Flexable, clear, plastic

[Willsonman]

Working on a mod and need some flexable clear plastic and have NO IDEA where to look. Thickness does not really matter and it will be mostly flat but need it to bend to a multi curved surface. Anything would be helpful.

 

[ninethreeeleven]

Heating up lexan or plexi works to an extent.

Putting it in the oven and letting the heat rise slowly (no preheat) until is "melts" over a mold of the shape you want is doable. It unable to get very intricate curves or corners but bland shapes can be done.

 

[raz-0]

how flexible? flexible as in mold it to shape, then rigid, or flexible as in always needs to be bendy.

look here, they have vaccum froming tables and sheets. Using such a setup, you can get something to conform to compound curves, and it does clear.

http://www.warmplastic.com/or.html

 

[Willsonman]

Flexable as in I need it to blend into a dasboard of a car Replacing the passenger airbag cover. As in like a milk jug material... but more clear like lexan or acrylic... I could get one of those nice shiny culligan jugs those are pretty clear but I dont think clear enough. I have an erector set that has clear pieces like what I want but I do not want to assemble this out of 40 erector sets!

 

[SarverSystems]

Home Depot, Lowe's, any other building center. Go to the plexiglass dept, and buy a small sheet of the thin stuff. It is very flexible, and very clear.

 

[MikeDeuce]

Sounds like a good time to learn how to work with fiberglass?

 

[Willsonman]

I do car stereo installs and I am very experienced with that stuff.. I hate it though... lots of splinters and sanding and ... it's not clear. Though I am thinking it is the option I will have to take.I'll have to make a trip to home depot then! Good thing there is one just around the corner from me... I guess that is a lot of men's dreams... I like it!

 

[raz-0]

if you want to replicate a air bag cover and you want clear, rigid vacuum molded plastic would probably get you as close to identical as possible, and would look much like the plastic in a 2l bottle. it isn't free though.

If it is a simple dashboard with jsut a single curve, thin lexan plus heat will probably take care of you.

 

[Tiny]

how flexible? flexible as in mold it to shape, then rigid, or flexible as in always needs to be bendy.

look here, they have vaccum froming tables and sheets. Using such a setup, you can get something to conform to compound curves, and it does clear.

http://www.warmplastic.com/or.html

Is that possible with 1/4" to 3/8" plexi/lexan?

 

[raz-0]

never seen anyone try it, so i don't really know, but I'm guessing no. heaviest stuff I have seen it done with is PETG, and tat stuff is a bit felxible/yielding.

messing with heated plexi before, it doesn't seem to inclined to stretch much, which is pretty necessary for the process to work.

 

[Willsonman]

if you want to replicate a air bag cover and you want clear, rigid vacuum molded plastic would probably get you as close to identical as possible, and would look much like the plastic in a 2l bottle. it isn't free though.

If it is a simple dashboard with jsut a single curve, thin lexan plus heat will probably take care of you.

How should I heat it then?... I have never messed witht he stuf except in single sheets that I bolt together. I have a plexi case too Oven? Blowtorch? Stinky breath?

 

[Tiny]

Oven gives better overall heating....while a Heat Gun gives better targeted heating.

 

[Willsonman]

Oven gives better overall heating....while a Heat Gun gives better targeted heating.

Heat gun? like a blowdryer kind but hotter? Found this stuff... http://www.rplastics.com/lexan.html ...and its CHEAP!!!

 

[raz-0]

yeah, like a blowdryer but hotter. You can also use a torch, but that requires some practice and a diffuser attachment. They also make a useful device with a heated element that is the plexi-equivalent of a press bend.

 

[Willsonman]

I believe my mother has one of those heat gun thingies... Fortunately we are visiting this coming weekend... wife wants to see her parents as well.... baaah. Hopefully I will get e worklog up of what I am doing with this. Should be interesting.