bending plexiglass

Hello I had a quick question about bending plexiglass similar to the kind used for Fett Visors. I got a sheet of it from a supplier on ebay and it doesnt bend enough to fit the visor we're using it for (samus aran's helmet if that matters) and I was wondering if there's a trick to molding it to a shape. I know the fett visor I got from BM was already molded and I was wondering how that is done I was thinking of just heating it a bit in the oven but I thought I'd ask before I got too creative.

Forcebewitya.

hmmmmm...oven might work, but if I was gonaa try the 'heating it' route, I think I might go for using a heat gun so you would have more control. I dunno if thats what you should do or not, but an option. ;)
D

if you heated it wont it put deforms in the plexy? make it blury?

Forcebewitya,

Best bet is to use either a Heat Gun or a Hair Dryer. This is what i did for my lenses [Anon ANH Sandtrooper, different sized lenses but same principle], have a cold wet towel ready, a pair of thick gloves [I use Ironclads] and your Helm upside down, opening facing you [duh!].

Gently, and not too close, heat the lens till you you can feel it 'softening', immediately turn off the HG/HD, and fit the lens flush against the helmet lens opening and use the cold wet towel to hold in place till it cools. That should take about 5 mins? and voila, flushed fitted lens, complete with curve and all. :cheers

Hope this helps...

Stay safe,

Tim.

Wow thanks a lot for all the help a heat gun will be much easier to work with than an oven thanks again.

Forcebewitya.

be carefull with the heat gun idea however. i was just doing the same thing tonight actually, and i blistered my first practice peice of plexiglass. it will shape nicely, just be sure to do things nice and even like so you don't distort the optics too badly.

yeah that was definitly one of the concerns raised in the beginning of all this. I'll use some practice scraps for sure until I feel comfortable with it. thanks again.

Forcebewitya.

I'm sorry that I can't add to the topic, but I am a huge Metroid fan, and I would love to see progress pics/pics of this!

Heat gun would be best. Unless you could vacuuform it that is.

heatgun it but like any plastic a little at a time or it bubbles. different plastics have different melting points so its trial and error.

You would have to heat the plexiglass slowly.

Start off with some scrap to play with it.

Well we actually attempted it on a few scraps and it worked wonderfully. No bubbles or distortion at all so next we'll do the visor once the helmet is completed. Thanks again for all the help.

Forcebewitya.

Otherwise a few minutes in a pot of boilng water will also give a more even spread of heat.. and a pair of tongs and gloves is recommended..