Bending Clear Parts

[Uncarina]

I’ve used hot water to bend styrene parts to shape with good results. Can I do this with clear styrene as well, or will it fog or crack?

 

Thanks,  Tom

[Erwin]

I need to know too.

 

The canopy in the 24 th Airfix Hellcat is to wide.

[Confusionreigns178]

Hi, Erwin.

 

I would NOT recommend trying to bend the Hellcat canopy, under any circumstances. I don't know if the canopy is made of a different type of plastic to all the other model parts, but canopy always seem very easy to snap or damage. I have read a couple of dozen of stories of people wrecking their canopies by putting even very light pressure on them 

 

I am guessing that no-one makes an aftermarket version of the canopy (yet)?

 

Chris. 

[Uncarina]

I’m still curious about using hot water to bend clear plastic. Has anyone done this with good results?

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Barry]

Not advised Tom.

 

Hot water will not make it pliable enough not to crack or at the very least show stress "clouding".

I have tried and have never been able to get it to work.

 

Barry

 

[Uncarina]

Barry,

 

Thanks! Glad I checked first. Hope you are doing well.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[Rockie Yarwood]

Agree with the above - I have tried using hot water to help reshape clear plastic a couple of times - both were utter failures...

[Out2gtcha]

100%, dont do it Tom. I've failed every time I've tried.

I attempted a little of that on the landing light cover on my Do-335, and like Barry said, got several spider cracks. No going back even though it didnt break. 

The only time I've ever had success with bending clear parts with hot water is when I bent an Alley-Cat T6 replacement canopy back in shape, but that was clear resin.