Dave Storrs wrote:
>
> Is there any reasonable (i.e., not too expensive, not too time-consuming)
> way for a hobbyist to produce complex forms in plastic? Specifically, I'm
> thinking about things like ergonomic shells for input devices.
Go to your large arts and grafts store. There are a couple of clay
like plastics that you can mould to the shape you want than fire in
a regular oven to set their shape. The name of one of them is FIMO.
A quick google search came up with
http://www.mimidolls.com/techbook/p_hazard.htm
which describes use and some issues in relation to doll making.
Extrapolate at will...
There are also plastic bead products designed to melt and flow to
fill a cavity to acheive a stained glass type effect.
Another possible plastic to use is the stuff used to make paper
weights. One caution, it needs to built up in layers or it has a
tendacy to fracture. One fun thing about it is you can embed
circuits in it. Just don't try to operate them till it has had
enough time to fully cool all the way through. Another thing is
it is slightly heat insulating so your circuit can't produce much
heat. You can also color it with their coloring agents or supply
your own. Watch out on the coloring agents as some are conductive.
--
| Bryan Andersen | 
| http://softail.visi.com |
| Buzzwords are like annoying little flies that deserve to be swatted. |
| -Bryan Andersen |
--
Subcription/unsubscription/info requests: send e-mail with subject of
"subscribe", "unsubscribe", or "info" to 
Wear-Hard Mailing List Archive (searchable): http://wearables.blu.org
From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH)
Maintained by R. Paul McCarty
Archive created with babymail