Anyone know of a company that can bend a sheet of polycarbonate for a companionway hatch?
Senior Member
Anyone know of a company that can bend a sheet of polycarbonate for a companionway hatch?
Senior Member
Anyone know of a company that can bend a sheet of polycarbonate for a companionway hatch?
Senior Member
Anyone know of a company that can bend a sheet of polycarbonate for a companionway hatch?
Dou you know anyone that owns a pizza oven? You can do it yourself, really easily.
Roy
Dou you know anyone that owns a pizza oven? You can do it yourself, really easily.
Roy
Dou you know anyone that owns a pizza oven? You can do it yourself, really easily.
Roy
Member #919
If it's thin (up to about 0.10) it can be bent, very slowly, in a normal brake. Thicker you'll need to heat it; contact your local hobby shop, someone's probably doing it for parts for plastic cars, boats, airplanes ... and can show you how. Depending on the exact plastic involved, a temperature of around 350 - 375 F is needed for melt/vacu-forming, less for heating in a brake.
Some of it nowdays has a hard surface which makes it much less scratch resistant; I think that you have to bend this stuff cold, but it's been years. A manufacturer's website for the particular brand, thickness, coating that you have will probably have details available.
Member #919
If it's thin (up to about 0.10) it can be bent, very slowly, in a normal brake. Thicker you'll need to heat it; contact your local hobby shop, someone's probably doing it for parts for plastic cars, boats, airplanes ... and can show you how. Depending on the exact plastic involved, a temperature of around 350 - 375 F is needed for melt/vacu-forming, less for heating in a brake.
Some of it nowdays has a hard surface which makes it much less scratch resistant; I think that you have to bend this stuff cold, but it's been years. A manufacturer's website for the particular brand, thickness, coating that you have will probably have details available.
Member #919
If it's thin (up to about 0.10) it can be bent, very slowly, in a normal brake. Thicker you'll need to heat it; contact your local hobby shop, someone's probably doing it for parts for plastic cars, boats, airplanes ... and can show you how. Depending on the exact plastic involved, a temperature of around 350 - 375 F is needed for melt/vacu-forming, less for heating in a brake.
Some of it nowdays has a hard surface which makes it much less scratch resistant; I think that you have to bend this stuff cold, but it's been years. A manufacturer's website for the particular brand, thickness, coating that you have will probably have details available.
Senior Member
The problem is it is 12mm (1/2") thick so it has to be heated to about 375F. I could do it if it were acrylic like Plexiglass but polycarbonate absorbes moisture over time. You have to dry it out at about 250F for several hours to drive out the water before heating to forming temp or it gets bubbles in it.
A pizza oven might do it though. Wonder if I can convence the local Poppa John to let me use theirs one Sunday morning.
Senior Member
The problem is it is 12mm (1/2") thick so it has to be heated to about 375F. I could do it if it were acrylic like Plexiglass but polycarbonate absorbes moisture over time. You have to dry it out at about 250F for several hours to drive out the water before heating to forming temp or it gets bubbles in it.
A pizza oven might do it though. Wonder if I can convence the local Poppa John to let me use theirs one Sunday morning.
Senior Member
The problem is it is 12mm (1/2") thick so it has to be heated to about 375F. I could do it if it were acrylic like Plexiglass but polycarbonate absorbes moisture over time. You have to dry it out at about 250F for several hours to drive out the water before heating to forming temp or it gets bubbles in it.
A pizza oven might do it though. Wonder if I can convence the local Poppa John to let me use theirs one Sunday morning.
I built an oven out of sheetrock and ducted heat into it from a kerosene reddy heater. You may have to baffle the oven to direct the heat evenly. It worked well with three eights and I was able to drape form a fairly large windshield using this method.
I built an oven out of sheetrock and ducted heat into it from a kerosene reddy heater. You may have to baffle the oven to direct the heat evenly. It worked well with three eights and I was able to drape form a fairly large windshield using this method.
I built an oven out of sheetrock and ducted heat into it from a kerosene reddy heater. You may have to baffle the oven to direct the heat evenly. It worked well with three eights and I was able to drape form a fairly large windshield using this method.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote