"Ken Grunke" wrote in message
...
Bill Stock wrote:
This is somewhat OT, but you appear to be the biggest suppository of
knowledge when it comes to NiChrome.

I want to build a Hot Wire to bend some Acrylic. The wire in question is
#22
and approximately 1 ohm per foot.

I did a lot of acrylic bending years ago making picture keyframes and
the like. I used a coiled nichrome wire inside a heatproof channel,
lined with asbestos paper (!) connected to full house current.

Thanks Ken. Did you make your own coils of buy then ready made? Do you
remember the gauge/resistance? Did you use an insulator on the coil or let
it hang free in the channel?

How did you construct your channel? I was thinking of MDF base, reflective
aluminum, masonite (channel sides), covered with some heat resistant
material, perhap fiberglass.

It was
about 18" long, and the element, which was about an inch below the
channel's 1/2" opening, glowed a dark red. Turning a piece over once, it
took about 15 seconds to get the acrylic up to bending temp. and it
worked really well.

I would use a coiled element sized to give a much higher temp than 400
degrees at 115v, and with a lamp dimmer (no stepdown transformer). If
your element is only at 400 degrees, you could be waiting forever to
reach bending temp.

Thanks again Ken, useful info.


Ken Grunke
La Farge, WI US


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