How to Make a Hot Wire Bender for Acrylic

[@oljobo]

THIS is one wonderful instructional video ‼️ You have just nailed SO many factors of making a super video! A pleasure to watch.. from beginning to end. 🙏

[@MichaelRuppe]

Thanks for your kind words 😀 glad you enjoyed

[@archiespeaks3161]

This was so so so well done. Bravo!

[@Brabbo-55]

Fantastic instructional video Michael, ( I am surprised you have only had about 100 likes, - I guess it is a more specialized type of thing ) But I sure liked it, it is exactly what I was looking for, something thats not too over the top, and yet still shows great functionality and not a quick junky build, well done, thank you.

[@petermurphy3354]

Hi Michael, thankyou for all the info on the acrylic bender. I needed to bend 700mm of 2mm acrylic but couldn't get any of my power supplies to get it up to temp so I used 2 x 12volt 7Ah batteries I have in a pack for another project. I twisted 4 x 28AWG (same as what you sell) & powered for 40 seconds to get a nice clean bend. I am going to try using a 6V - 90V 15A PWM DC Motor Speed Regulator Controller from Maker Store & reduce the heat output to give a slower more even heat troughout the acrylic. Cheers Peter south of the border.

[@newbreedwarrior]

Awesome, great work! I have been looking for an efficient way to heat bend!

[@qcnck2776]

So practical! Thanks.

[@FindLiberty]

perfect

[@iandavies4242]

Wonderful, simple solution that works and saves a huge amount of money compared to a strip heater. And works better than a strip heater. Great job

[@paulrmoss]

thats a really nice video!!! I think getting the right "AMPS" might be fiddly for non electrical folks (ie what is collapsing voltage?) as a lot of power adaptors can't put out that kind of amps. I always go BIGGER and then step it down. In my case I used a 19.5V DC, 7A dell laptop power supply and passed it thru a DC-DC step down module from Amazon. I got one with "Wendry DC-DC 5A, 75W" in the name with a digital display for $12. Amazon has a tonne of DC-DC modules that will work, but this one had a built in display with click to toggle between input/output voltage display. I'm pretty much going to build it exactly as you show as my girlfreind wants to bend a tonne of acrylic

[@Gabriel4Drummer]

Great thing! How much power supply I need for 300 cm wire? How to count that?

[@whongthai1301]

ok i will make one today and see how it goes - with stuff i have in garage (did buy a nichrome wire and some hinges)

[@Core-Electronics]

How did you go in the end?

[@electronic7979]

👏👏👏

[@Celcius1]

one addition is the drilling of holes for using a clamping mechanism

[@milosp]

If I have 12V 4A adapter, can I get smaller gauge wire (20?) and let it heat for longer?

[@BillDrives]

Are you able to test and confirm if this works with Kydex material?

[@MichaelRuppe]

Some light research shows kydex moulds at 195degC, about 30 degrees hotter than acrylic. I'd say this would work well 👍

[@quemeese]

will this also work for bending Worbla?

[@ChristopherTrott]

Do you think your plexi bender can be adapted to cut a piece of 48" x 48^ plexi that is 1/8" thick to make a complete cut? I am trying to figure a way to cut a 48" x48" piece of plexi into 4 12" pieces. The edges have to be uniform

[@AngelEmmanuel-q7x]

Pls is the right power volt to power 16AWG, 1.2MM AND 2.5M NICHROME WIRE

[@jonathanginofilippi]

Very nice Yes

[@mikeowens6291]

Great video. I just had a simple perspex case made by a plastic manufacturer, for a BMS for a LifePO4 battery, which cost me almost $200. I will now build this unit, so I can make my own boxes hereafter. Only thing is you didn't mention the size/diameter of the nichrome wire. I will also incorporate a microswitch to cut tbe power to the hot wire when the bend is commenced, to allow it to cool and leave both hands free for managing the job.

[@Core-Electronics]

That switch sounds like a great quality-of-life improvement - just make sure it's up to handling the current! As for the wire rating - nichrome is most often specified in terms of resistance per linear meter, rather than diameter.

[@MikeLehikoinen]

Great idea! What gauge wire are you using?

[@MichaelRuppe]

It's this stuff :) link in the article core-electronics.com.au/nichrome-resistance-wire-4-metre-pack-47669.html

[@SireSquish]

Re the surface - a bit of baking paper would probably be all you need for your current version. It'd prevent scratches and dust...

[@marwanhasoun5783]

Great thing! How much power supply I need for 200 cm wire? How to count that?