Acrylic Bending

Some scattered research on acrylicbenders:

$300
http://www.kelvin.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=841999

They're hard to find....
apparently separately called bending fixture and heat strip?http://www.kelvin.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=841999
http://www.ehow.com/how_5005776_bend-acrylic-sheets.html


AHA angle jigs! they are separate $195
http://www.kelvin.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=841998&Category_Code=


HEATERS:
just a bender heater element for diy ($75)
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=169

same one at manufacturer $39 ( 900deg max, 24inch 100 watt)
https://www.briskheat.com/p-152-rh-plastic-bending-strip-heater.aspx

Obviously the toaster oven trick ($5 bucks maybe?)



Acrylic melting temps:
I've found mention that the acrylic can melt at 100-170.
http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/forum1/bending-perspex-acrylic-t411.html

acrylic working temp is 180f or 82C
 http://www.ridoutplastics.com/faq.html#Temperatures

clearly we want to heat above (2-3x) the temp what we want to achieve
"A 1/4-inch-thick piece of acrylic can usually be completely heated at about 300 degrees F for about 8 minutes." 
http://www.ehow.com/how_5005776_bend-acrylic-sheets.html



Mcmaster sells a ton of heater options:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/117/511/=e1l6qn


They have a DC heater which would be nice as we wouldn't be working with AC.. It goes to 300!

1"	5"	25	2.1	7945T44	27.65

However its only 5" long which means wed need as many as 5 of them (which would be cool because you could switch on only the zone you need--but really really expensive!)

Seems like a more realistic (Wattage and temp seem right from previous research):

rope heater, 24"       120ac, 1amp, 100watt, 900deg max  3641K23  $16.71

At $16 its half the bender strip.  Is it for some reason worth it for them to put a plug on it for us? I don't see why?






diy angle jigs:


need to keep material from moving during stressful bend..
-c clamps over metal strip down center of material?
need to constrain angle
--can we use sliding t-bevel or miter layout tool?
-http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25115
-http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=sliding+t+bevel&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&biw=957&bih=681&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=9113795213693738275&sa=X&ei=KGNvTu_VIMaGrAfIx_zlBg&ved=0CIcBEPMCMAA
-http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=sliding+t+bevel&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&biw=957&bih=681&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=5271874557655275974&sa=X&ei=KGNvTu_VIMaGrAfIx_zlBg&ved=0CJQBEPMCMAI

if not with those, I was thinking of something similar to this
http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-make-an-angle-jig/index.html




My tack:  Seems pretty basic.
I like the lamp dimmer for vreg.  Given proper heatshrinking I have no problem with ac.  Plus we have liquid electrical tape!

If the toaster elements look good could go with them, but perhaps for more saftey the mcmaster ac heater element might be better?

I like the adjustment screw and spring from here
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Bending_fixture/bending_fixture.htm or just tying to rope like
http://www.tapplastics.com/info/video_detail.php?vid=6&format=quicktime&

obvious wood with hinges for base.  create a channel of some sort for heater