Worbla

[Bryce]

Hi all,
    yeah, you probably clicked on this thread saying "What the f*@k is Worbla". It's thermo-plastic sheeting, ie: a sheet of plastic that you can form when it's hot (90°C) and it retains its shape when it cools down. It's used extensively in the Cosplay scene, but I haven't seen it being used for retro hardware yet, so I thought I'd mention it here. A hot air gun or even a hair-drier is all you need to work with it. Someone gave me a sheet of it recently to make something for them and I've been having fun with it since. I'm going to do some more experimenting with it, with the aim of making myself some rigid dust covers for some of my retro computers. Check it out on the interwebs for more info and masses of Youtube videos.
If anyone here already has had some experience with it, let me know how you got on.

Bryce.

[The Last Bandit]

Interesting stuff, not seen thermo plastic that was hand manipulable like that before.


So, you making a Lord Sugar cosplay outfit then ?

[Bryce]

Cosplay isn't my thing, although I've built some electronics for them in the past. I just found the material very interesting and thought I see what possibilities it has in the retro computer scene - Case repair, housing for new devices, rigid dust covers etc. as an alternative to 3D printing.

Bryce.

[remax]

[Bryce]

Picture of what??? If you want to see what it looks like, do this:  Let me google that for you



Bryce.

[dodogildo]

I'm familiar with thermoplastics from NY Comic Con for years but it never occurred to me that we can utilize them to make retro dust covers Good point!


There also are some alternative to worbla btw: 5 Thermoplastic Alternatives to Worbla - Firelight Cosplay

[||C|-|E||]

This is actually very interesting because I really want a dust cover for my plus. I was thinking about writing to one of these companies that make custom products but maybe this is an option as well . Thank you!

[Bryce]

I'm familiar with thermoplastics from NY Comic Con for years but it never occurred to me that we can utilize them to make retro dust covers Good point!


There also are some alternative to worbla btw: 5 Thermoplastic Alternatives to Worbla - Firelight Cosplay

Interesting, but I'd remove ABS from the 5 alternatives and make it 4 alternatives. Heating ABS without extractors and breathing equipment is a really bad idea healthwise.

@||C|-|E||: Maybe I'll do my Plus as a first experiment. Unfortunately, the stuff I have is a strange beige colour, but it can be painted and I hear there is a transparent version available too

Bryce.

[dodogildo]

but it can be painted and I hear there is a transparent version available too

But I wouldn't go with transparent option in the case of retro equipment   

[Bryce]

Most of the original rigid dust covers were "Smoked transparent" plexiglas. I have originals for my 664 and most of my Commodores like this.

Bryce.

[dodogildo]

Most of the original rigid dust covers were "Smoked transparent" plexiglas. I have originals for my 664 and most of my Commodores like this.

My original 464 covers had silver color with anti-static fabric material. They were provided by Amstrad's Turkish distributor back in 80s. I wish I had them right now   


But now I'm using Amstrad Action's special edition dust covers for 464 and 6128. Not as good as the ones from 80s but they're at least not ugly. Also specially made for CPC.

[remax]

Picture of what??? If you want to see what it looks like, do this:  Let me google that for you



Bryce.

Someone gave me a sheet of it recently to make something for them and I've been having fun with it since.

[Bryce]

Ah, ok. No, the messing about I've done so far is nothing worth showing. I just did some tests to see how flat it will stay without an negative mold, how sharp the corners can be, how even it can be spread over a surface etc.

My 664 cover looks like this: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/cpc664-retro-pr0n/?action=dlattach;attach=9528;image  this type was the most popular in my area back then.

Bryce.

[dodogildo]

My 664 cover looks like this: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/cpc664-retro-pr0n/?action=dlattach;attach=9528;image  this type was the most popular in my area back then.

Awesome!

[TFM]

Could it be used to produce 6128 Plus Cartridge Shells, I would need 100 and pay a decent price.

[Bryce]

Possibly, but it's not really suitable for mass production, more for one-off and prototyping.

Bryce.

[TFM]

Ah ok.

[dodogildo]

Could it be used to produce 6128 Plus Cartridge Shells, I would need 100 and pay a decent price.

Do they fit into the c64 cartridge shells? Easy to grab at http://amigastore.eu/en/138-cartridge-shell-for-c64.html

[TFM]

That would be too nice. Sorry, they don't.

[dodogildo]

BTW, William Gibson tweeted this today: Could Stronger, Tougher Paper Replace Metal? | UMD Right Now :: University of

[Dr Tiger Ninestein]

This is actually very interesting because I really want a dust cover for my plus.

Was there ever a dust cover specifically for the plus, released back in the day? It's something that I really want as well.

[Bryce]

I think that by the time the plus was released, soft covers were more popular, but I've never seen any type of plus dust cover from back then.

Bryce.

[||C|-|E||]

Was there ever a dust cover specifically for the plus, released back in the day? It's something that I really want as well.

As Bryce said, I think that there is not specific soft cover for the Plus range. However, there are some companies that make custom soft covers if you provide them with the measurements of the object. I was planning to do this for the Plus 

[Bryce]

I just received 1m² of Worbla to do further experiments with. As soon as I get a chance, I'll try some stuff out and report back.

Bryce.

[dragon]

Was there ever a dust cover specifically for the plus, released back in the day? It's something that I really want as well.

I buy one time ago in a ebay in shop called ¿The attic bug?. Is from old stock, it. Covers the plus from dust,covers the upper side of the plus the colour(in spanish) is crema. I can take a picture .