The Many Uses of ShapeLock

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By Michael Castor
Posted 2011/09/28 @ 2:00 pm
Category Electronics, General

ShapeLock is an amazingly useful polycaprolactone plastic that starts to melt and become moldable at around 160ºF. When it cools to room temperature, it becomes rigid and tough with qualities similar to nylon. By heating it in water with a microwave or using a heat gun, you can easily hand form it into almost anything.

Check out these projects to get some ideas for what you can do with this impressive material:

SwashBot3 by Crabfu

Android 10 by James of XRobots.co.uk

Robotic Arm by Alexey (Google Translation)

Prototype Pick and Place Head by John

Hand rest for an ergonomic mouse from Tiny Little Life

Eyeglasses repair by Macetech

Halloween Mask by Andrew

Ice shot glass mold by Icefreez

As you can see, this stuff is awesome! If you want to pick up some of this amazing material, it’s available in 250 gram and 500 gram bags in the Maker Shed!

In the Maker Shed

BeagleBoard BeagleBone Black

Makey Makey Standard Kit

Telegraph Decoder Kit by Spikenzie Labs

BrushBots

0 Responses to The Many Uses of ShapeLock

Adric Menning on September 28th, 2011 at 11:22 pm said:

Awesome, I picked up a bottle of friendly plastic beads(same stuff), and nobody save myself has done any hacking with it at our hackerspace.

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Adric Menning on September 28th, 2011 at 11:22 pm said:

Awesome, I picked up a bottle of friendly plastic beads(same stuff), and nobody save myself has done any hacking with it at our hackerspace.

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Andrew Wilson on October 6th, 2011 at 6:06 pm said:

LOL,

I was reading it, then I realized my halloween mask was on it. I first saw it and thought, “Someone made a mask that looks just like mine.” Then I notice my desk too.

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AMalePoet on October 15th, 2011 at 11:48 am said:

I wonder if this material could be used in a makerbot 3D printer. Hacking required but perhaps more versitile? A hopper with a one or two bead sized funnel into the heating element.

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