Our expert forming system is perfect for making flatfaced one sided or a full foldover. Its used to create, among other things, holsters for that you want to keep handy. Dyi bookpress style kydex holster manual press build youtube. I found that i wasnt able to get enough pressure on it they way i had it set up, and ended up standing on it. May 07, 2017 a kydex press is the tool you use to mold the pieces of thermoplastic material around the object you wish to make a sheath for. Orange county tactical thermoplastic forming press for kydex sheath holster making professional heavy duty forming system perfect for one sided or wrapped style sheaths and holsters. Kydex press homemade kydex press constructed from mdf, foam.
With the kydex still hot, sandwich the knife between the two foam molds and clamp the entire unit down tight. This is a pretty easy process, definitely easier than the shotgun shell caddies i showed you how to make in the first part of the 3gun on the cheap series i made this holster out of. My glock doesnt have a laserguard which means there will be extra room. I have found that the faster you get the kydex in the press, the better your form is going to turn out. You will want to wrap the hot kydex around the pistol like a taco, taking care not to burn your fingers in the process heat resistant gloves are great. Nov 30, 20 arts kydex holster sheet gray 300mm x 300mm x 1. Diy primer on how to get started working with kydex its. The pressing force is created by the two press wings and fixed in position by an optional 12 bench style clamp. You can make these easily using the neoprene rubber press foam you should already have on hand if you are a kydex holster maker. The ckk sheathholster molding press is the industry standard in thermoplastic forming presses.
Kydex, put simply, is a thermoplastic sheet which can be molded to formfit nearly any shape. Works with membrane or without membrane using the optional direct forming kit. These presses are assembled in the usa and the 1 year warranty is serviced in the usa. Yes, we are still open and shipping your orders within 3 business days or less. Orange county tactical thermoforming press for kydex. This is a step by step guide showing you how to make kydex holsters. Press form holster molding presses for kydex holster making holstersmith. The ckk kydex taco press design is similar to a manual book press. This press is not only a time saving tool but it also ensures that your kydex is evenly heated to the correct temperature every time. A kydex press is the tool you use to mold the pieces of thermoplastic material around the object you wish to make a sheath for. Presses, sheath, gun and or holster not included thermoform molding foam for sheath and holster making products. How to build a homemade kydex press daves homestead. This is great when making holsters, because the precise weapon the holster is made for can be used as a template for molding a holster which fits the pistol like a glove.
Built from rugged durable natural wood, this forming press can stand what ever projects you can dish out. Arts kydex holster molding press set popular airsoft. Heating kydex for molding posted by patrick on 18th mar 2014 this tips and tricks article will focus on heating your kydex or boltaron in a counter top toaster oven. But the holster is made for my gun with a laserguard attached. The kydex taco holster press is similar in design to a book press. My press is bolted to my bench, and the top has a 20 handle with a hole in it. Eagleworks holsters stateoftheart gun holsters prove that precision molds result in holsters that have enhanced functionality, superb fit, remarkable detail, and sensational comfort. It is fairly simply, but knowledge of tools and some carpentry skills are a must for construction. I like this thickness of plastic, as its thick enough for most uses, yet thin enough that its still. The heated kydex is wrapped around whatever it will sheathe, and then sandwiched between the two pieces and then clamped or weighted heavily until the plastic cools. Third, we made the thermajig with an adjustable molding depth. Aug 9, 2016 were constantly doing kydex projects and have tried many methods of molding the plastic sheets.
Thermoform molding foam for kydex holster making maxx. Diy has sourced the best materials, hardware and accessories available and we buy them in massive quantities to pass the savings on to you. Fiveo is an outside the waistband owb kydex holster with a 2nd level of retention using a safriland sls hood system. The thermapress vf1 is the most versatile and most advanced bench top vacuum former press ever built.
In addition to this you will need a drill and a few drill bits. Vacuum forming is what is usually done by manufacturers of parts for airplanes and. Texas knifemakers supply heavy duty kydex sheath forming press 24 x 8. The most difficult part is deciding the kind of clip you want. Mar 10, 2016 kydex press homemade kydex press constructed from mdf. All kydex builders archives page 3 of 4 anr design kydex. From our mega foam to the xtreme foam variants, our kydex pressing foams are considered the best foam for kydex presses ana are the premium standard in the holster making industry. Kydex is a thermoplastic that becomes soft at 300 degrees.
The most comfortable inside the waistband kydex holster on the market. Press form holster molding presses for kydex holster. If you have any questions during this process please take a moment to call 8005189591. Ive seen a lot of confusion, complication and mystery surrounding this process, but it really could not be any simpler. Adjustable cant angle 015 degrees more options more value. The kydex taco press 1piece holster presses and thermoform. Heat the kydexi used a toaster oven and just watched and waited until the kydex was very pliable. Arts kydex holster screws full set kt005 just in case you want to make some more for yourself or for your friends. Several options of the kydex taco press are available, both with and without center kydex thermoform molding foam. Foam is 24 x 8 x 1, and lasts for hundreds and hundreds of. When the kydex is sufficiently pliable, lay your knife on the surface with the spine of the blade in the center then fold the kydex over the blade. General guidelines kydex sheet will form differently than other thermoplastic materials. Fiveo is secured with either belt loops or molle attachments please keep in mind, safariland does not sell the sls hoods.
Hd curved jig low profile for an easy fit in most vacuum presses. Please keep in mind that we are holster manufacturers, not graphic designers. This is a video of my process to build a book press style press for molding kydex or other materials. Feb 11, 2011 if you pick up the kydex and its floppy, then its ready to mold. The oct sheath holster molding press is the best option when it comes to thermoplastic forming presses. What you are suggesting might work, but i would highly recommended starting from scratch. Mar 10, 2016 kydex press homemade kydex press constructed from mdf, foam, gate hinges, and hardware. Once you place everything together, you press the top half like youre making a. Once the press heats up to the desired temperature setting you will have evenly heated kydex ready to form every 60 seconds. I know this is an old thread and sorry for hijacking but looking at same project materials.
If you pick up the kydex and its floppy, then its ready to mold. Official simple little life video of a simple diy kydex press. By adjusting with spacers or using different thicknesses of foam, you can adjust the molding depth to achieve anything from a 5050 split to a 955 split. There are two foam pads in between to metallic plates. Keep it locked closed during cooling with the included chains. Simple homemade kydex press at its simplest a kydex press is a rigid board with a thick piece of foam glued to it as a base, with top made the same way. Im doing knives but thinking of a trick holster for my 1911. Mold tooling blocking and standoffs diy holster llc. With hinged, i can pull the kydex from the oven, around the mold, and have the pressure applied very quickly. Measure out the kydex doesnt have to be perfect, cut, heat and press. Vacuum forming is what is usually done by manufacturers of parts for airplanes and transit buses, but that requires additional equipment. I heard that you can shrink kydex with a blow dryer to better fit the gun. The sheathholster molding press is the industry standard in thermoplastic forming presses.
This molding foam is for use in press molding sheet materials. Spotheating is a must for flattening some of the wavy edges where the two halves of the holster dont meet, and i was able to loosen up my holster in places where it was bindingcatching on the surefire x300 light by gradually pulling the gun out, stopmotion style, when the kydex was heated to floppyness in the correct spots. Precisely shape your heated kydex around your firearm or knife with this heavy duty steel press. Then again, i may need to adjust my temperature and heat time used 350 deg for 5 min.
Our professional forming system is perfect for making flatfaced one sided or a full foldover wrapped style. Kydex sheet is more consistent than other thermoplastics, resulting in fewer rejects. Professional kydex press fortunately, they are super easy to make. Inside the waistband kydex holster iwb kydex concealed. It was extremely hot so i used 2 ove gloves to remove it from the toaster ovenonce the kydex was pliable and ready to be formed, i walked it over to the gun laying on the wood. At its simplest a kydex press is a rigid board with a thick piece of foam glued to it as a base, with top made the same way. To support our kydex presses, we offer a full range of diy kydex press foam and kydex vacuum press membrane materials. How to make a kydex holster picture tutorial kydex sheath, knife sheath, reloading room. Big thanks to gough custom for his kydex tutorial here watch. Our kydex press foams are used in every level of holster making, from professional kydex presses all the the way to diy kydex presses, and even homemade kydex press designs.
Apr 12, 2016 official simple little life video of a simple diy kydex press. I see in one of the early links here, dummy prop guns for molding kydex holsters. See more ideas about kydex, kydex sheet and kydex holster. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. When i first got started i built a nice press out of some plywood and a hinge. One of the reasons kydex has become such a popular material for iwb holsters is that it can be molded to almost any shape. Mine was easy to make but it isnt super pretty, and it does tend to turn just a little bit. Former press an innovation to membrane vacuum forming technology. Holster,gun,sheath not included commonly used for wraparound sheaths and holsters with both pieces of foam attached top and bottom. A rubber mallet may also prove useful use your clamps to hold the frame together while drilling the holes. Installing kydex molding foam in your book style press. There was a considerable learning period for me working with the kydex, and it would be easy to screw up your expensive holster.
Heat the kydex i used a toaster oven and just watched and waited until the kydex was very pliable. These durable and straight forward presses are available in 8x12 and 12x24 models to meet the need for any size thermoforming holster and sheath molding project. In my experimenting earlier this evening, i discovered that its not a good idea to try to use. Sheath making using a vacuum press, vacuum former, vacuum forming, kydex press. Texas knifemakers supply heavy duty kydex sheath forming press. Installing kydex molding foam in your book style press young guns. Fiveo is secured with either belt loops or molle attachments.
This press does not include the vacuum pump but does include the quick connect tube that will quickly connect your press with the vacuum pump of your choosing. Our mission at diy holsters is to offer the highest quality kydex holster and knife sheath making supplies at the lowest prices. See more ideas about kydex, kydex holster, holster. Spotheating is a must for flattening some of the wavy edges where the two halves of the holster dont meet, and i was able to loosen up my holster in places where it was bindingcatching on the surefire x300 light by gradually pulling the gun out, stopmotion style, when the kydex was heated to. It is the last vacuum press for kydex holster making you will ever need. Apr 05, 20 a lot of people build fancy presses for molding the kydex with, but ive found that a piece of 2. Im getting a crossbreed kydex holster in another couple of days. This press has actually become the one that gets used the most. Hd curved jig curved holster jig kydex holster making. The forming pressure is applied through the use of a hinged wing fixed in. There are several ways of molding the kydex around the gun or mold, but in this report we are going to show you the most simple, using what is known as a book press. The hd 2424 vacuum former and the hd curved jig has made life 100x easier for me.
I use to have to use my heat gun after i pulled them out of my foam press to do a lot of touch up work and to make the fit just right so that the holster wasnt to tight or not tight enough, but not any more. Kydex sheath molding press texas knifemakers supply. Kydex press homemade kydex press constructed from mdf. For molding the kydex around a pistol, you need some sort of press.
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