[RichQuinn]

Nice job on the bender, OP.

I've had success bending Polycarb using a vice and a pencil torch. It takes a careful, steady touch to get the material melted without bubbles and I haven't yet found it to be a good project to hand off to the students. Making a bender instead will make a nice little project for newer students.

On Acrylic, I agree: avoid structural applications. But we've found through some industry expertise that the optical qualities of Cast Acrylic are far superior to Lexan/Makrolon/polycarb. We edge-light an etched panel of cast acrylic and it's typically the best-looking part of our robot.