Custom Fabricated Components for your Axoloti Projects

#1

I was reading a discussion about that thermoplastic stuff in another thread here, but thought it best to start a dedicated new thread about it rather than risk sending the other thread OT, so here it is.

I've been looking into this sort of stuff for prototyping, here's one called Polymorph, and my question is has anyone used this version of the plastic, and if so, how 'hard' is hard when it sets?

For example, once it's gone completely hard, if a person were to dig their fingernail into it would it leave a mark, or is it hard enough to prevent that?

One of the descriptions suggests it's comparable to Nylon, but do they mean in strengh or hardness?

Some stuff I've seen done with it looks hard and glossy, while other stuff looks matt and Nylon-like. I'm very curious about this, cause this stuff can be coloured you know, and that means that if it sets hard enough, it would be great for pushing into a mold for making custom synth buttons, knobs, bezels, keys even!

Any hints, tips, advice, discussion about this stuff, which is hardest, what to avoid etc, is very welcome cause I notice there's actually quite a few brands/types available on eBay etc :slightly_smiling_face:

#2

OK, I admit, I couldn't wait to hear your opinions so I went ahead and ordered this one called "Polydoh". It's direct from the manufacrturer from the looks of it and it looks more professional than the others.

What really attracted me to it though was this:

  • Incredibly strong, cannot be broken with a hammer.
  • The only one to use a 6-colour mixing system allowing lighter colors, and any colour to be created.
  • As well as being super strong it's flexible when thin (but I suppose they all are really, being plastic).

Anyway, certainly sounds like it's extremely hard once it sets, so I've ordered some and will post my opinion of it once I've had time to play with it.

Gotta be honest with you, dumb as it sounds I'm actually very excited to try this stuff cause if it's any good, it means I could cut-out precision molds using my CNC, and just push this stuff into the mold.

Axoman Industries - Dreamin' in Thermoplastic :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#3

Looks like your been on the robotics sites.
Can't remember what they call it, but there is a home made one you can do with silicon and corn flour. But it has to be the silicon that draws moisture in, not pushes it out. Its recognized by its acetal smell.
The corn flour is mixed with the silicon, the corn flour draws in moisture from the air, and forces the mixture to harden in several minutes. Depending on the silicon you use will depend on how firm it can be, I made a plaster mould with it once, worked great. In robotics, some use it for texture, a sort of skin, and so on, you could easily build soft buttons that light up with it like on many controllers.

#4

Its called "oogoo"
google it..

#5

Cool stuff, Gav', it's rubber though from the looks of it. I couldn't use that for knobs and enclosure stuff, but definitely good for buttons, pads, damping components etc, will try that - cheers :sunglasses:

I just hope that stuff I ordered doesn't smell when it's cured. I notice it says it has a faint smell of coconut, so I hope they mean only while moldable, not when set. On the plus side I'm happy I ordered the right one cause that Polydoh brand is 100% virgin material whereas others I've seen are 99.xx% pure. Apparently the non-pure stuff is recycled and mixed with hot-melt or something.

I saw a black plastic snake done with this stuff and it definitely looks the job, looked very hard, exactly the sort of plastic to make custom knobs with!

I just hope that whatever I make with it doesn't sit there smelling like a giant coconut :grin:

#6

It smells no different to any other cured silicon. I guess the way to express it, does the silicon used in a bathroom still smell.. ?
:stuck_out_tongue:

#7

lol, no I meant the Polydoh, I'm hoping it doesn't smell when cured :grin:

#8

Maybe, eco flex can be fun to use too, to make sounds even more organic.

#9

Dunno 'bout that, ST, consider what women do with that stuff, the result looks anything but organic :grin:

Thanks for posting it, I've edited the title of this thread to something more appropriate so that it covers all sorts of different materials suited to fabricating custom parts for Axoloti projects. I've removed the word "plastic", so if anyone wants to, feel free to post any useful or interesting fabrication material in here.

#10

Just thought I'd add this stuff to the thread, great stuff, it's like that stuff power tools are coated with and is incredibly awesome for spraying or brushing onto stuff like synth enclosures. Gives a perfect matte-effect rubber finish no matter whether you spray it on or brush it on. Choice of colours available or you can even buy it clear and coat any existing colour in rubber. If you've ever seen those cool-looking matt-rubber looking paint jobs on cars, well that's basically this stuff.

And can you believe it, after all that excitement over the Polydoh, it's been sat in it's packet since it arrived, but I intend to have a play with it this weekend. I think I'll clone a ready-made knob as an experiment to test the stuff out!