Kydex bending question

[Boriqua]

I have now made exactly 3 things of kydex and ... its not as difficult to make functional gear as I had thought. Certainly isnt pro standard but functional. I am not looking to sell anything but I do like making stuff for myself.
So I have a question... until now the things I made I had forms for. I want to do something for one of my guns that I dont have a blue gun for.
What kind of precautions do I need to make so I dont ruin my gun. I am pretty sure the kydex isnt nearly hot enough to due damage to my plastic frame but .. well I dont know!

Sure I cover the whole thing in masking tape .. that sounds like it may make a sticky mess .. or ??

 

[XJThrottle]

https://sekisui-spi.com/assets/images/products/KYDEX_Sheet_Technical_Brief_140-B_Thermoforming_KYDEX_Thermoplastic_Sheet.pdf

 

[XJThrottle]

As a high school job I did Kydex forming for phone booth directory covers. We had a somewhat automated table with timers and pneumatics. The heat source was ultimately just lamps.

 

[Crippledtrigger]

A couple guys here make kydex stuff.
They will chime in but I've seen toaster ovens, t shirt heat presses and low temp heat guns with wooden dowels to shape.

You can always reheat too.

 

[Boriqua]

I have no problem with the shaping .. mostly .. and have the feel right for when its hot enough ... I just never tried it on anything but blue guns and wooden forms and am afraid to ruin the plastic frame of a live firearm.

 

[Crippledtrigger]

Elheffe does holsters n such. He will have your answers.

I had his business contact info but cant find it. PM him on both boards.

 

[QuietM4]

It won't hurt anything. The temps required to form Kydex are much less than required to miss-shape a polymer framed firearm. Besides, you don't really shape the kydex around the grip of the firearm, arguably the most "bendable" part.

What you really need is a Kydex Foam Press...it makes life much easier.

 

[Boriqua]

I have been using a couple pieces of 3/4 ply with foam between it and clamping it with c clamps. Forms pretty nicely.

 

[TomI]

Just saw this, the only precaution I do on a polymer framed gun is to make sure I have a full magazine inserted before pressing. Other than the usual blocking and taping

 

[laserguy]

I never used masking tape, I always just dropped the gun into a gallon ziplock bag. I learned that from a friend that made leather holsters.

 

[Ballistic Therapy]

As a high school job I did Kydex forming for phone booth directory covers. We had a somewhat automated table with timers and pneumatics. The heat source was ultimately just lamps.

When I was in grade school we would basically do the same thing.
We made ash trays , bowls and things like that the same way with lamps.
The only difference was that we used vinyl records.
45's for ashtrays and 78's and 33's for bowls and such.