Vacuum Forming Kydex?

[hathegkla]

I've never worked with kydex but I have a lot of experience in forming thermoplastics (I make medical device components and prototypes for a living). I was just wondering how well it vacuum forms. I'm not even sure what thickness people generally use for sheaths but the thickness would have the biggest impact on how well it can be vacuum formed. I have one of those SOG desert daggers and I was really liking the way they did the kydex. I was thinking it would be pretty cool to build a vacuum forming table out of some plywood and a shop vac and try making my own.

I realize its easier to just heat it up in the oven and either slump it or press it on but nothing beats a good vacuum formed part...plus if I built the vacuum forming table I could make some storm trooper armor

 

[mete]

Why don't you find the Kydex makers website .They have details about fabricating the plastic.

 

[Mongo-man]

Kydex is ideal for vacuum forming. This is the prefered method to apply kydex to furniture etc. The problem is most people don't have a vacuum form machine available.

 

[Josh K]

Kydex is ideal for vacuum forming. This is the prefered method to apply kydex to furniture etc. The problem is most people don't have a vacuum form machine available.

+1. There are several great youtube video's where people vacuum form the stuff.

 

[hathegkla]

sounds good, I'll check them out when I get home. I've been doing some "micro vacuum forming" at work and was thinking I should build myself a table. they're really easy to build if you already have a good strong shop vac, now where to put it would be my next problem.