With the laser cutter up and running and working well, I thought a good group build for the space would be a simple plastic bender.
These typically follow a simple pattern:
- Nichrome wire for the heating element
- Spring tensioner for the wire to keep it taught after it heats up
- Metal u-channel to protect the wire
- Hinged ‘wings’ (some with angle stops) made out of wood to assist in bending the plastic
All in all, they seem pretty easy. Tonight I will take an old hairdryer to see if I can salvage the nichrome wire element easily.
There are some good tutorial videos available around: