4-6" dia. material

[mw]

I had a dream...

What I'm looking for is a translucent material that could be lit from the back, but is bendable to anywhere from 4-6" diameter bend. The actual material needs to be able to withstand some abuse.

To spell it out I want a tube cut in half. Something like this ?
Overhead view: ('U' is the peice I'm looking for)
---------
|         |
| ____|
U       U

Optional materials would work, that aren't translucent would be appreciated too. Plywood/benderboard is one option... Not sure what the actual bend radius is though ?

 

[slicer_d]

You can heat up plexi or lexan and bend it into the shape you need.  If you want it to be strong though that would meen pretty thick plexi which would probably be pretty ard to shape.  If you look around at computer modding stuff people make all kinds of crazy stuff with plexi including makeing it into full tubes.  I have also seen some pretty crazy car audio boxes made with plexi to so it should work.

[RandyT]

Not quite sure what you are after, but you can buy clear Acrylic (plexi) in large cylindrical shapes.  Be warned though, they are quite expensive.

Maybe if you offered more info?

RandyT

[mw]

Thanks, I'll have to play with some Acrylic. Not sure I'll have time anytime soon to do this but if I get the details ironed out it will make it easier to do later.

Here's a quick sketch of what I mean. The base will have columns on each side that blend into the side, more of a jukebox look.

[jcoleman]

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

That's not a sketch

[mw]

Sorry, It is now  

[cj1]

You might find something here:

http://www.modernplastics.com/

Click "E-Commerce", then "Industrial Plastics Tube". Or just poke around and see what they've got. I know you're not exactly looking for a tube, but you might find something there that I didn't.


Just ordered some tinted plexi from them, and their prices seem pretty reasonable. (Except for shipping, but I ordered a 24 x 48 sheet, which is probably considered oversized for shipping purposes.)

 

[eightbit]

I think they sell clear dust collector tubing in 4-6" diameters.

[Hammerbot]

If you bend the plastic, use a form and make sure to let it COMPLETELY cool on the form.

I had a bad experience trying to bend 4 different pieces. I let them cool for a while and then set them one at a time to do the next piece.  They all wound up cracking because they didn't cool completely before I removed them.  They got a little additional bending from the weight of the material and took on a twist initially and then cracked.

That was a bummer to say the least.

[mw]

Thanks everyone. Think it's time to get the yellow pages out. Sure there's something locally. Modern Plastics has stuff that will work.

Think I might try to do it myself first  

Anyway Thanks to everyone, this has been bothering me for awhile now.  

[cj1]

Clamps... lots of clamps.

I just had my first experience bending lucite - just a simple 90 degree angle. Sandwiched one side between two pieces of wood. The wood was slightly bowed however, so there was a little give in the center (it was only clamped near the ends). This give was enough to make the curvature of the bend different in that area and the entire piece ended up crooked. ugh. Tried again, clamping more securely, and the results were adequate.

Your idea looks really cool. Good luck!

[Wienerdog]

Thanks, I'll have to play with some Acrylic. Not sure I'll have time anytime soon to do this but if I get the details ironed out it will make it easier to do later.

Here's a quick sketch of what I mean. The base will have columns on each side that blend into the side, more of a jukebox look.

You know we can't see the paper on your desk that you are sketching on, right?

[papaschtroumpf]

Buy a tube and cut it in half. I couldn't find tranparent tubes that were 37" high though, but if you can it would be way easier than try to bend sheets.

[neuromancer]

If art deco goes with your decor, you could use glass end blocks.

;-)

I can see it now with pastel colors and brushed stainless trim...

Bob