An interesting molding material
 

On topic because it can be used in aid of metalworking......

I found some stuff called "Polymorph" at Maplin's, an electronics
store chain in the UK a bit like Radio Shack but better. Googling
polymorph revealed a US source for it.

This is neat ****, Maynard! It's a 500g jar of little pellets that
soften if poured into hot water -- 62C or more. The pellets turn
clear and kinda gob together like salmon eggs. It can then be
molded like modelling clay. It's a thermoplastic, can be re-melted
and re-used. They claim that it's as strong as nylon when cool.
That may be a bit of a reach, but it's definitely pretty tough stuff.
I've made no measurements, but my "feel" is that it's more like nylon
than polyethylene when cool. It can be machined (once cooled)
with sharp cutting tools -- saw, drill, mill, burr, etc. It doesn't
power-sand well because it gets gummy with heat of sanding.

A 500g jar was £11.99, about $21 US. Not too bad since it can be
re-used.

Metalworking potential: jigging of irregularly-shaped parts for
milling or drilling, particularly if said part has a nice finish that
one might want to protect. Mold the stuff around the part,
position the part and snug the vise, wait for it to cool, tighten
the vise and check/tweak positioning. When machining is done:
dunk the lot in hot water, peel off the stuff and return it to the
jar for re-use if it didn't get contaminated with cutting fluid etc.

An interesting molding material
 

On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 23:28:11 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

"Polymorph"


Hey Don,

While the product looks very interesting, I'm not at all sure I
followed your post about where to find this material, but after a 20
minute Google, I came across:

http://www.kelvin.com/

which appears to be an educational supply company. Only quantity they
show is 100 grams at $7.95 or 1Kg at 69.95 US$.
And somewhere in the search, it suggested another name: "Shapelock"

http://shapelock.com/page2.html

Less expensive than the Kelvin site.

Seems Amoco have something to do with it. Makes sense.

Be worth checking on sometime Monday.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.

An interesting molding material
 

"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
On topic because it can be used in aid of metalworking......

I found some stuff called "Polymorph" at Maplin's, an electronics
store chain in the UK a bit like Radio Shack but better. Googling
polymorph revealed a US source for it.

This is neat ****, Maynard! snip-----


Thanks, Don.

Harold

An interesting molding material
 

Don Foreman wrote:

Metalworking potential: jigging of irregularly-shaped parts for
milling or drilling, particularly if said part has a nice finish that
one might want to protect. Mold the stuff around the part,
position the part and snug the vise, wait for it to cool, tighten
the vise and check/tweak positioning.

For this, I use Wood's metal (better similar alloys that are
cadmium-free. Mine melts at 96°C (quite boiling temp. of water)). It
doesn't matter when you have oil or chips in the molten material. And it
is _stiff_! No flexing at all.

Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
DIY-DRO - YADRO - Eigenbau-Digitalanzeige

An interesting molding material
 

"Brian Lawson" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 23:28:11 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

"Polymorph"


Hey Don,

While the product looks very interesting, I'm not at all sure I
followed your post about where to find this material, but after a 20
minute Google, I came across:

http://www.kelvin.com/

which appears to be an educational supply company. Only quantity they
show is 100 grams at $7.95 or 1Kg at 69.95 US$.
And somewhere in the search, it suggested another name: "Shapelock"

http://shapelock.com/page2.html

Less expensive than the Kelvin site.

Seems Amoco have something to do with it. Makes sense.

Be worth checking on sometime Monday.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.

This plastic is almost certainly polycapralactone. Dont get it too hot as it
becomes sticky. Similar materials are used as glue in some glue guns.

An interesting molding material
 

"David Deuchar" wrote in message
...

"Brian Lawson" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 23:28:11 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

"Polymorph"


Hey Don,

While the product looks very interesting, I'm not at all sure I
followed your post about where to find this material, but after a 20
minute Google, I came across:

http://www.kelvin.com/

which appears to be an educational supply company. Only quantity they
show is 100 grams at $7.95 or 1Kg at 69.95 US$.
And somewhere in the search, it suggested another name: "Shapelock"

http://shapelock.com/page2.html

Less expensive than the Kelvin site.

Seems Amoco have something to do with it. Makes sense.

Be worth checking on sometime Monday.

Brian Lawson,
Bothwell, Ontario.

This plastic is almost certainly polycapralactone. Dont get it too hot as
it becomes sticky. Similar materials are used as glue in some glue guns.

I will learn to spell this one day polycaprolactone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycaprolactone

An interesting molding material
 

This might be the stuff I've been looking for. I need to scratch build
a couple of tires for a 1/8 scale trailer that I am building. My first
thought was to make a wood pattern of the tire and then cast it in
rubber molding compound.

Can this stuff be turned on a lathe? If so, this might be what I want.
I've read through both sites listed above and it says it can be
machined, but it does not specifically mention either lathes or mills.

Anyone actually use this stuff?

Mike

An interesting molding material
 

"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
On topic because it can be used in aid of metalworking......

I found some stuff called "Polymorph" at Maplin's, an electronics
store chain in the UK a bit like Radio Shack but better.
Googling
polymorph revealed a US source for it.

This is neat ****, Maynard! It's a 500g jar of little pellets
that
soften if poured into hot water -- 62C or more. The pellets turn
clear and kinda gob together like salmon eggs. It can then be
molded like modelling clay. It's a thermoplastic, can be re-melted
and re-used. They claim that it's as strong as nylon when cool.
That may be a bit of a reach, but it's definitely pretty tough
stuff.
I've made no measurements, but my "feel" is that it's more like
nylon
than polyethylene when cool. It can be machined (once cooled)
with sharp cutting tools -- saw, drill, mill, burr, etc. It doesn't
power-sand well because it gets gummy with heat of sanding.

A 500g jar was £11.99, about $21 US. Not too bad since it can be
re-used.

Metalworking potential: jigging of irregularly-shaped parts for
milling or drilling, particularly if said part has a nice finish
that
one might want to protect. Mold the stuff around the part,
position the part and snug the vise, wait for it to cool,
tighten
the vise and check/tweak positioning. When machining is done:
dunk the lot in hot water, peel off the stuff and return it to the
jar for re-use if it didn't get contaminated with cutting fluid
etc.

Just saw an ad on TV for something called "Toy Maker" by Colorforms
using something called "FlipFaze"

Looks like it does something similar...

An interesting molding material
 

On 19 Nov 2005 06:23:59 -0800, "mj" wrote:

This might be the stuff I've been looking for. I need to scratch build
a couple of tires for a 1/8 scale trailer that I am building. My first
thought was to make a wood pattern of the tire and then cast it in
rubber molding compound.

Can this stuff be turned on a lathe? If so, this might be what I want.
I've read through both sites listed above and it says it can be
machined, but it does not specifically mention either lathes or mills.

Anyone actually use this stuff?

Mike

It can be turned on a lathe, using a sharp HSS toolbit. I just tried
it. It turns pretty much like nylon, a little gummier than delryn.
But moldable rubber or urethane might actually be better for tires --
or just turn the wheels out of delryn rodstock.

An interesting molding material
 

David Deuchar wrote:

I will learn to spell this one day polycaprolactone
Sounds like its made out of the milk of many goats :)

cheers
T.Alan

An interesting molding material
 

What's your sense about it's bond ability with other materials, like
casting plastic, epoxy, RTV silicone, or polyester? How would it be for
reproducing surface detail? Might be useful for molding parts....
JR
Dweller in the cellar

Don Foreman wrote:
On topic because it can be used in aid of metalworking......

I found some stuff called "Polymorph" at Maplin's, an electronics
store chain in the UK a bit like Radio Shack but better. Googling
polymorph revealed a US source for it.

This is neat ****, Maynard! It's a 500g jar of little pellets that
soften if poured into hot water -- 62C or more. The pellets turn
clear and kinda gob together like salmon eggs. It can then be
molded like modelling clay. It's a thermoplastic, can be re-melted
and re-used. They claim that it's as strong as nylon when cool.
That may be a bit of a reach, but it's definitely pretty tough stuff.
I've made no measurements, but my "feel" is that it's more like nylon
than polyethylene when cool. It can be machined (once cooled)
with sharp cutting tools -- saw, drill, mill, burr, etc. It doesn't
power-sand well because it gets gummy with heat of sanding.

A 500g jar was £11.99, about $21 US. Not too bad since it can be
re-used.

Metalworking potential: jigging of irregularly-shaped parts for
milling or drilling, particularly if said part has a nice finish that
one might want to protect. Mold the stuff around the part,
position the part and snug the vise, wait for it to cool, tighten
the vise and check/tweak positioning. When machining is done:
dunk the lot in hot water, peel off the stuff and return it to the
jar for re-use if it didn't get contaminated with cutting fluid etc.


--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

An interesting molding material
 

This material is available in the U.S. as Jett Sett from various
jewelry equipment suppliers for $20-30 /pound. Try septools.com or
riogrande.com
Leo Plas

An interesting molding material
 

Don,
Thanks. I would just use this for the pattern. I'll eventually make a
urethane mold and use that to mold the tires with rubber molding
compound. For the pattern, I need something that is going to be
somewhat easy to work with as I need to figure out how to cut the lugs
on the outside of the tires. I thought wood would be the way to go
initially as it would be fairly easy to carve with a chisel and knife.

Basically, I was going to turn the wood pattern down on a wood lathe to
the approximate width and height dimensions. Then I was going to hand
carve the lugs on the outside of the tire. Now I'm wondering if this
wouldn't be easier with Polymorph. Can I carve this stuff too? I just
bought a mill, so that might be an option to get the lugs carved.

Mike

An interesting molding material
 

"mj" wrote in message
oups.com...
Don,
Thanks. I would just use this for the pattern. I'll eventually make
a
urethane mold and use that to mold the tires with rubber molding
compound. For the pattern, I need something that is going to be
somewhat easy to work with as I need to figure out how to cut the
lugs
on the outside of the tires. I thought wood would be the way to go
initially as it would be fairly easy to carve with a chisel and
knife.

Basically, I was going to turn the wood pattern down on a wood lathe
to
the approximate width and height dimensions. Then I was going to
hand
carve the lugs on the outside of the tire. Now I'm wondering if this
wouldn't be easier with Polymorph. Can I carve this stuff too? I
just
bought a mill, so that might be an option to get the lugs carved.

Mike


You might want to look at polymer clays-any craft store will have
it...

An interesting molding material
 

On 19 Nov 2005 09:48:19 -0800, "mj" wrote:

Don,
Thanks. I would just use this for the pattern. I'll eventually make a
urethane mold and use that to mold the tires with rubber molding
compound. For the pattern, I need something that is going to be
somewhat easy to work with as I need to figure out how to cut the lugs
on the outside of the tires. I thought wood would be the way to go
initially as it would be fairly easy to carve with a chisel and knife.

Basically, I was going to turn the wood pattern down on a wood lathe to
the approximate width and height dimensions. Then I was going to hand
carve the lugs on the outside of the tire. Now I'm wondering if this
wouldn't be easier with Polymorph. Can I carve this stuff too? I just
bought a mill, so that might be an option to get the lugs carved.

Mike

Yup, you can carve it with an exacto knife, or with a sharp burr in a
Dremel if you don't let it get hot. You could also make dents with a
heated metal rod. You can mill it too; use a sharp 2-flute endmill
at fairly low speed.

An interesting molding material
 

On Sat, 19 Nov 2005 09:05:22 -0800, JR North
wrote:

What's your sense about it's bond ability with other materials, like
casting plastic, epoxy, RTV silicone, or polyester? How would it be for
reproducing surface detail? Might be useful for molding parts....

I don't have any feel for bondability with other materials. I don't
think it would be nearly as good as casting resins for reproduction
of detail.

An interesting molding material
 

£14.99, free shipping:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tem=5818085286

Or 5 x £.99 + (£2 + 4 x £1.50) shipping = £12.95:
http://cgi.ebay.com/POLYMORPH-light-...QQcmdZViewItem

Bob