Off Grid Living / Camping > Survival Skills

Thermoforming plastics getting started

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tomw:
Well, I got some Kydex sheet and am going to try to DIY a couple holsters. And Some battery holders for my solar charger for AA and AAA rechargables. Cannot seem to find anything built very tough on the market. I built a smallish (1 foot square) vacuum table but I don't think it will get the nice fit the book press and foam method gets. The vacuum table works treat for milk jug plastic forming but Kydex is a lot thicker and from what I see on Youtube the foam press method gets very good detail over the vacuum method. At least in the videos I looked at.

Up to now, I have not heated any Kydex or tried to form it. No good controllable heat source. The wood stove worked OK for the milk jug plastic but had a few oopses and at 8 bucks a square foot I want good thermal control of the .060 thick Kydex so there is an IR thermometer on the way, too. Need to scout the Goodwills, etc for a used toaster oven to do the heating. Got strict standing policy, no "shop" work in the kitchen which stems from heating a motorcycle chain in a pan of grease to get it in the nooks and crannies real good that went very badly.  :o Building the book press later today I hope.

I cannot find a suitable commercial holster for my mid 1970's Colt  so I am going to try making one. I already mentioned battery holders for the charger.

Anyone with experience in this kind of thermoforming with foam and a "book" press please chime in.

More as I get at it.
Tom

birdhouse:
tom-
i don't have any real advice on the forming process, but can't help but chuckle every time i hear about one of us guys getting in trouble with the missus for doing things in her oven. 

sounds like we all need a full domestic kitchen in our shops!

adam

kensue49:
Using the kitchen is worst than using the living room to rebuild a VW motor or so I have found out.
:-)

Wolvenar:
OK so, is it bad to admit I built a small working kitchen into my shop, along with a bathroom *in the garage basement*
Just for these things  :-\

Wolvenar:
Oh, everyone thought was moving out of the house when I first started planning this.

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