It is not difficult to bend organic glass manually without using tools. This property of plexiglass is successfully used, which allows for a variety of work. Knowing how to bend plexiglass, you should use one of the existing techniques that allows you to get good bend plexiglass.

What should you consider when bending plexiglass?

Plexiglas is a thermoplastic, so it is capable of acquiring sufficient plasticity, which depends on high temperatures. During the manufacturing process, plexiglass can be formed at different temperatures, which determines the method of its production.

The complexity of the process of bending plexiglass lies in obtaining a bend at the required angle, which is done in the required place. To bend the plexiglass, you can use a heat source.

The bending process is carried out taking into account the direction from the heat source. If bubbles form when plexiglass is bent, it must be dried before the process itself. When starting to bend, it is important to remember that before bending glass, it is best to practice on a small unnecessary piece of material.

If you use blowtorch, then you can warm it up to the required temperature level. When bending plexiglass using metal pipe its radius is repeated by the sheet.

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Principles of bending plexiglass

A heat source that allows you to heat the plexiglass so that it bends is best suited for a narrow format. This type The source is made using nichrome wire. A number of small radiant heat sources, such as thin cake candles, can be installed in one line.

This type of source is made by filling a trough using a non-flammable material filled with paraffin. You can stick thread into it. In extreme cases, you can use candles.

The second bending method can be used if any part of the plexiglass is covered with a material that has poor thermal conductivity and is non-flammable. In this case, adjusting the bending angle will be the easiest, which will allow you to change the width of the strip. We should not forget about various cylindrical objects, that is, tubes, used as a template to make the appropriate bend having the desired radius.

When bending has already been completed, the material is gradually cooled, which minimizes internal stress. After this, the voltage is removed by annealing for several hours, maintaining an air temperature of 60-80 °C.

If nichrome wire is heated, it may sag. This will entail an increase in the distance to the plexiglass. The sagging of the wire can be compensated by using a load. When bending a sheet, you cannot put pressure on this material, otherwise the deformation will be incorrect.

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Guidelines for proper performance of work

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Preparatory stage

To carry out the work efficiently, you will need patience and accuracy. At the same time, you should know how to bend plexiglass correctly in accordance with the technology. You will need special tools and materials. This procedure can be carried out using:

1. Metal pipe.
2. Nichrome wire.
3. Blowtorch.
4. Crafting table.
5. Adjustable power supply.

Before bending plexiglass with wire, it is necessary to dry the plexiglass thoroughly so that no bubbles form at the bend site.

The list of basic steps includes the following main types of operations that allow you to make a bend:

1. Surface cleaning.
2. Drying.
3. Fixing the sheet with tensioning nichrome wire.
4. Heating and bending plexiglass.
5. Bending to a specific radius.

They begin to prepare the material before performing bending work. The glass must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt. In case of heavy contamination, the material is immersed in a bath. If there is local contamination on the glass, use a cotton swab or rag that is moistened with water. To dry the glass, use a cotton cloth.

Cleaning is not carried out using abrasives or synthetic materials. If it is contaminated with oil or grease stains, they can be removed with gasoline or kerosene. Aggressive liquids, that is, acetone or solvent, are not recommended, as they can harm the glass.

If the material was in conditions high humidity and the presence of water vapor, then drying must be carried out with particular care, observing the appropriate temperature regime equal to 80 °C. The drying time should be between 1 and 2 hours per mm of thickness.

With a sheet thickness of 3 mm, it may take from 3 to 6 hours. May need a large number of time, which will depend on the temperature level and the amount of moisture absorbed. If drying is not done, bubbles may appear.

When drying is complete, the sheet should be secured to the edge of the workbench by stretching nichrome wire at the future bend.

In order to bend plexiglass to a certain radius, you need to take a pipe of the required diameter.

It is fixed at a distance from the sheet, which is no more than 0.5 cm. The main important steps include installing the bendable edge of the plexiglass into the stop, which cannot be bent to an angle greater than necessary.

Nichrome wire is used after it is connected to a power source that is regulated. After achieving the required heat on the nichrome wire, you should wait until the sheet begins to bend under the influence of its own weight. When the temperature level reaches 150 – 190°C, the sheet is bent. If there is a need to maintain the bending radius, then use a metal pipe instead nichrome wire.

Modern organic glass, due to its properties, has gained great popularity in various industries and in everyday life. It is successfully used in the automotive industry, in the production of greenhouse structures, interior doors, advertising structures, individual elements of building facades, various designs in the radio-electronic industry. Due to its light transmittance and large color scheme Various industrial and industrial lamps are made from it. household use(flashing lights, running lights).

Main features of working with organic glass

To achieve good results when working with bending organic glass, you should take into account its features. They will allow you to get rid of possible defects and waste of material. Bending plexiglass at home is not a complicated operation.

When choosing a material, it is necessary to clean the workpiece, it is better to rinse it clean water and remove all small particles that are on the surface. This occurs due to the formation of an electrical charge on the surface. It is necessary to avoid the use of any abrasive materials, even the smallest fractions. This will lead to a significant decrease in the transparency of the future part. After washing, professionals let the plexiglass dry for 24 hours, preferably at room temperature. If time is limited, you can use a hair dryer. In this case, it is necessary to observe the thermal regime. The temperature of the directed air flow should not exceed 80 °C. For getting good result use an empirical approach that allows drying times to be calculated. According to this approach, you need to spend one hour for every millimeter of glass thickness. Therefore, if the glass is 3 mm thick, it must be dried for at least three hours.

After drying, you can begin work. However, it should be remembered that it is more expedient to heat the required area on the opposite side from the bend surface. If you need to get a given internal corner, warm up outside glass

The heating temperature must be taken into account. Plexiglas, as a material made from organic compounds, can not only heat up, but melt and even catch fire. Professionals advise maintaining the heating temperature at approximately 150 °C. If, in addition to the task of changing the surface configuration, there is a need to fill a certain form organic glass, it must be heated to a temperature of more than 170 ° C.

An important feature is the need to heat an area of ​​organic glass that is three times the thickness of the glass. When bending glass 4 mm thick, a strip 12 mm wide should be heated. For material with a thickness of more than 5 mm, it is necessary to heat it on both sides along the line of the planned bend.

After completion of the work, it is necessary to cool the part without using quick ways cooling (flow cold water or air). Such haste can lead to the formation of internal cracks, bubbles, and deformation. Therefore, to obtain the required bending angle, it is necessary to carefully follow the technological sequence.

Methods for bending organic glass

The most well-known principles for bending plexiglass are:

1. Using a hair dryer.
2. Bending in hot water(by boiling method).
3. Using special nichrome wire.
4. Using a metal pipe.

It is advisable to divide the entire technological process into two stages. The first stage is the so-called preparatory stage, the second is the main stage, the bending process itself.

Preparatory stage

This stage involves preparation the necessary tool and the workpiece itself.

Depending on which method is chosen, the following tools and equipment will be required:

• a vice or several clamps for securing the workpiece;
• manual or mechanical cutting tool(this could be a hacksaw, an electric jigsaw);
• form for bending (usually a metal pipe is used, wooden block, tabletop or other equipment capable of providing the required bending radius);
• abrasive material for smoothing the edges of the structure;
• water container;
• source electric current(can be variable or constant);
• soft liners to prevent mechanical marks from a vice or clamps on the surface of the part.

Any operation of bending organic glass involves heating it. This can be heating the immediate bend or the entire part, if its dimensions are not large. For these purposes, various heat sources are used.

Using a hair dryer

Bend if necessary big piece organic glass or a fairly extended part, a powerful hair dryer is used as a heat source. Its power should be such that it allows heating a sufficiently large area of ​​the part.

The sheet is clamped in a vice, or if this is not possible due to large sizes use several clamps. With their help, it is fixed to the tabletop. Mark the future fold line and gradually carefully warm up the area adjacent to the future fold line with a stream of hot air. After softening this area of ​​plexiglass, bend it to the required angle. The resulting part is cooled naturally for the required time.

Bending in hot water (boiling method)

This method is considered by professionals to be the simplest and least energy-consuming. To implement it, practically no special tool is required.

Its implementation is as follows:

• the prepared container with water is heated so that the water begins to boil (the size of the container is chosen so that it can be used to freely work with the workpiece);
• immerse a plexiglass part in boiled water and keep it there for five minutes (the time depends on the thickness of the part);
• After the workpiece is well heated, it is necessary to remove it and give it the required shape.

The peculiarity of this method is that you have to work with a fully heated workpiece. Therefore, it is necessary to provide methods of protection against high temperatures.

Using special nichrome wire

This method is considered the most technologically advanced. To implement it, a special nichrome wire and a constant voltage source are used. The power of the source must ensure heating of this wire to the required temperature.

The process itself is implemented in several stages.

1. The workpiece must be thoroughly dried. Without this operation, moisture bubbles may form in the bend areas, which can cause damage. Negative influence on strength at the bending point, will reduce transparency, significantly deteriorate appearance. Drying must be done in accordance with the recommendations given earlier.
2. The finished part is fixed on the surface of the workbench. Nichrome wire is pulled over the intended bend line. The height from the surface of organic glass should not exceed five millimeters. It is not advisable to apply preliminary markings to the sheet with a pencil, marker, or other dyes. Heating the bend can cause the dye to diffuse into the surface layer of organic glass. It is almost impossible to remove such a strip.
3. The wire is connected to the source direct current. It will be more convenient to work if the source is adjustable. In this case, there is the possibility of a gradual increase in the strength of the electric current passing through the filament, and therefore a gradual increase in the filament temperature. It is necessary to achieve a heating temperature of approximately 150 °C. It is from this temperature that deformation of organic glass occurs.
4. Having reached this temperature, the bend line will become plastic and part of the sheet will begin to bend downward under its own weight. All that remains is to give the workpiece the required angle. After completing the process, you must allow the finished part to cool.

Using a metal pipe

This method is used if it is necessary to give the workpiece not just a bend, but certain radius rounding, and can also be used at home. In this case, a metal pipe is used as a blank of the required radius. To carry out the operation, either the pipe itself or the bend is heated using powerful soldering iron with a wide tip or blowtorch.

Implementation sequence technological process as follows:

1. A cold sheet of organic glass is placed on top of a pre-fixed pipe. Mark the starting point of the bend.
2. Using a blowtorch or soldering iron, gradually heat the bend area. When the material becomes soft, manually carefully turn the sheet along the pipe, bending it to the desired angle. Using a soldering iron allows you to heat the bending area to the maximum temperature. This moment is easily determined by the crackling sound of the material.

If another option is used, the pipe is first heated and then a sheet of plexiglass is applied. A bend is made around the heated pipe.

The use of any of the listed methods involves working with such dangerous factors How:

• instruments and devices connected to high voltage;

Drawing bending machine for plexiglass

Therefore, in order to protect yourself during this work, you must follow safety regulations.

Advantages and disadvantages of organic glass

Organic glass has a number of advantages that have contributed to its great popularity. These include:

• has good anti-shock properties;
• relatively light weight (allows you to create complex and rather bulky structures);
• is an excellent dielectric;
• has high throughput over the entire range of the visible spectrum;
• quite resistant to atmospheric factors (high humidity, various types precipitation, low temperatures);
• has good environmental performance (when heated, no harmful chemical elements are released);
• sufficiently high resistance to the effects of mildly aggressive agents;
• good mechanical properties (quite easy to process and deformable);
• has a wide range of colors;
• good operational safety (if damaged, no dangerous fragments are formed).

The main disadvantage of this material is its poor resistance to external influences from solid objects (scratches, cuts, and cracks quickly form). In addition, the formation of a surface electric charge due to its electrostatic properties can be considered a negative phenomenon.

Colorless polymers, various plastics and other synthetic materials are actively entering our lives. You should definitely include organic glass in this list. It is used during repair and construction work, V furniture production. Souvenirs, photo frames and other products are also made from plexiglass. various items made with your own hands. People often ask how to bend plexiglass correctly so that the surface is smooth and give it the desired shape.

What is plexiglass?

Organic glass is durable. This artificial material characterized by high transparency. Glass does not break thanks to the polymers in its composition. By chemical composition and in many characteristics, plexiglass is completely different from natural glass.

This material is also called polymethyl methacrylate and plexiglass. Plexiglas is mainly used for making aquariums, shelves, table tops, photo frames and other items. In addition, it is used as interior doors. Craftsmen who know how to bend plexiglass correctly make figurines, key rings and various decorations. To give organic glass the desired shape, you must follow certain rules.

Properties and features of plexiglass

This synthetic material has a number of advantages due to which it is successfully used in the automotive industry. It is used to make billboards, greenhouse structures and roofs. Unlike natural glass, organic glass is not fragile, is light in weight and is easily cut and deformed under the influence of high temperatures. It is this feature that reveals how to bend plexiglass at home.

In addition to these features, this material has other important advantages, namely:

1. Has electrical insulating properties.
2. Transmits light well.
3. Does not break, is safe for others.
4. Moisture resistant, does not deform or deteriorate under the influence of external factors, frost-resistant.
5. When heated, it does not emit toxic gases, environmentally friendly material.
6. It bends perfectly.
7. Not affected ultraviolet rays.
8. Resistant to chemicals.

Plexiglas sheets are sold with a film applied on top; it protects the material from cracks and scratches.

Rules for bending organic glass

Thanks to thermoplasticity, organic glass easily changes shape. Before bending plexiglass, you need to familiarize yourself with the following rules:

1. It is necessary to heat the glass only at the bend points.
2. For heating it is better to use special linear heaters.

If a linear heater is not available, a variety of improvised devices are quite suitable:

• soldering iron;
• electric stove;
• gas-burner;
• candle;
• boiling water.

Before you start working with organic glass, it is better to practice a little so as not to spoil your work.

Principles of bending organic glass

A linear heat source is capable of heating organic glass so that it bends in a certain place. This type of source can be made from an ordinary linear heat source. A linear heat source is often made from ordinary candles, simply lined up in a row.

Another option for bending plexiglass is using cylindrical objects. They are used as a template, this helps to give the organic glass the required shape. To avoid getting burned when heating the glass, you need to use thermally insulating gloves or silicone oven mitts.

After the work is completed, the resulting products need to be cooled gradually, thereby minimizing the stress inside. If the polymer needs to be melted completely and then poured into molds, you need to ensure that the casting containers are clean, otherwise this will affect the appearance of the product.

Preparatory work

A large supply of patience and accuracy greatly influence the quality of the work performed. You also need to know how to bend plexiglass evenly, in accordance with all technologies. It is better to prepare all tools and materials in advance. To carry out this procedure, you need to take:

• nichrome wire;
• blowtorch;
• Workbench;
• metal pipe;
• power supply.

Several operations need to be carried out with organic glass, this will allow for better bending:

How to bend plexiglass with a hairdryer?

Since organic glass is a thermoplastic material, it can be easily shaped and bent by exposing the material to high temperatures. It is very simple and easy to bend plexiglass with a hairdryer, so this method are used most often.

First you need to clean the glass from dust and dirt, and then decide on the place of bending and scratch it on the sheet. After the material is heated to desired temperature, the scratches will disappear.

Using a vice, we fix the glass on the edge of the table, heat it and bend it gradually. During work, you should not turn off the hair dryer, since the temperature must be constantly maintained.

Once you learn how to bend plexiglass with a hairdryer at home correctly, you will be able to make a neat bend without any problems.

Bending with wire

Bending organic glass using wire involves four main steps:

1. Before bending plexiglass, it must be dried, otherwise the structure of the material will change and this will affect the appearance of the product. Drying is carried out at a temperature of 80 degrees, about an hour and a half.
2. Next, the sheet is placed on a workbench, and the nichrome wire is attached along the line of the future bend.
3. In order for the nichrome wire to heat up, it must be connected to a regulated heat source.
4. Under the influence of heat, after some time the sheet will begin to bend under the weight of its own.

This method is good if the farm has a special machine, and glass needs to be processed in large volumes and quickly, preparing it for further use or designing furniture.

Other methods of bending organic glass

To bend organic glass, place it in boiling water for 1 minute. Then they take out the material and immediately bend it, putting silicone gloves on their hands. There are also many other ways to bend glass at home using improvised means:

1. Gas-burner. Using a torch, making a bend is very easy; just heat the organic glass in a certain place. To ensure that heat reaches exclusively the bending area, a gas burner should be attached tin can, at the bottom of which a hole similar to a slit is cut.
2. Soldering iron. Using a soldering iron to bend organic glass, you can get a high-quality and precise bend. But before you start the main work, you need to practice.
3. Hot pipe. Before bending glass hot pipe, it must first be prepared and wiped with a soda solution.

When working with plexiglass, you need to understand one thing important rule: In order to bend this material, it must be softened in a certain place. You can use any heat source for this. The shape of the material changes just as easily; you just need to put in a little effort, and an unremarkable strip of plexiglass will turn into a real work of art, you just need to heat it to the required temperature.

Now you know what this material looks like, what it is and what characteristics it differs from, which means you will be able to cope with the task by figuring out how to bend plexiglass.

Durable and lightweight, plexiglass is gaining increasing popularity in modern design and the construction sector. This allows you to easily expand the possibilities when creating artistic solutions, because by giving it various, even the most bizarre, forms, you can achieve a fresh and elegant atmosphere in any room.

Not only for interior decoration Plexiglas may be suitable; it also finds its application in creating unusual interior items. Unlike natural glass, its artificial counterpart boasts one amazing advantage. The fact is that it is easy to bend, so even at home you can get the necessary shape to realize any idea.

What should you stock up on before folding?

Before you get to work, it’s worth stocking up on some tools that will be useful for the described method. In addition to the workpiece itself, you will need:

• a device for heating a sheet of plexiglass, such as a construction hair dryer, gas burner or a blowtorch;
• a form or template for bending the type of shape you want to get from your workpiece;
• hand protection - heating to high temperatures can result in burns, so it is better to protect yourself and prepare silicone grips or thermally insulating gloves.

Preparatory stage

The main stage of preparation of the workpiece is cleaning its surface. Any grease or oil stains must be removed from the surface to avoid negative consequences for plexiglass during its subsequent deformation, namely warping and the formation of air bubbles, which will no longer be possible to remove.

All these stains are quite clearly visible upon detailed examination, so removing them will not be difficult. Often it is enough to rinse the workpiece warm water with the addition of a small amount of synthetic detergent. If there is a need to remove complex greasy spots, you can use kerosene or gasoline - they break down fat molecules at once.

Be sure to remember not to use hard abrasive materials when cleaning. They contribute to the appearance of scratches, from which there is practically no escape. An ordinary soft kitchen sponge will do a good job of cleaning plexiglass.

At the end of washing, the plexiglass should dry. At room temperature, drying time varies depending on the thickness of the workpiece. It is customary to proceed from the calculation of 1 hour per 1 millimeter of glass thickness. Only after the plexiglass has dried can you begin bending it.

Before bending plexiglass at home, make sure that you are satisfied with the size and shape of the workpiece. If desired, make a plexiglass blank using a hacksaw. Check that the hacksaw blade is not dull, because only well-sharpened teeth will allow you to obtain the required quality of the processed edge.

Rules and process of bending plexiglass

After preparatory work it is necessary to decide on the place that should be bent. Be sure to draw a line along which you want to bend the workpiece with a marker. Let us focus on several points that must be observed before starting work:

1. Since plexiglass acquires the ability to bend when exposed to high temperatures, heating equipment should be selected based on the size of the surface that you are going to bend. This means that it is not necessary to heat the entire piece of glass if you have marked one fold line - local heating is sufficient for this.
2. The area to be heated must have a width that is two or more times greater than its length. Compliance with this point will significantly reduce the internal stresses of the glass after it cools.

The choice of heating source also depends on the size of the piece of plexiglass. So, for example, for thin sheets(up to 3-5 mm) a simple electric stove will work well. For thick workpieces, it is better to prepare a construction hair dryer, with which you will quickly reach the required heating temperature. For plexiglass it is 150 degrees.

In addition, it is worth remembering that such thick workpieces must be heated on both sides - this is necessary in order to prevent cracks from appearing during bending.

Let's move on directly to how to bend plexiglass at home. The process can be divided into several stages.

1. The entire piece of plexiglass or a separate section is heated. To do this, the material should be exposed to a heating device for some time, and so that the heated side is opposite to the direction of bending. In the case of thick sheets, the latter heats up the side on which it will be located. external corner bending
2. Reaching the required temperature is determined by eye - the material will become more pliable and slightly cloudy from the inside.
3. Keep a prepared form or template on hand for bending, which can serve as either a rectangular or round surface.
4. As soon as you understand that the material is ready, it must be bent immediately, it is advisable to use a minimum number of movements and obtain the required shape as quickly as possible, without allowing the material to cool. If you miss this moment, then microcracks may appear in the structure of the plexiglass, which subsequently begin to destroy the part from the inside.

The blanks are very small size can be modified by simply leaving them in boiling water for 5-7 minutes. The material will have time to soften so much that you can give it a completely different shape with your own hands. Required condition here is to work with special gloves that will not allow high temperatures to damage your limbs.

By the way, it is worth noting that plexiglass can also be melted at home. Only for this it needs to be heated even more - at least to 180 degrees. This can be done to make polymer glass castings.

The casting forms prepared in advance can be different, but the glass itself in the molten state spreads well and completely fills even the thinnest areas of the mold. Before casting, you need to make sure that the mold is cleaned of dirt in order to avoid both the unsightly appearance of the resulting casting and possible defects that dirt can cause.

After folding

You can finish the instructions on how to bend plexiglass at home by describing the final stage, which is cooling the finished part. Special conditions There is no need to create it; just leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours. But it is important to isolate the material from possible sudden temperature fluctuations. Failure to cool slowly can lead to the formation of cracks on the surface or structure of the plexiglass.

After cooling, you receive a new product that has retained everything positive traits plexiglass. Safe and beautiful material, having received a new form, will be able to please its owner for a very long time, while its creation took very little time and effort.

Often the desire to make their home even more attractive and interesting prompts owners to use very rare and intricate materials in their work. Previously, vinyl records and metal alloys, matchboxes and scorched wood, textiles and leatherette, and much more were used for decoration: experienced master will find a use for everything. Today, polymer plexiglass has gained wide popularity, which can be used both for decorative purposes and as a material for creating intricate devices. household use. Thanks to creative approach, with skillful hands and certain knowledge, you can truly create from organic glass unique items, which will subsequently become your pride and decoration of your home.

A little about the material

The named material is a polymer alloy that has high strength and at the same time maximum ductility (subject to the use of high temperatures). The composition of plexiglass includes amorphous polymers, which mainly consist of unfolded and linear macromolecules. This composition of the material allows us to achieve its absolute transparency, strength and lightness.

A new material that significantly expanded the capabilities of builders and designers

The advantages of plexiglass used as a material to create decorative elements interior are:

Therefore, organic glass is becoming increasingly in demand among jacks of all trades.

It is worth noting that completely different intricate little things can be created from plexiglass. These can be cute bookcases and fancy shelves, small aquariums or pots for houseplants, semicircular partitions in the room or simple tabletops. In some cases, it may be necessary to bend the plexiglass at a given angle.

You can carry out this task at home, following the basic rules for working with plexiglass.

Several principles of working with plexiglass

Before you start melting and bending plexiglass, you need to learn several principles that will help you complete the work as efficiently as possible and without unnecessary waste of material.

• So, to form the part the right size it is necessary to cut a piece of material with the desired parameters from a whole plexiglass sheet. This will result in economical material consumption and higher productivity of work performed.
• For work, you must use only clean plexiglass. For these purposes, it is recommended to wash the material.

It is important not to use abrasive materials to clean plexiglass. Only a soft cloth and natural drying of the polymer fabric. Otherwise, noticeable and unsightly scratches and stains will form on the plexiglass, which spoil the appearance of the material and reduce its transparency.

• After washing the plexiglass, do not immediately begin bending work. Let the material dry. This will take at least a day in a dry room at room temperature. Or blow dry at 80 degrees Celsius.

The principle for calculating the time for drying plexiglass using a hairdryer should be as follows: 1 hour per 1 mm of material thickness in each section.

• When starting to heat the plexiglass in order to deform it under the right angle, please note that heat treatment of the material must be carried out on the opposite side relative to the bending angle. That is, we heat the top of the material and bend it down.
• To bend plexiglass, it is enough to use a heating temperature of 150 degrees, and to melt the material and pour it into prepared forms, you need a temperature of at least 170 degrees.

Important: to properly bend plexiglass at home, you need to heat an area of ​​the material three times greater than its thickness. That is, if your plexiglass has a thickness of 3 mm, then in order to bend it evenly and beautifully, you need to heat up such an area along the line of the intended bend, the width of which will be equal to 9 mm. With this thickness of plexiglass, it will be sufficient to treat it with a heat device on one side of the material. If the thickness of the plexiglass exceeds 5 mm, then it will need to be heated on both sides along the intended fold line.

• After bending the plexiglass, it is important to let it cool naturally. Do not use water or cold air as a cooler. It may cause harm finished product in the form of cracks, bubbles, etc.

Ways to bend at home

Necessary materials

In order to give the plexiglass the desired configuration, you can use one of several popular methods:

• Heating the material using a hair dryer;
• By boiling;
• Using nichrome wire.

Depending on the method of bending plexiglass, you will need a heating element(hair dryer, nichrome wire or saucepan with boiling water). In addition, prepare:

• Hacksaw for metal;
• Vise for reliable fixation of the plexiglass plate;
• Shape for bending (pipe, block, table top, etc.);
• Abrasive material for grinding the edges of the product;
• A little water (to cool the material while cutting it).

Preparatory work

If your future product requires the use of a small piece of plexiglass, then you first need to cut it off from the overall fabric. To do this, securely fix the plexiglass in a vice and cut the required piece with a hacksaw. In places of fixation, do not forget to lay soft material, which will prevent damage to the plexiglass.

Can be used for cutting plexiglass hand saw, and a jigsaw

Important: use only a sharp hacksaw. Otherwise, the material may be damaged and deformed. Cool the cutting line with water while cutting plexiglass. This will avoid overheating of the plexiglass and its possible melting.

If a crack appears on the material during cutting, do not worry. You can remove it with a little trick: treat the edges of the split with chilled acetic acid. By shearing the plexiglass at the split site, allow acetic acid to penetrate deeper into the pores of the material. Then squeeze the plexiglass at the crack. The material will melt and the polished crack will not be noticeable.

Bending by boiling method

This is the easiest way to bend plexiglass, requiring virtually no additional tools.

Remember to use protective gloves to avoid burns.

5. Leave the part formed from plexiglass until it cools completely.

Using a hair dryer

If you have to bend a fairly large piece of plexiglass, then use a hair dryer for this purpose. Its power will allow you to process large area organic polymer material in an extremely short time.

Using nichrome wire

Using nichrome wire carefully stretched under plexiglass, you can bend the material in a straight line without effort. To do this you need to do the following:

Video: bending plexiglass with nichrome wire

We present to your attention short video, which will clearly demonstrate how to bend plexiglass using nichrome wire.