bending perspex (or similar)

[BrokenBiker]

i want to make a box out of clear perspex to make a 3.5" tft screen rain proof...

i want to use thin perspex, maybe 3mm thick, and if possible i want to bend the box and then join the mating corners...

is it possible to get clean 90 degree bends in perspex and how would i seal the 'open' edges up to make it a solid box?

or would it just be easier to cut the sides out then glue them together?

 

[the snooper]

ive bent it with heat as for gluing the corners there must be a special glue for it as superglue doesn't work

 

[Paul.]

Use a hot air gun and a piece of flat bar to fold it round, mitrefix will glue it.

 

[the snooper]

Use a hot air gun and a piece of flat bar to fold it round, mitrefix will glue it.

hot air guns work well unless you give it too much then the Perspex bubbles and burns

 

[Barlidge]

I remember using something similar to this at college

 

[rikrobson]

Bend it with heat then glue and seal it make flanges to mechanically seal and use sealant

 

[the snooper]

I remember using something similar to this at college

that's a posh one, I remember a teacher making one using an electric fire element and what I imagine was a piece of asbestos with a slot cut in it

 

[BrokenBiker]

well i have a heat source, so what glue do i need...i plan on gluing with flanges anyway just to make sure it seals up properly

 

[the snooper]

well i have a heat source, so what glue do i need...i plan on gluing with flanges anyway just to make sure it seals up properly

post 3

 

[Shedendman]

Best way is with a heat strip bender,among with metal and woodwork we also did plastics at school(nearly 40yrs ago).
Heres an idea http://www.instructables.com/id/Poor-man-s-200-dollar-plastic-heat-strip-for-penni/

 

[BrokenBiker]

didt see that lol

 

[julianf]

id cut and glue. so much easier.

bend it, and you need to work out the radius before you bend, etc etc.

gluing, all you need to do is work out what glue to use (one that melts acrylic, i guess)

 

[MattF]

Scribe your bend lines, line up with a bench edge, piece of ply or similar pressed on top and then heat the bend and fold. Poly cement should work as the glue.

 

[BrokenBiker]

id cut and glue. so much easier.

bend it, and you need to work out the radius before you bend, etc etc.

gluing, all you need to do is work out what glue to use (one that melts acrylic, i guess)

i dont mind working out radii and bend placement etc...i prefer the look of it if it has bent corners, but if i fail the first time i will just cut and glue and the file the edges over

 

[the snooper]

i dont mind working out radii and bend placement etc...i prefer the look of it if it has bent corners, but if i fail the first time i will just cut and glue and the file the edges over

3mm will bend easily

 

[BrokenBiker]

right, going to order some persex, maybe macrolon depending on price and some mitrefix and see what happens...will order enough to make 2 boxes incase i screw the first one

 

[drmico60]

I made a simple plastics bender as shown here:
http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/plastics-bender.html
A box like structure ( guard for belt drive system on a mill) made with the bender is here:
http://mikesworkshop.weebly.com/mill-belt-drive-conversion.html
Look at the second photo from the end of the page
Mike

 

[graffian]

Chloroform glues Perspex and you might find methylene chloride also does the job.
if you do go for Lexan that does glue with methylene chloride

 

[Parm]

My grandad made a Perspex box that I've still got at home, it's about 10" square and all sections are cut as you would for a wooden box and were glued together using some stuff called Tangit, there's still a tin kicking around at my dads house. Bending Perspex and gluing will be quite difficult in my opinion and may not be very strong if it's to be used outdoors

Try looking at some pro camera places or web sites, they make some quite good stuff that most of the pro camera and video people use, might be a neater and simpler solution

 

[clift_d]

Clean cuts and glue with a liquid solvent adhesive - Polyweld, Plasweld or similar. Butt the pieces up tight and apply the glue with a syringe or small brush so it wicks into the join by capillary action.