[truzza]

I would not attempt to use an oven for this. With 3/16 you will need to get a cardboard tube with a 12" diameter. And secure it at the edge of a work bench. Lay your plexiglass with the paper covering still attached over the tube where you want it to bend. Put something on the end on the bench to help hold it down. Use a heat gun which you can get inexspensive at Harbor Freight. Heat not just the area you want to bend but about four to six inches beyond. Use the weight of the plexi glass to bend it. Once it starts to bend you can assit it with slight pressure. Just keep the heat even and wide on the area you are bending. And try not to stay in one spot to long or it will melt.And most important patience. I have bent numureous 1/4 inch pieces 4' wide at 90 degrees and 45 degrees this way. Should be no reason it would not work for a round bend. You will not burn the protctive cover doing it this way. If you do your getting it to hot. Good Luck

[anarchy]

Re: Bending plexiglass for curved windshield

[MH80]

There are a bunch of videos on you tube where people do this. I watched them last week, then tried it. It worked. Biggest thing, as someone already said, is be patient. Also, if you push on the material to help it bend, try to make that pressure even over the entire bend. more

[bittechconsulting]

I believe if you go to TAP plastics they have a online video of using a hot wire heater to gently bend the material. You would have to do it in segments but it wouldnt take that long and should look nice.

[HlllD]

With a 3ft radius you might want to do it over a few days gradually. here

[Ewald]

If it's for a guard to protect from flying things, Plexiglas (acrylic) may not be the best choice. it shatters. Polycarbonate is more resilient, and is preferred for machine guards.

[bruno666]

The book also explains how to modify a drill standard bit so it scrapes material out of the hole instead of digging it (and cracking).

[denaje]

my heat gun is a hot-air paint stripping gun and it gets hot enough to permanently bend lexan. I have worked in a curve heating it and bending it over my knee. Acrylic is what Aircraft Windshield uses for molded windscreens, it's a lot clearer and slumps over a mold really well, but man they are fragile. My local plastic supplier will mold lexan if you supply a mold, or at least they said they would.

here

[kermit]

He goes on to remind of the manufacturers' recommendation to avoid localized stresses (bolts, rivets, or screws) or it will crack. I think that means rubber insulation like a thin strip between the body and and the shield as well as rubber washers between the fastener and the shield. Plastic hardware (for attaching license plates) helps to prevent overtightening.

[woola20]

Do others agree with that? I used Lexan because of the cracking problem with the previous acrylic one. Also isn't Lexan thermoplastic - not that I intend to reach its melt temperature! more

[cre8r]

Sometimes the cracks start around the fastener holes. drilling good holes in that stuff takes a different angle on the bit. Aircraft spruce sells bits for plastic. [links]

[ruenma7411]

My bad. It is a thermoplastic. I had a lot better luck with the acrylic though, I tried lexan once and couldn't find a balance between pliable and on fire.

[links]

[Wraith]

Re: Bending plexiglass for curved windshield

[Mackendra99]

Now you've got me thinking I can make a windshield and not juxt my salon entry hatch. I don't have access to the CNC system, but I figure I could make a mold, cover it with felt, and let the plexiglass form around it. [links]

[Sidewalker]

Re: Bending plexiglass for curved windshield here