This is SO COOL!! 'Polymorph'

[diarmaid]

Hi folks,

I found this stuff today called Polymorph. Its plastic granules that melt to a permeable state when heated above 62degC. It can be molded and formed into almost any shape when malleable, and then hardens again to a tough hard solid plastic. When hard it can be machined or cut, sanded or painted.

Below is an example of what I did with it today to test it. In the bowl you see a small bracket that was my first attempt at making something with it. I poured in just boiled water, then took out the permeable stuff and squeezed out the water. As you see I re-heated the bracket to use the plastic again. For my second attempt I formed two pivot stands for a gate I made, shaping the plastic when hot around the hinge bars as shown in the pics (No jokes please, I know what it looks like!). I squeezed flaps on the sides and two 'feet' because Im going to set the two plastic stands into concrete and then sit the hinge bars of the gate into them! Tomorrow Im going to sand the stands and cut them to even out the tops a bit, then keep the cut-offs to be re-used later, no waste!

The plastic is completely re-useable and is also bio-degradable. It doesn't say how bio-degradable, but Im banking that set in concrete it'll last a few years at least.

Think of the numerous uses!!! Ball joints, so many different types of brackets, custom handles for stuff, etc etc........

Its expensive if you want to make a large object, this little tub cost €32. But if your making hundreds of very small parts that dont use much plastic each but would cost a lot to get custom made, then it's great value.

[Al_The_Man]

It apears to be UK based and available to Europe, I wonder if it is marketed elsewhere under a different name?
Al.

[Geof]

I found mwntion of polymorph here including US sources:

http://reprapdoc.voodoo.co.nz/bin/view/Main/Polymorph

The reprap site in itself might appeal to some people.

[diarmaid]

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[diarmaid]

Thanks Geof, very useful link. I bought mine from Maplin in Ireland. Im not sure I like that reprap, self constructing, self replicating, evolving machine....thus begins the age of robots and the decline of man!

http://reprap.org/

Edit: Argh! Posted twice by accident, that's happening a lot lately. I blanked out the post above, it said the exact same as this one.