In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures. Our customer who works with this stuff says:
"The company that makes the brightly-colored stuff I gave you is on-line at sammonspreston.com. Click on "splinting" on the left side menu, then under "splinting materials" click on "Rolyan brands". The bright stuff is called "Aquaplast Watercolors". As you will see, there are a lot of choices to wade through."
Hope that helps. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures. Our customer who works with this stuff says:
"The company that makes the brightly-colored stuff I gave you is on-line at sammonspreston.com. Click on "splinting" on the left side menu, then under "splinting materials" click on "Rolyan brands". The bright stuff is called "Aquaplast Watercolors". As you will see, there are a lot of choices to wade through."
Hope that helps.
Don't tell me that! My Lexan just came in the mail.
But while I have been waiting, I began pondering why cycling shoes have a curved sole anyway. Why not flat?
In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures.
Just a note on vocabulary, in case others are doing Google searches:
The word "thermosetting" refers to a different class of plastics. It's used for the plastics which permanently set (sometimes, not always, by application of heat) and which cannot be re-softened up by re-heating. Epoxy is a common one.
Plastics that can be softened by heat and re-shaped are called "thermoplastic." Polyethylene is a common one.
You can Google 'define: thermosetting' and 'define: thermoplastic' (without the quotes) to double check this.
In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures. Our customer who works with this stuff says: "The company that makes the brightly-colored stuff I gave you is on-line at sammonspreston.com. Click on "splinting" on the left side menu, then under "splinting materials" click on "Rolyan brands". The bright stuff is called "Aquaplast Watercolors". As you will see, there are a lot of choices to wade through." Hope that helps.
Quoted message said:
Don't tell me that! My Lexan just came in the mail. But while I have been waiting, I began pondering why cycling shoes have a curved sole anyway. Why not flat?
Sorry, I just hadn't seen him in a while. He was in for neoprene shoe covers in our slushy cold January.
Ideally, your foot in a relaxed position is curved. Spreading pedal pressure over a larger area is considered desirable; a 'flat' shoe will necessarily have 'hot spots'. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures.
Quoted message said:
Just a note on vocabulary, in case others are doing Google searches:
The word "thermosetting" refers to a different class of plastics. It's used for the plastics which permanently set (sometimes, not always, by application of heat) and which cannot be re-softened up by re-heating. Epoxy is a common one.
Plastics that can be softened by heat and re-shaped are called "thermoplastic." Polyethylene is a common one.
You can Google 'define: thermosetting' and 'define: thermoplastic' (without the quotes) to double check this.
Proof positive that I completely ignorant in this area. Thanks. -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures. Our customer who works with this stuff says: "The company that makes the brightly-colored stuff I gave you is on-line at sammonspreston.com. Click on "splinting" on the left side menu, then under "splinting materials" click on "Rolyan brands". The bright stuff is called "Aquaplast Watercolors". As you will see, there are a lot of choicesto wade through." Hope that helps.
Quoted message said:
Don't tell me that! My Lexan just came in the mail. But while I have been waiting, I began pondering why cycling shoes have a curved sole anyway. Why not flat?
Sorry, I just hadn't seen him in a while. He was in for neoprene shoe covers in our slushy cold January.
Ideally, your foot in a relaxed position is curved. Spreading pedal pressure over a larger area is considered desirable; a 'flat' shoe will necessarily have 'hot spots'. -- Andrew Muziwww.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
But on a bike, it's not relaxed. Maybe some plywood mock-ups are in order...
In a discussion of making cycling shoes at home, we discussed plastics which may be easily formed at heatgun temperatures.
Just a note on vocabulary, in case others are doing Google searches:
The word "thermosetting" refers to a different class of plastics. It's used for the plastics which permanently set (sometimes, not always, by application of heat) and which cannot be re-softened up by re-heating. Epoxy is a common one.
Plastics that can be softened by heat and re-shaped are called "thermoplastic." Polyethylene is a common one.
You can Google 'define: thermosetting' and 'define: thermoplastic' (without the quotes) to double check this.
Of course, such a helpful and simple explanation is subject to correction. 🙂
Non-resettable plastics are typically cross-linked. There is cross-linked polyethylene that is not resettable. It is known by the acronyms PEX and XLPE.
Cross-linking is where the long polymerized molecules form chemical bonds one to another along the polymers. The cross-linking prevents reformation. They cannot be melted or dissolved.
