How to Weld Acrylic Sheets Into Shapes

You can make your own aquarium by joining acrylic.

Creating shapes out of sheets of acrylic takes some planning. Once you have large acrylic sheets with the right dimensions for whatever product you wish to create, draw out a diagram, complete with specific measurements, to plan the dimensions of your finished work. When you have a proper list of components and the pieces are cut to the appropriate sizes, assembling your acrylic shape will go pretty quickly.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard boxes
• Acrylic solvent cement
• Gloves
• Strip heater
• Clamps

Instructions

1. Bend any pieces that need to be curved. To do this, take an end in each hand and gently but firmly press them together. Check the piece against the piece that you will join it to periodically to make sure that you are getting the curvature right. This kind of bend will only work for gradual curves.

2. Use a strip heater to create sharp bends in your acrylic. Place the acrylic on newspaper. Place the strip heater on top of your acrylic sheet and plug it into an outlet. Let the heat seep all the way through the acrylic. This should take only a few minutes. Unplug the heater and remove it. Bend the acrylic along the heated seam to the angle you desire. If your acrylic is thicker than 3/16 inch, you will need to heat both sides of the seam before bending it.

3. Join different acrylic pieces together with solvent cement. Don a pair of gloves and squeeze the cement onto the edges of a piece. Fit the adjoining piece to it and hold it in place. Slide a set of clamps over the pieces to hold them while the solvent dries.

4. Repeat until your shape is put together. Let the finished piece sit for up to 48 hours for a strong weld.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix flakes of acrylic with solvent cement to create a thick cement that will work best for joining pieces of very thick acrylic.

• Use cardboard boxes to help prop up any piece that you need to fit at a right angle to another piece.

• Press the pieces firmly together for a good weld.

• Clean spilled solvent with soap and water. Do so as soon as possible.

References

• The Natural Handyman: Acrylic Plastic or "Plexiglas" and Its Use, Handling and Cutting
• Badman's Tropical Fish: Tools for Working with Acrylic