melting plastic?

[72 Charger]

Can anybody help I need to know at what temp does styren melt before it bursts into flames?

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Ace-Garageguy]

Polystyrene's glass transition temperature (where it becomes fairly easy to shape / warp) is listed at about 100C (212F). It's melting point is listed as approximately 240C (464F). Its flashpoint is listed at around 350C (662F) and its autoignition temperature is around 430C (806F).

Flash point is the lowest temperature of a liquid, which still emits enough vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air. To find the flash point, the temperature of a liquid exposed to the atmosphere is slowly increased with a flame exposed to the resulting vapors. The temperature at which the first ignition occurs is the flash point.

Autoignition temperature is the temperature above which adequate energy is available to provide an ignition source. For instance a hydrocarbon vapor released to the earth's atmosphere at or above its autoignition temperature will spontaneously combust (no other ignition sources are needed).

BE CAREFUL!!!! Like other organic compounds, polystyrene is flammable. Polystyrene is classified according to DIN4102 as a "B3" product, meaning highly flammable or "Easily Ignited."

IF YOU ATTEMPT TO MELT PLASTIC, WORK WITH ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND FIRE EXTINGUISHING EQUIPMENT.

More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene

Edited December 17, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[72 Charger]

Thanks very much for that Bill thats extreamly helpfull .Im only putting some dents in a body its just handy to know when to remove the heat .As i dont want to burn the workshop down