Bending Acrylic letters

[Mark.Wilme]

As many of you probably know the USCG requires that documented vessels carry the identification numbers in a non removable form, >=3" high on the inside of the hull.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/vdoc/faq.htm#15 refers.


Our local coastguard Auxilliary inspector is a stickler for this. On my prior boat I printed off 3" high letters on my PC, cut them out, transferred them to plexiglass, cut them out and epoxied them on. The surface was fairly flat so I didn't have much "bending" to do.

I have to do the same on the new boat, the piece of oak, lying loose in the locker engraved with the letters and numbers isn't going to do it (surprised people get away with it). Anyway what's my best way to bend the letters - direct heat (flame), the family oven, boiling water, some chemical that makes the plastic (acrylic) lose its rigidity - what ?

Tips from you hands on guys appreciated.

[richfriend]

In the oven, Mark. There is a bunch of information on thermoforming acrylic and plexi on the web. I don't remember the temperature, but the specifics were available on several sites.

Richard

[Hirilondë]

I've used a hot air gun (paint stripping type) to heat pieces of polycarbonate to assist in bending over curved hatches. Any source of heat you can control works. You could make a mold of the curve you need to match, and bring it home and use Richard's oven idea to prebend them. You might want to make the curve of the mold a little smaller radius than your hull as the letters may relax a bit even after cooling and removal from the mold. This practice is used in steam bending of wood as well.

Regardless of your heat source, remove the protective paper before heating.
NO, I won't tell you how I learned this!

[catamount]

Don Casey's Good Old Boat book has some info on thermoforming of acrylic plastic