Andy...one is how to make the simple bender and another on how to bend plastic....Their woven strip heater is 3 feet long for $65...might even find the same for cheaper somewhere else...

http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video.php
I made one of the plastic benders on here. Basically just take two pieces of plywood and hinge them together with an inch or so between them. Line between the two with fiberglass mat and take a heat coil out of a hair dryer. Then just hook it up to a dimmer switch so you can control the heat. Then you place the pvc on the plywood with the coil where you want your bend and turn it on to the desired heat level. Then you can take one side of the bender and basically just fold the pvc and you get a perfect bent. Works great. Made a water proof box with it. The cost wasn't more than a cheap hair dryer and the dimmer switch because I had everything else already. Give it a try.

[AndyW]

Cheers Matt, was looking at doing something similar with a straight element, so I can get an even heat across the fold.

[mmccoy555]

I don't know if your actually gonna build one or not but one thing I forgot to mention is the plans I had have it running off 110. So I you have to find a voltage regulator of some sort so you don't have to much going to the coil. Otherwise it'll just burn it right out. I think the plans are on that page that jimmy posted for ya.