Acrylic VS PETG

[geekyEd]

Ok maybe this has been done before but having recently switched from Petg to acrylic, so wanted to bring up up for all those new folk.

I was kind of amazed at how much easier acrylic is to bend without warping and ballooning. My last two builds i have used hardline for, and both Petg as a few youtubers suggest it’s easier to work with and Jays2cents does a demo about how brittle acrylic is by smashing a piece everywhere. (Bu he’s been unfollowed for a while now as I find his content a bit to in your face)

Aside from needing to use a saw when cutting, it’s 10000x easier to bend, I can get next to perfect bends every time and reliably where I actually want them to go. My deburring tool actually works on acrylic (I always had to sand Petg after, to get nice edges).

So my question is what’s your experience? How do you find each material, or have you only tried one?

Mods is there a way to add a poll for people to indicate their preference also? I’d ideally like to generate a meaningful discussion first but data would be interesting too.

I’m also interested in what diameter tubing people are making good bends with, have you found 14 easier than 12?

 

[LuckyBenski]

Following as I did my first loop in 16mm frosted acrylic. I'm used to working with acrylic as my partner uses a laser cutter for her business. It was challenging but I felt comfortable doing it.

I've now bought a load of 14mm PETG as it's meant to be easier to bend. Interested to find out!

I don't like the idea that PETG scratches so easily.

 

[Grim5]

Which is more stable and less likely to break, PETG or Acrylic?

 

[deusexlumina]

Honestly either is fine. Acrylic is technically brittle, but it's not as if it's going to randomly shatter during operation.

 

[geekyEd]

This is my issue, if you search in YouTube you get results with two youtubers showing how much more brittle acrylic is, if you put it in cold water after heating or put loads it pressure on it trying to snap it. None of them (aside from VAESTHETICs “don’t use Petg” video) mention that for bending acrylic has a much wider temperature zone in which it’s malleable without warping. The result being much less tube waste and cleaner bends.

Here’s the link:
https://youtu.be/8tqyxxVQGFU

 

[Matt72033]

I did my first hardline bends recently, went for acrylic.....mainly because I had bought a bending kit and realised afterwards it was for acrylic. (It probably would have been fine for PERG too I guess)

I was actually quite surprised at just how easy it was. The only bend I had to redo was down to my poor measuring.
I had one run with two 90 degree bends and one run with 3.

I was very happy with it

 

[geekyEd]

Slightly on topic but off topic, how do you guy mark up your tubing?

I have started using white board marker, though, you need to be careful to put it outside of the zone where you want to heat, otherwise it marks more permanently. Only issue I have found is it rubs off normally while I’m setting the bend, but if I’m setting the bend that normally means it’s between the lines and correct, so it’s not too bad.

 

[mods1965]

I have tried both and just stick to acrylic now. I do not know why, but I found it harder to bend PETG 9that might say more about my skills at bending, which are not great!).
I just use a pencil for marking the acrylic, which wipes off fine.