Pruduct: ShapeLock Prototyping Compound
Manufacturer: ShapeLock www.shapelock.com
Packaging: 250 gram tub
Price: $14.95 +shipping (free 35 gram sample available)

What is it?

ShapeLock is a low temperature (150*F) thermoplastic use to make prototypes of parts of just about any shape and form, even load bearing parts. Can also be use for finished parts, not just prototypes.

Manufacturer claims this product is super strong, can be re-used indefinitely, machineable, paintable, and non-toxic.

Initial thoughts were skeptical as I had used some similar products before. Lets see!!!


The container is the type normally seen used for hair gel and such, filled with 250 grams of ShapeLock pellets. Labelled with what appears to be a home made inkjet label. As you can see, a bit of water took some of the ink off. Thats OK though.




The directions say:

"Place a quantity of granules in hot water (150*F,65*C) until they become clear. DO Not overheat. Remove with tongs,squeeze out excess water and shape by hand. Material will turn opaque white and lock into shape below 130*F,55*C"

I used a glass bowl filled with tap water heated in the microwave for 1 minute. Once the water was hot I placed about 20 -30 grams of ShapeLock granules into the hot water. They immediately began to turn clear.





After about 1 minute in the hot water all the granules had turned completely clear. I used a spoon to mush it together while it was still in the water to make for easier removal. I then removed the blob with the spoon as I did not have any tongs ready and was very anxious to try this stuff out.

Here is the blob after removal and a few squeezes to get air bubbles and water out.




I initially thought that it would be extremely difficult to remove the excess water, it was quite the contrary. When in a pliable form it has a certain "lubricating" effect that sheds the water away almost immediately. What is left evaporates quickly at 150*F.

I also assumed that handling a blob of plastic at 150*F would be very uncomfortable, this was also quite the contrary. At 150*F the water was quite hot, but the ShapeLock seems to have some heat retaining properties that prevent it from cunducting to the skin, as it really didnt feel hot at all.

I really did not need any particular part at the moment so I just squeezed the blob in my hand and shaped it a bit to form what looks like it should be the handle to the organic gun used in Existenz. A cool bony, devils horn looking object.

The ShapeLock is very workable and stays pliable for roughly 20 minutes after removing from heat. I was kind of tired of waiting for it to harden so I threw it in the freezer for about 5 minutes. When I removed it, it was hard as a rock. Also, it did not shrink to any noticeable degree, and retained every last imprint made by my hand and fingerprints.

Here is a pic of the hardened object. It did indeed return to the original opaque white.





When hardened, the plastic is quite stiff and very hard to bend, and very strong. So far it has lived up to its claims.

I would assume it would be very easy to roll with a rolling pin of some sort to make flat objects such as fan grills and the like.

As far as machining goes I will also assume it will machine,drill and tap very similar to other medium-hard plastics such a Delrin.

I assume it will be very hard to paint with convetional finishes due to its "lubricating" type properties. Although, it may be able to be dyed with standard vinyl dyes and maybe even fabric dyes.

Overall I think this is a very useable product in the making of just about any case mod part you could imagine, or any part that can be made of a low temp material for that matter.

Best product of its type I have used.


Pimps:

• Reasonable price
• Very pliable when heated
• Fairly long working time
• Very strong

Gimps:

• Probably not paintable with ordinary paints
• Only available from manufacturer
• Only comes in white at this time

Highly reccomended!!!!

8 unofficial PimpHats
X8

If it were available in other colors besides white it would have gotten a 10.

Nice review Luna; have you had a chance to paint it or machine it at all?

Luna Nice Find, I'm betting that , the compound would be great for Custom Res's For WC setups! Also would be great for molding wicked fronts into cases! EG mouth's for skulls and have a reb blowhole where the mouth is!

Nice review ... but it would have been good to see if it was any good for making useful bits (brackets, a fan grille like you suggested, standoffs, maybe even ducts) - I could do what you did with a bit of flour & water, & it would cost a few p/c, not $15 .... I'd like to see a follow up on its paintability too.

Very good writeup, I too would like to know about how well it handles being drilled and painted.

EDIT:

Quote: Originally Posted by Jonny English I could do what you did with a bit of flour & water...

I'll pitch in for the flour! How about a writeup?

Yea, what I did could be done with anything, but it was just a preliminary test to see if the basics were as stated.

I made a chassis for a robot im building with it. It drills and cuts extremely well although must be done at low speeds due to low melting point. I will test paint this weekend.

Quote: Originally Posted by Lunamods [font=Verdana][size=2]Yea, what I did could be done with anything...

Relax, it's all good. It was a good write up and covered the essentials.

Personally, I am interested in experimenting with the stuff as well.... I might try that out before I try that acrylic/polyesther resin I've been dying to get my hands on.

I figured as much on the cutting results. Let us know how you fare with painting it.... might even do a smaller test piece to see how well paint bonds both with and without primer.

I received my "free" sample of this stuff last week and I was going to play with it this weekend..see if can flatten it out into a square for an 80mm grill...might not be enough there but I'll let you know.


Oh yeah...It's "free" except for the 5$ shipping charge.

And if the weather warms up I'll see if a little plastic primer could help the possible paint issue

i would definetly use this stuff IF its paintable, please let us know anyone who does this ASAP, as i would use it for my current project.

I got wondering about Rit dye and this stuff...wonder if when you put it in the hot water if the water was dyed with rit die if it would absorb it like lexan does. can you keep it in the water for an indefiinate amount of time if the water is kept @ the proper tempurature?

very intersting product has my gears rolling!

seems to me that it would be annoying to have to deal with a 150deg melting point...eh oh well, still looks like great stuff.

Quote: Originally Posted by Demon Made seems to me that it would be annoying to have to deal with a 150deg melting point...eh oh well, still looks like great stuff.

Yeah, i dont know if it could be cut or drilled at all withouto melting on you.

Answers to questions!!!

1. Painting: I made some servo brackets for a robot im building and used Tamiya lexan paint that is used for lexan R/C car bodies and it does in fact accept this type of paint very well with NO peeling or chipping.

2: It can in fact be drilled, milled,cut, tapped, glued, screwed and just about anything else you can think of. Drilling and other machining needs to be done at LOW speed but none the less can be done.

I have tried all of this and it works great.


It can remain in water indefinitely but will harden as the water cools.

I suppose that RIT dye would probably work. Im gonna give it a try somtime.

Excellent! Thanks Lunamods! That was the info I was waiting for!

This product could sure raise the Mod'n bar for DIY'ers. Great review and Information!

great info LUNA...
Hmmm....**many modding ideas run through the madmans mind**

Looks like a great product with some endless possiblities. Thanks for the review Luna.

I'm just wondering if you could fill a spray bottle with hot water and use it to keep it pliable longer. That way you could do more complex things with it.

Quote: Originally Posted by DuplexEmotions I'm just wondering if you could fill a spray bottle with hot water and use it to keep it pliable longer. That way you could do more complex things with it.

A hot air gun works well, I had to use one to make changes to some brackets