Have you ever wanted to finish off a project with a nice-looking piece of Plexiglas, but were afraid that it would be too hard to make? It’s really not too difficult. With a few easy steps, you can make a perfectly shaped piece of Plexiglas for a customized computer (like me), use it for model dioramas, or even make a creation purely from Plexiglas.

Getting Started

There are several things that you will need for forming Plexiglas. First, you need Plexiglas, the basis of your project. Then, you will need a heat gun, or have access to an oven. Since I used a heat gun, that’s what I’ll show you how to use. You will also need a form, or a mold, of the shape the you want your Plexiglas to assume. Finally, you will need felt to cover the form so that the Plexiglas does not stick to it permanently. So, in list form, you need:

1.       Plexiglas

2.       Heat Gun

3.       Form (or mold)

4.       Felt

Setting Up

Once you have your form, you need to cover it with felt. Felt helps by keeping the Plexiglas from adhering to the form, letting you remove the final piece without prying or peeling. I was amazed at how well the felt worked, since I had expected at least a little bit of stickiness.

A good way to attach the felt to the form is with glue. Double sided tape would not be a good idea, and neither would tacks or screws, because they change the shape of the form once they are added.

Make sure there is an electrical outlet for the heat gun near enough to the form, and that you can access the form from all sides, or else the heat might be spread unevenly, causing an imperfect shape.

Forming the Plexiglas

After everything has been set up, place the Plexiglas over the mold. If it doesn’t naturally rest on top, you’ll need to make some props to hold it up. Make sure you cover these props with felt, or they might stick to the Plexiglas as well.

Turn on the heat gun and start heating up the Plexiglas. Make sure you heat all areas evenly. If your heat gun comes with a tip that covers a wider area, use it. If you don’t heat the entire area evenly, you get uneven corners. This is because the hottest areas will melt first, and bend, but the cool areas will not, leaving an undesired shape.

If you heat the Plexiglas evenly for a while, you should see it begin to sag. Have patience – this could take a while, and it might be a good idea to take turns with someone. You can also put a little pressure on the piece (with a felt covered tool) to encourage it, but be careful. If you are impatient and physically bend the Plexiglas, you could crack it.

You should also be careful with how much heat you apply. Too much heat, and the Plexiglas could begin to bubble. Too little, and it will never bend. As long as you are patient and watch the Plexiglas carefully, you should be fine.

Afterwards

After the Plexiglas has cooled, it will only take a few minutes to cool down. You should be able to take it off of the mold within ten minutes. The final product will retain its shape, and should not be clouded in any way, creating a perfect piece of Plexiglas.