Plastic rod for rollcage

[Albert Powers]

This is my first attempt with this. What is the best way to bend the plastic rod? Working with .080 2.0mm rods. Thanks

[martinfan5]

You can use heat, I always use a lighter, but it always deforms it a little bit, just heat it enough that you can bend it.

[Albert Powers]

Thanks

[eviltwincustoms]

You can either heat it or use friction and bend to shape. The only issue with the second method is it will want to spring back.

To help with deforming, use a candle so you can hold the piece with both hands and rotate the rod and go from side to side to heat up the section you are wanting to bend. This will help so it doesn't deform, when this happens you are getting that part of the rod to hot so it will swell or not hot enough and it looks like one side smashes in like the old way of bending your tail pipe on a car... LOL

[Romell R]

I found the best way to heat and bend is with a heat gun or blow-dryer. just set ithe blow-dryer on a table set it to high and turn the rod infront of it untill its bendable. Then quickly bend to shape. The blow-dryer wont char your plastic.

[Mooneyzs]

Rom beat me too it with using the blow dryer. I have done it that way was well. another thing you may want to do is after you heat and bend the tube you can dip it in cold water or turn the blow dryer on to the cold air setting. It seemed like it helped set it in place for me that way. the dipping in water is kind of like quenching metal that has been heated up.

[Albert Powers]

Thanks guys!!! This helps a lot! Ill post pics of progress