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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: CoryBee on February 28, 2013, 05:10:07 pm

Title: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: CoryBee on February 28, 2013, 05:10:07 pm

Thought some of you acrylic benders out there would like this read.

http://hackaday.com/2013/02/28/bending-materials-with-a-simple-hot-wire-forming-tool/ (http://hackaday.com/2013/02/28/bending-materials-with-a-simple-hot-wire-forming-tool/)

(http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/bending-with-a-hot-wire-former.jpg?w=580&h=435)

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: shponglefan on March 02, 2013, 11:27:33 am

That's pretty awesome.  I'd be actually thinking recently about how to go about doing more precise bends with acrylic than can be had using a heat gun.

Thanks for posting this!

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: Howard_Casto on March 03, 2013, 12:04:38 am

My problem was never with the bends, it was getting the plastic/acrylic/whatever at just the right temperature.   

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: RandyT on March 08, 2013, 06:06:54 pm

That's a good write up.  The spring is very important (as I found when trying this on my own a long time ago) and you can also use an old timey heavy duty battery charger, instead of a battery.  You want to be careful not to get polycarbonate hot enough to smoke when trying to bend it.  The fumes are pretty toxic.

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: ChadTower on March 08, 2013, 07:08:33 pm

What does the spring do?

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: CoryBee on March 08, 2013, 08:57:06 pm

Quote from: ChadTower on March 08, 2013, 07:08:33 pm

What does the spring do?

When the wire heats up it flexes\droops, the spring pulls it straight again while it is on.

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: ChadTower on March 09, 2013, 02:17:54 pm

Quote from: CoryBee on March 08, 2013, 08:57:06 pm

When the wire heats up it flexes\droops, the spring pulls it straight again while it is on.

Oh, nice.   :cheers:

Title: Re: "Bending materials with a simple hot wire forming tool"
Post by: selfie on March 10, 2013, 07:33:02 pm

Nice one! The heat is very confined so bending thicker material can be a problem if the wire is too close to the material.

If you are looking at running a longer wire you can step up to an arc welder to power the wire. With a heavy duty ampage regulator the arc welder can run short wires too.

Quote from: Howard_Casto on March 03, 2013, 12:04:38 am

My problem was never with the bends, it was getting the plastic/acrylic/whatever at just the right temperature.   

Frequently flipping the material can help with even heating. Also check the distance between the wire and the material