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Thread: Shapelock

  1. #1
    Fever Hunter NJ_Mike's Avatar
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    Default Shapelock

    I saw this product on a hack-a-day write up. It looks like it might be good for making replacement parts, although I still have a lot of questions. For example the website doesn't describe how much material makes what size pieces (it'll make more sense if you look at the site) but based on the pictures, you might be able to put together several smaller parts with the $15 size (based on the picture of the person holding 35 gram size in their hand).

    Anyone tried anything like this before? It seems to be pretty durable, looking at 3rd party video. Another question would be whether or not it bonds with regular (30+ year old) plastic for repairing cracks or filling broken sections.

    SHAPELOCK

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    Mr. Vintage wrkey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    Doing some research on the net provided several reviews of the stuff. All seem to be complimentary but mention the low meltng point as an issue for some applications. I think for making parts, this may be a good thing to try.

    My only concern as I think about it, is the actual moding process. Since it becomes a 'glob' of material to be formed, I don't think it would fill a mold very easily.

    I see the process of creating a part as such:

    Take an existing part and put ceramic clay around it with a very thin piece of sheet metal transecting it.
    Allow the clay to dry and harden.
    Pull apart the mold where the metal sheet divided it and remove the original part.
    Fire the ceramic clay to hard and 'fix' the mold solid.
    Heat the ShapeLock material and push into both sides of the mold until slightly overfull.
    Jam the two sides of the mold together and allow to cool. The over fill should allow the shape lock pieces to bind together and take up the bit of room that the sheet metal divider created in the original mold making process.
    Once cool, put apart the mold, trim off the excess material.
    Drill / cut and holes and/or shapes not created by the mold.

    Sounds simple right?
    Rusty Key

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    Goodwill Ambassador luckydog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    幸運わんわん Luckydog or Yukiwanwan in Japanese

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    Blind Shooter pachitimsj's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    back in the early 90s we used to make vampire teeth out of the stuff. you can buy it at Michel's craft store under the name friendly plastic. it hardens when cool a little to flexy for big parts might work for forming small parts.

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  9. #5
    Blind Shooter pachitimsj's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    also i think they are charging too much for their product i bought a 4 pound bucket in 92 for 19.95.

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  11. #6
    Fever Hunter Cystic's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    Shapelock is the same as Friendly Plastic.

    I have used over a hundred pounds of Friendly Plastic in my life. I co-owned a costume and prop manufacturing company(and a model and prop company later in Hollywood) and Friendly Plastic was one of our prime materials.(in our first shop, not used much in Hollywood surprisingly) We made mostly Sci-Fi and Fantasy type of costumes. Almost all of our helmets and heads we made from Friendly Plastic and some armour. We thought it a wonder product.(little did we know) We bought by the case directly. I have spoken to the creator of Friendly Plastic and his wife more than once on the phone. They ran it from the house at the time.

    The actual product is called Polycaprolactone.

    Polycaprolactone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Kinda like Silly Putty is Polydimethylsiloxane.

    Quote Originally Posted by pachitimsj View Post
    also i think they are charging too much for their product i bought a 4 pound bucket in 92 for 19.95.
    If you paid that price you got the deal of the decade. Best I did buying by the case directly was 22.50 a 28oz can back in '87 or so. (hehe, I too made many a pair of fast fangs from it myself, I wore uppers and lowers when needed)

    Best price I found lately is this:
    FRIENDLY Plastic Pellets - 25 lb. Pail -
    That's 25lbs for 299 + shipping.

    The price of both products is consistent(per the SL website and Amazon for FP) if you don't count the HUGE discount price of the above or the small cans. I once negotiated for a pallet box full of pellets about of 1000lbs or so IIRC and barely got a 10% discount back in the day as no one else sold this product. I didn't buy it as I lost the bid.

    If I remember right a 28oz can was about 32 cubic inches.


    The product is great for lots of uses but has a few BAD limitations like:


    IT WILL MELT IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR IF LEFT IN THE SUN!
    Sorry to yell but it does not come out of fabric (or the fabric seats of your girlfriends new car) EVER.(well not for the years I went out with her) That also goes for near a heater or vent or fireplace.

    It WILL bond to Aluminium forever as well so don't use aluminium cookware to melt it in or tools to work it This can be used to your advantage if you you use it over aluminium wire, sheet, tube or expanded lath.(my favorite)

    The WORST problem IMHO is it WILL break down and crumble with age. Most all of the items I made have aged and crumbled away. It takes maybe 6-7 years and gets worse with age.(the two heads I have left crumble if I touch them to move them)


    It does have an up side for short term use though:

    It is very easy to work with and excellent for prototyping.

    It is very tough and takes abuse very well when new.

    It is easily cut, drilled, screwed, and even machined and it takes paint well.

    It can be remelted and reused about 600 times(they say 1000 but no, I tried) Not much use here.

    It takes leather dye REALLY well and looks great.(Also not much use here but it does look cool)

    It is(or was?) available in 1.5 x 7 inch? or so sticks maybe 1/16th thick?
    In basic colours and a bunch of metallic and neon and such for jewelry making, very pricey.(Also not much use here)


    If it's a working piece you need then hand sculpting most parts isn't that hard. I think you could make almost the entire works out of the stuff. Certainly any one piece. It's like Duct Tape that way.


    Rusty, your method is valid if a bit old school, if you have those capabilities and a straight part it might work but I would not use that technique for this product. It can be cast after a fashion using a similar technique and it also presses into a one sided mold well.

    Luckydog, lost wax is a bit extreme but also a valid way of making some parts.(Hmmm solid silver pockets and center for a '50's machine...) But again I would not use that technique for this product..

    If you don't mind the short lifetime of the part and the heat sensitivity this product would work OK, however if you want an exact reproduction there are better ways and better products.


    As far as using it to fix broken trays and ball channel bits on the back. It will stick to most things about like Hot Glue sticks to things, maybe a little better to some things. It sticks very well if heated just short of burning.(to fingers especially) The coloured parts on the back are Styrene I think and it sticks well to that. The clear plastic may be more problematic. For fixing trays I think Polyester Resin(Bondo) looks like it gives great result. Someone has used it to great success on this board. Also plastic welding works for some others.

    Using it for parts of the ball shooter feed mechanism would work ok if you used a bit of aluminium tube for the hub and maybe some aluminium wire in the body



    I do have a few tips:

    Keep large bowl of cold water to "freeze" the part when you get it just right. (also it will feel good on your burnt fingers)

    Water spray(or dip) cools the surface and helps for roughing in the part as it "skins" on the outside. Use vegetable oil on your fingers to help smooth the part after reheating.

    I have used a heat gun, heat lamp(old red kind), a crock pot(w/water) and sometime an alcohol lamp to reheat my parts at various times in sculpting.

    Sheets can be made using pellets and a teflon coated steel half sheet pan in a low oven. Spread one layer, heat and spread more to the thickness(we did two layers to just fill holes) you want, cool to touch and place in freezer or fridge(or outside) to pop off tray.

    Friendly Plastic has its uses but for me has been surpassed by other materials and techniques in most applications.
    Last edited by Cystic; 01-20-2010 at 11:10 AM.

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  13. #7
    Mr. Vintage wrkey's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    Great post!
    Rusty Key

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    Fever Hunter NJ_Mike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    Wow Cystic - thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response.

    I think you've answered my questions and then some.

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  17. #9
    Scowlin' Jean Hornigold hanabi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    I remembered seeing something in a Maplins store just before Xmas, but forgot what it was called

    But it sounds like the type of product you are discussing and I managed to find a link

    Polymorph : Educational School Kits : Maplin
    Angie ...
    Pachinkos, Pachislos, Coffee, Papercraft Ninja, Pinball

    I ran away with the Steampunk Circus!
    I was hiding in a room in my mind...
    You crush the lily in my soul...



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  19. #10
    Fever Hunter Cystic's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    Quote Originally Posted by NJ_Mike View Post
    Wow Cystic - thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response.

    I think you've answered my questions and then some.
    You are quite welcome. It is good to drag up some old knowledge once in a while. I had almost forgot about the stuff as I am still a bit sore about losing the items I made.



    Hanabi, that looks about like the same stuff.

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  21. #11
    Sandwich Shooter sharmoni's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    A new moldable silicone modeling clay called sugru has recently appeared (they are already sold out and working on making more). It may fit the bill: About | sugru | Hack Things Better.
    “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.”

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  23. #12
    Waste not, Want not mudfud's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    also, you could use mighty putty, the plumber's 2 part epoxy putty to make most things. use an armature wire to strengthen. I have had good luck with the stuff. you can mold it into whatever shape, then use an exacto or other pointy tool to add lines or grooves. sets up hard and it won't decay with time.

    the stuff the plumbers use turns grey when dried. the mighty putty at target is almost white (even though it starts green/white).

    I patched my powerflash plastic corners with it, using a nail to make the holes before it set. should take paint well and be strong enough.

    or, buy a 3d printer! many of them extrude ABS, so the parts will set up really strong.
    PachiTalk

    chewy's motto: life is plumbing

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  25. #13
    Fever Hunter NJ_Mike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Shapelock

    There was an entire section on 3d printing in the current MAKE magazine issue. You can buy kits now for around $800 for a small (about a foot square printing area) 3d printer.

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