moldable/cuttable plastic for DIY projects - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

brillo · 07-30-2013, 04:41 PM

So I'm looking for a type of plastic I can source at home depot / lowes etc... that is somewhat moldable and cuttable. Think the thickness and denesty of our airbox. Also willing to explore online purchase options.

I'm trying to create a block off "plate" or cover for my oil cooler in the winter.

any suggestions? have some other various ideas that such plastic would be useful for as well.

post_break · 07-30-2013, 09:58 PM

Plexiglass and sugru. Keep in mind that radiator might get quite toasty.

Gunman · 07-30-2013, 10:18 PM

http://www.mcmaster.com/ anything you can imagine, and all kinds of plastic sheet:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-pl...sheets/=nur0kd

BigFatFlip · 07-31-2013, 05:46 PM

You can also pay Tap Plastics a visit. I've used HDPE sheets from them for under body cladding, I'm sure you can use thicker sheets for your application.

1stGenBRZ86 · 07-31-2013, 09:41 PM

umm if you're going to put plastic in the engine bay, please look at the temp range before you do so. Off the top of my head, two plastics that work well under the hood are delrin and phenolic.

notout86 · 08-05-2013, 04:10 AM

I find the plastic of soft-drink bottles handy. Very tough and light weight, heat resistant, see-through, areas cut out are often the shape you already want, ducting, tubes etc. , crimp, secure with duct tape . Lasts for > 17 years in engine compartments.
Dunno how to glue it successfully yet.

antlers · 08-13-2013, 08:01 PM

Look into kydex. It's a thermo plastic used a lot in the firearms industry among other things. Heres a few things i've made with it:

This won't work if the radiator is over like 150* F.

mid_life_crisis · 08-14-2013, 09:49 AM

Why does it have to be plastic? Sheet metal at the thickness you're talking about is still very light and easily shaped. Clean it good and coat it with some high temp paint.

brillo · 08-14-2013, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mid_life_crisis

Why does it have to be plastic? Sheet metal at the thickness you're talking about is still very light and easily shaped. Clean it good and coat it with some high temp paint.

doesn't have to be plastic, guess I'm just more scared to shape/cut metal. What sheet metal would you recommend that is readily available? Does home depot carry aluminum sheets that are small?

mid_life_crisis · 08-14-2013, 11:20 AM

I'm pretty sure they have small pieces of the same stuff they make ducting out of.

ZionsWrath · 12-11-2015, 07:52 AM

I am using blue tape right now.

I'd switch to cardboard and duct tape for below freezing temps but I won't be driving my BRZ once the roads start getting salted.

The main thing is blocking air flow through the fins. Your car is still going to cool oil more than a stock car because of the extra pathway it is taking.

go_a_way1 · 12-11-2015, 08:08 AM

I wanted to do something like this as well, but I just ended up taking the thermostat completely out of the sandwiched plate and now oil temps are find in -10C (coldest its been so far, but I am expecting to see -35C) to doesn't take much longer then with no oil cooler to warm up and it runs at 190 under normal driving

gtpvette · 12-13-2019, 07:55 AM

Used this for wheel wells....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HDPE-High-D...72.m2749.l2649

07-30-2013, 04:41 PM	#1
brillo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Drives: 2013 Firestorm FR-S Location: Houston Posts: 506 Thanks: 18 Thanked 77 Times in 64 Posts Mentioned: 10 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	moldable/cuttable plastic for DIY projects So I'm looking for a type of plastic I can source at home depot / lowes etc... that is somewhat moldable and cuttable. Think the thickness and denesty of our airbox. Also willing to explore online purchase options. I'm trying to create a block off "plate" or cover for my oil cooler in the winter. any suggestions? have some other various ideas that such plastic would be useful for as well. __________________ 2013 Firestorm FR-S, MTX, build date 1/13.

08-14-2013, 09:49 AM	#8
mid_life_crisis Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: FR-S 10 #103 AT Location: NC Posts: 1,519 Thanks: 101 Thanked 599 Times in 347 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Why does it have to be plastic? Sheet metal at the thickness you're talking about is still very light and easily shaped. Clean it good and coat it with some high temp paint. __________________ Necessity may be the mother of Invention but Desperation is quite often the father. “Sex is like Bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand.” - Mae West Papa said, "son there's a lot of evil temptations out there. Best to try 'em all so you know which ones to avoid."

08-14-2013, 11:20 AM	#10
mid_life_crisis Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: FR-S 10 #103 AT Location: NC Posts: 1,519 Thanks: 101 Thanked 599 Times in 347 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'm pretty sure they have small pieces of the same stuff they make ducting out of. __________________ Necessity may be the mother of Invention but Desperation is quite often the father. “Sex is like Bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand.” - Mae West Papa said, "son there's a lot of evil temptations out there. Best to try 'em all so you know which ones to avoid."

12-11-2015, 07:52 AM	#11
ZionsWrath Thanks Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: BRZ Location: NY Posts: 4,163 Thanks: 5,989 Thanked 3,100 Times in 1,498 Posts Mentioned: 38 Post(s) Tagged: 3 Thread(s)	I am using blue tape right now. I'd switch to cardboard and duct tape for below freezing temps but I won't be driving my BRZ once the roads start getting salted. The main thing is blocking air flow through the fins. Your car is still going to cool oil more than a stock car because of the extra pathway it is taking. __________________

12-13-2019, 07:55 AM	#13
gtpvette Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Drives: 2015 FRS - FFR GTM Location: Key Largo, FL Posts: 786 Thanks: 241 Thanked 822 Times in 379 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Used this for wheel wells.... https://www.ebay.com/itm/HDPE-High-D...72.m2749.l2649 __________________ 2015 FR-S - One Day I'll Finish The Swap

07-31-2013, 05:46 PM	#4
BigFatFlip sleep, drive, eat, repeat Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: '13 BRZ, '12 Outback Location: Sack of Potatoes Posts: 4,431 Thanks: 2,630 Thanked 3,796 Times in 1,981 Posts Mentioned: 188 Post(s) Tagged: 4 Thread(s)	You can also pay Tap Plastics a visit. I've used HDPE sheets from them for under body cladding, I'm sure you can use thicker sheets for your application.

07-31-2013, 09:41 PM	#5
1stGenBRZ86 Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: 2013 BRZ Location: NYC Posts: 207 Thanks: 110 Thanked 58 Times in 35 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	umm if you're going to put plastic in the engine bay, please look at the temp range before you do so. Off the top of my head, two plastics that work well under the hood are delrin and phenolic.

08-05-2013, 04:10 AM	#6
notout86 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Drives: GTS 86 auto Location: Australia Posts: 486 Thanks: 263 Thanked 127 Times in 99 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I find the plastic of soft-drink bottles handy. Very tough and light weight, heat resistant, see-through, areas cut out are often the shape you already want, ducting, tubes etc. , crimp, secure with duct tape . Lasts for > 17 years in engine compartments. Dunno how to glue it successfully yet.

08-13-2013, 08:01 PM	#7
antlers White Guy Join Date: Jan 2013 Drives: 2005 Subaru WRX STI Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 90 Thanks: 3 Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Look into kydex. It's a thermo plastic used a lot in the firearms industry among other things. Heres a few things i've made with it: This won't work if the radiator is over like 150* F.

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