Hello again, a simple project here this time, compared to the micarter (well sorta).
ok, so for those who have found this tutorial and not the micarta one, i'll repeat a few steps from that one.
HDPE is easy to find,
as long as its got the number 2 in the triangle and or it has HDPE (sometimes PEHD) then its good for what we need.
hdpe melts (not burns or release fumes) at about 180 c.
this stuff can be easily singed at about 220 c i think from experience, although the inside would still be fine.
step one:
take your bottle and cut it into pieces roughly 1-2 cm2 and collect. now i'm sure its wrong (knowing me prob by alot) but i think its weighing in at about 1.5grams per cm3 so you can roughly work out how much plastic you will need to collect by working out how big your mould is.
step two:
putt all your HDPE into a metal bowl and place into an oven. switch oven to 190c and as with the micarta heat for about an hour checking twice and turning the bowl. this stuff is the consistency of toffee peeps, so dont think your going to be poring it anywhere! using a metal rod or butter knife etc pry the HDPE from the bowl and place into your mould.
step three:
HDPE when cooling wants to twist badly as different parts cool quicker, so i made a block moulder that i could dump the melted HDPE in and form it to a rough block and hold it there.
here is the area for the plastic, it is contained by 2x2 cm wooden slats into a piece of ply with a side left open for a sliding push bar.
step four:
once the plastic is sitting roughly inside the three sides of the rig, you can push the lid (peice of ply)
down and squash it then screw in place.
step five:
use the push side to further squash the HDPE into the mould, and screw that in place.
and then leave to cool for around two hours before taking it out.
coloured pieces can be added into the mix before heating, or even layers of whole coloured plastic, or...... anything heat proof . anyway, hope that gave someone something to do
ok, so for those who have found this tutorial and not the micarta one, i'll repeat a few steps from that one.
HDPE is easy to find,
as long as its got the number 2 in the triangle and or it has HDPE (sometimes PEHD) then its good for what we need.
hdpe melts (not burns or release fumes) at about 180 c.
this stuff can be easily singed at about 220 c i think from experience, although the inside would still be fine.
step one:
take your bottle and cut it into pieces roughly 1-2 cm2 and collect. now i'm sure its wrong (knowing me prob by alot) but i think its weighing in at about 1.5grams per cm3 so you can roughly work out how much plastic you will need to collect by working out how big your mould is.
step two:
putt all your HDPE into a metal bowl and place into an oven. switch oven to 190c and as with the micarta heat for about an hour checking twice and turning the bowl. this stuff is the consistency of toffee peeps, so dont think your going to be poring it anywhere! using a metal rod or butter knife etc pry the HDPE from the bowl and place into your mould.
step three:
HDPE when cooling wants to twist badly as different parts cool quicker, so i made a block moulder that i could dump the melted HDPE in and form it to a rough block and hold it there.
here is the area for the plastic, it is contained by 2x2 cm wooden slats into a piece of ply with a side left open for a sliding push bar.
step four:
once the plastic is sitting roughly inside the three sides of the rig, you can push the lid (peice of ply)
down and squash it then screw in place.
step five:
use the push side to further squash the HDPE into the mould, and screw that in place.
and then leave to cool for around two hours before taking it out.
coloured pieces can be added into the mix before heating, or even layers of whole coloured plastic, or...... anything heat proof . anyway, hope that gave someone something to do