Re: Make your own windscreen.

@Joey81
I know you may be joking, but don't use the hairdryer for this, have a very high chance of burning out the hairdryer, baka ikaw ang mailagay sa oven. 😀 Been there, done that on some projects.

Yeah. The hair dryer is not hot enough for this application. Anyway, thanks for the warning. 😀

Muntik na rin ako dati. "Borrowed" the hair dryer for an experiment at work. I thought I broke it. 😳

Good thing it worked again after it cooled down. May thermal protection lang pala, it stops when it gets too hot.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Keeping an eye on this thread, very nice and informative. Cheers Ben, Keep em coming.
As for the oven, no need really to build something critical since you only will use it once.
cheers

Re: Make your own windscreen.

BenQ, I think all the necessary safety steps that you have considered is enough to keep you safe.

Question though, how did the acrylic find its way into the exact shape of the mold? Did you just lay it over the mold and wait for it to start melting like sliced cheese on a hot hamburger patty? (Sorry for the analogy, I can't find a better description)

Re: Make your own windscreen.

@Joey
Thanks for the suggestions. I was actually thinking of getting the aluminum foil in the kitchen, but my wife is in there, she wouldnt just let me get it and just leave. Ill get caught up in small talks. (lots of it)
i felt it would just delay my activity. You know once im out in my garage i already own my time but the moment i went in the house im not sure anymore. 😀

One more reason i let it longer is maybe i would like to know how long is the heat gun will last if i will let it run non-stop. I was really surprised it did not break, it stood up really well. Now I can make a clothes dryer using a heat gun on a timer switch.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Exactly Jarod,
I like the way you put it. A sliced cheese, i couldnt think of a better way to describe it.

You will know the acrylic is baked when you see it dropped on the bottom surface of the oven like a melting sliced cheese.
Once you picked it up (with gloves of course) it is very pliable you will see it swinging.

if you are like me, you will think it will be sticky and annoyingly difficult. Well, its not! 😡

Then i drop it to my escayola mold (covered with cloth) . within a minute you must already have it adhered to the shape by stroking it allover with a soft cloth preferably
like the one on the picture (planela i think). Its hot, but not hot enough to hurt you.

You must stay this way (caressing.. :biggrin:) for about 5 to 10 minutes. To sustain the form until it hardened. 😮

Re: Make your own windscreen.

What is really nice about acrylic is the way it retains its original texture and clarity after even many times of thermo forming it.

And they come in various colors and thickness.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

It is a 5mm thick acrylic. It is thicker than my stock windshield.
It took me longer time to bake it because its really thick.

The thinner it gets the faster the baking time, of course.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

While its hot and adhering to shape , while you're stroking it in the escayola. Be patient! Dont even think of using any clamp to hold it for you. Dont ask me how i know. See those round marks on the corner? Those are my F-clamp's. :thatsit:

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Keeping an eye on this thread, very nice and informative. Cheers Ben, Keep em coming.
As for the oven, no need really to build something critical since you only will use it once.
cheers

I also would like to have my own sturdy oven . Im just not sure if the heat gun would hold up long enough thus i tried it in cardboard box first and see if i can bust the heat gun.

Now that i know that the heat gun will run non stop for a long time (actually tested it non-stop running for more than an hour. ) Im making an oven. and also a clothes dryer. Yup.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Im really surprised how i managed to NOT do this for a long time. It is excitingly easy.

After realizing how easy this project is, I started thinking about other applications like
headlight,
car wind deflector,
car plate holder,
Car visor/ wind deflector,
helmet lens,
Light fixtures,
Cozy lamp shades,
Aquarium,
CPU Case,
Gadget Case

But more importantly a very nice clear food dome lid for my wife, making this would actually grant me more garage time. 🙂

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Nice work Ben!

However, I think I'm getting it wrong. I thought that you placed the acrylic over the mold and placed it inside the oven but as you mentioned you get the hot and soft acrylic and place it over the mold afterwards.

So where to you rest the acrylic when it's slowly baking in the oven? Do you have some internal pics of how you baked the acrylic? Thanks!!

PS: I also like your idea on the household items. Pampa-good shot este pampa ganda na bahay :date:

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Last month my son was asking me to build him a Beyblade arena. Now I know how to do it.
Where did you buy the plaster of paris? Looks like the kid and I now have a weekend project.

Plaster of Paris (escayola) is around 100 pesos per 5kg in Polymer.
While in National bookstore its 160 pesos per 1kg.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Nice work Ben!

However, I think I'm getting it wrong. I thought that you placed the acrylic over the mold and placed it inside the oven but as you mentioned you get the hot and soft acrylic and place it over the mold afterwards.

So where to you rest the acrylic when it's slowly baking in the oven? Do you have some internal pics of how you baked the acrylic? Thanks!!

PS: I also like your idea on the household items. Pampa-good shot este pampa ganda na bahay :date:

I got so excited, that i missed a lot of picture shots.

I placed the acrylic on top of 2 parallel angle bars, just so that it is elevated from the oven surface.
my purpose for this is to let me know its already time when the acrylic sagged to the surface.
Yes, I shaped the acrylic (while its hot and soft) outside the oven.
Im not really sure how will the escayola will respond to the heat if i will put it inside the oven. i m worrying about chipping off.
There isnt really no hassles when you try to form the acrylic outside the oven, it is so soft that you are actually going to have fun with it.

Re: Make your own windscreen.

The only thing I'm worried is the acrylic's clarity getting messed up but as you said it is all good.

When you place the hot acrylic over the mold, do you wipe it with a dry/wet/cool chamois cloth?

Re: Make your own windscreen.

Your concept of heating the acrylic then placing over the mold is very similar to the concept of vacuforming. I have seen one in action and it was a DIY type contraption. The nice thing about vacuforming is that the vacuum pulls the plastic against the mold, registering an exact copy.

No more clamps, no need for oven. You do need a heating element and a vacuum machine though. Plus the heating element heats up the plastic faster than a hair dryer can.

If you plan on doing more of those types of projects then you may want to look into making one.

Here is a site detailing a simple setup, you can modify the way the holding frame goes to the vacuum table to suit your space.

http://www.studiocreations.com/howto/vacuumtable/index.html