It looks promising... kind of like the stuff I've seen the guys on myth busters work with. Could be a very easy way to make replacement / custom body pannels, interior pannels, dashes, you name it. shows details as small as the thickness of the sheet you are working with.

http://www.kydex.com/

 

good stuff. I used it and liked it. Built my own vaccuum form from scrap parts. Really easy to do, and works great. My dads an upholsterer an i always told him there has to be an easier way. turns out, there is.

 

What did you make with it?

 

I don't know if I would use that stuff for car parts. It has been a while since I took my polymers/plastics class, but IIRC if that is plastic sheeting, then it would be considered thermoplastic like you mentioned in the title. That means that everytime that piece gets heated up to its yield temperature (most likely less than what it gets inside a car in the summer), it will lose its shape or start drooping. What you would want is a thermoform plastic that keeps its shape forever once it cures, but that involves mixing resin and using a catalyst to set it off.

 

How expensive is this stuff?

Would it work on fixing a damaged aerowing?

 

It looks like the temp it starts getting flexible is something like 350 degrees... possibly a higher temp than some of the other stuff. They use it on aircraft interiors... aircraft get parked outside in the sun so I don't see why this would be any different. I wouldn't try to make valve covers out of it.

You could make an aerowing out of it... not sure about repairing one.

Do a search online for retailers but I think its about $100 for a 4x8 sheet thick enough to make interior pannels... it comes in lots of different thicknesses.

 

4 feet by 8 feet, or 4 inches by 8 inches? I hope it's feet.

 

I would be an awesome idea for making a mold to use with fiberglass. Mold the fender with the plastic and lay the fiberglass to the new mold. Sounds good, don't know how well the plastic would hold up to resin though.

 

This web page has prices: http://www.polymerplastics.com/formingrade_kydex.shtml\

From www.kydex.com:
Applications
Machine housing Instrument consoles
Truck cargo liners Lavatory pans
Door liners Kick plates
Seat backs Aircraft pull-down trays
Truck fenders Trays and tote boxes
Motor covers Safety helmets
Aircraft fairing Air exhaust systems
Aircraft seating
Dashboards
Seatbacks
Storage compartments
Ceiling panels
Side wall panels
Enclosures of all types
Tray tables
Partitions
HVAC ducting
Window reveals

KYDEX sheet can be thermoformed at temperatures between 325°F and 390°F (162°C - 198°C)

Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) @ 264 psi (1.8 MPa) annealed 173° F (78° C)

Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) @ 264 psi (1.8 MPa) unannealed 185° F (85° C)

 

i used it to:
make reverse molds for fiberglass projects
made door panel caps
made kick panel molds
made dash pieces
made speaker grilles
and thats just the plastic in general

i used the table to:
wrap vinyl
pull fiberglass into molds
make silicone slips
pull material tight for fiberglassing
in all one of the handiest tools i have made

 

Do you have any pictures of the table, parts in progress of finished parts?

 

Sorry man I don't have a digital cam yet and the projects come and go, don't really take that many pics. I go to Disney with my wife and kid and maybe take 2-3 pics the whole time i'm there. As for specs for the table i found them online just by googling. try these:

http://www.cyro.com/Internet/SiteCon...56D4A0070CFEF/$File/1319+10E+Thermoforming+TB.pdf?OpenElement
http://www.plasticsnews.net/downloads/therformpet.pdf
http://www.halloweenfear.com/vacuumformintro.html (da man)
http://www.tk560.com/vactable4.html (guy makes storm trooper armor )

Or find an old air hockey table, hook up a shop vac, and break out the heat gun. thats basically what I use.