Millar007[TK] Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 (edited) Hi all - so, heating plastic scares me to death. I need to warm my knee plate so I can mold it to the top of the calf, and am trying to figure out the best way to uniformly heat the plate so I can press it into place. However, I am very trigger shy with the heat gun based on past experiences! I tried to "boil" some plastic as a test run, but even after nearly 30mins of boiling, it really wasn't pliable enough. Warming it over the hot plate is like using the heat gun, and I really don't want to screw it up (this is already my 2nd knee plate in this build).<br><br> Thoughts/suggestions?? Edited March 10, 2016 by Millar007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmrhodes13[Staff] Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 I definitely found more control with a heat gun, it's a trial and error procedure with ABS, it does take practice and I did try a lot of test pieces before attempting to heat armor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haui[TK] Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Hi put it in boiling water but be carefull that it has no contact with the metal of the pot. It also works with a heat gun but you have to be carefull not to heat up one spot and you need a powerfull heatgun, i used one from work with a powerfull fan and the heat is adjustable from 200 up to 850°C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justjoseph63[Staff] Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Do you have to bend it in or out, Jefferson? A photo of it with the calf would be a big help to more define an answer for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrestonva[TK] Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 I've always had good success with boiling water, especially if I needed even heating. Basically heat the plastic in boiling water until it softens enough to be bendable (which should not take 30 minutes), bend it to the shape you need, then quickly cool it by dipping it in cold water so that it retains its new shape. Heat guns, on the other hand, can lead to warping unless you are very careful with the heat settings and keep the heat gun moving at all times. Is there anyone in the Denver area with more experience that can help you out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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