how to bend acrylic perspex, make your own bender.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVEf7PfuKxo
Nichrome Wire is very cheap on Ebay, calculate your psu with the help of this site
http://www.jacobs-online.biz/nichrome/NichromeCalc.html
35 cm gauge 28 at 12v about 30W
Looks like a great weekend project 