Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: Gene & Tammy
MessageGeneBending Lexan is rather easy. You will need a large size oven and an understanding wife. Try the oven at about 225-250 deg. Don't set the Lexan on any metal surfaces, it will leave marks. Cover surface with paper, like a grogery bag. Try test peices first for timing. After 10+/- min. it will soften.Dick N ----- Original Message -----

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Original Posted By: "Jack T. Textor"

Original Posted By:> Gene & Tammy
Hi GeneIf you just want to bend the lexan in a straight line, rather than form it, you could do it with a strip heater. An old oven element would be enough as I would think you are not talking much more than about 12". I would suggest getting some offcuts and experimenting. A heat gun would also do the job.You could clamp some plywood to each side of the bend and just leave 1/2" exposed. Heat till soft and bend to a set angle let cool and do the other side.Best regardsSteve in maine>From: "Dick Navratil" >Reply-To: pietenpol-list(at)matronics.com>To: >Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: heavy piet Lexan bending>Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:13:32 -0600>>MessageGene>Bending Lexan is rather easy. You will need a large size oven and an >understanding wife. Try the oven at about 225-250 deg. Don't set the >Lexan on any metal surfaces, it will leave marks. Cover surface with >paper, like a grogery bag. Try test peices first for timing. After 10+/- >min. it will soften.>Dick N> ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Dick Navratil
MessageLexan which is polycarbonate can be cold formed, unlike acrylic A.K.A Plexiglas.I've built many machine guards when I worked at Oscar Mayer out of Lexan. Needless to say you have to way overbend because of spring back but it can be done. I've found that heating with a heat gun can be touchy because before you know it you might have heated too much and get distortion in the bend.Roman BukoltNX 20795 ----- Original Message -----

Original Posted By: Rcaprd(at)aol.com
Subject: Re: Pietenpol-List: heavy piet Lexan bendingIn a message dated 11/30/2006 2:16:46 PM Central Standard Time, conceptmodels(at)tds.net writes:Lexan which is polycarbonate can be cold formed, unlike acrylic A.K.A Plexiglas.One of the drawbacks with Lexan (polycarbonate) is that if fuel comes in contact with it, it will stress crack it. This happened to my first curved 1/8"Lexan windshield, after I overfilled the cowling tank in flight. It had many cracks around the three mounting points, but it never did break. It took several days, or weeks, before the many little cracks showed up. 1/8" curved Lexan (no heat required), with three mount points, is the simplest, lightest, toughest, and easiest to build...oh yeah...and it's to theplans, too.Chuck G.NX770CG________________________________________________________________________________