Dished CDs?

[Mallard]

Has anyone ever tried to make a CD slightly dish shaped?
I have a little wind powered project on the drawing board, with a prototype to be tested this weekend, but it would look better if I can dish a couple of CDs!
Obviously it'll involve heat, but....
Pics if this one works!

[ma larkin]

OOHH!!! That sounds interesting! I shall have a think.

Ma Larkin

[AL37]

I know you can soften perspex in those little bench top ovens, I have seen it done with perspex rods.
I would try to find a metal or maybe even a pirex bowl/dish of the correct dimensions place it upside down with the cd on top and then try gradually heating the the whole lot.
DONT PUT CD'S IN THE MICROWAVE THOUGH
No honestly dont.

[caddywak]

hi mallard,

i have just done a couple of tests and found that heating with a heat gun is to quick and the disk becomes brittle, a hair dryer does not get hot enough to make it mouldable. also because a cd/dvd is basicly 3 layers it is difficult to get the heat to all layer at the same time.

i have one slowly cooking in the oven now i will let you know what happens very soon

[Mallard]

AL37 wrote:

DONT PUT CD'S IN THE MICROWAVE THOUGH
No honestly dont

Or in a conventional oven apparently; the coating on them is very toxic!
Just wondered if anyone might have had a go with a hair dryer or heat gun!

[AL37]

How about making an improvised oven? Thinking out loud here but maybe a disposable barbecue with the mesh removed and raised up on bricks. Then something to create wind shields on all sides and a top. This way it can be done outdoors and if the whole lot catches fire then you get warm while thinking of plan B.

[caddywak]

had the cd sitting in the hobby oven for about 10 minutes @200 deg c i could see the disk flexing so i took it out to see how it bends. again very brittle and separates into its different layers. im out of ideas now.

[Totally Scrambled]

caddywak,
Found this on t' web. don't know if you tried doing it this was??
http://www.craftbits.com/project/cd-candle-holder
Dom

[Meanqueen]

I tried boiling one once, that doesn't work.
Ilona

[manda]

Found this - did the oven need to be hotter?
This one says a bit lower temp

Don't know as I've never tried to heat them myself.

[mikey]

To bend some plastics for model making you tape the item over a former then put it in very hot water for a few minutes. I know you would not be able to bend the cd over a dish shape in one go but maybe bit by bit?

[p.penn]

What about taping or even better tying one over an upside down pyrex bowl and leaving it in the garden over the summer?

[Mallard]

Just tried heating some in the oven at gas 1, placed them over a muffin tin, but when I put pressure on them they just fell apart!
This is the project, a wind operated bird scarer, but my aerodynamics need a rethink as it blows backwards and forwards!

[Totally Scrambled]

Mallard,
Could you put them at an angle? say 45 degrees. That might work.After all aeroplane propellers are angled on the shaft.
Dom

[demonchilli]

Old vinyl moulds very well.There's plenty of dodgy singles around to use