You made this look so easy! I really want to try it. I have puchased a toaster oven (yard sale score!) And now need a press, a few mold inserts. I will probably just use my gun as the mold, tapped up with a sight bar and inserts. Since it will just be a few custom molds... to start! Thanks for the video and web site info!
I know my reply is a year old but…if you use a real gun be sure to put one level of painters tape on a magazine and shove that up the mag well before you hot mold the plastic. You want to do this to be sure that the heat does not deform the grip/mag well. I’ve had this happen on a Wilson Combat grip for my P365 so a small precaution can save you some heartache.
I haven't even watched two minutes of the video and it is already more informative than the SDI video I am going off of. That is why I'm searching the web for better videos. I'm so stressed out over this class when it should be fun.
Not if you are careful with it. The only problem with pressing (or vacuuming) a real gun is the protrusions and indentions on the gun. If you mold Kydex around a gun without prepping the gun first, the Kydex will create unwanted retention points that will keep the gun from drawing and re-holstering easily. Check out our prepped molding props to see what we mean by "prepping". This will give you an idea of what is required before pressing the Kydex around an un-prepped gun. Note the difference in a "trainer", a "natural", and a "prepped" gun mold here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/molding-props-american-safety-molds-c-555_938.html Let us know if we can help you in any way.
The only thing I will add is to wrap one layer of painters tape around a mag and insert the mag before you mold the gun. Some of the grip plastics can be sensitive to the heats you are working at so it’s best to be sure vs trying to fix an issue later. Most OEM grips won’t have an issue but they could and some aftermarket grips will.
thanks for the tuto and explanations its very helpfull 👍🍺 how many minutes do you let the kydex heat up and soften? nice and easy make it simple and helpfull 🍺
There's no set time limit. Each different type of heating source will heat it differently (oven, gun, etc.). The most important thing is to raise the temperature of the material to it's working range. In the case of KYDEX, somewhere between 300-350 degrees F. Once it gets uniformly heated to this temperature range, it'll be in it's most workable state.
Thank you. That material is called, "thermoform molding foam". You can read more about it here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=molding+foam Please let us know if you need any help.
Will it make that click sound when the gun goes into the holster? I'm not sure what in the process causes the holster to have that. I ordered one that doesnt do that but most of the ones I've ordered do.
That "click" sound is something that we all love. In order to get it, you have to create "retention points" in the holster shell. As an example of a retention point, when you look at the video title image on this video, you'll see an indention within the trigger guard area of the holster. This is generally found on both sides of this type of holster. It is created there by design (by the foam pressing the thermoform material into the cavity caused by the trigger guard), and this creates one of the major retention points on all handgun holsters. The kit comes with adjustable retention assemblies that allow you to tighten (or loosen) the "pinch" along the holster seam to create additional friction on the handgun. Don't worry, once you make your first one, it'll all make sense. If you follow the video steps, you can't go wrong. Let us know if you need more help!!!😃
A ModWing is used to increase concealment. It pushes against your belt and causes the gun handle to sit more flush against the body. This reduces "imprinting" (the handle showing through your shirt or jacket). The interchangeable end pieces are designed to let you control the counter angle. Here's a link: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=modwing
Hi Alex. We use "Maxx" form for the base layer and "Xtreme" form for the contact layer. You can see them here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/molding-presses-foam-molding-foams-c-548_524_810.html
We used 1" Xtreme Form foam on the outer and 1" Maxx form for the inner. Here's a link. Let us know if you need more help. www.holstersmith.com/vcom/molding-presses-foam-molding-foams-c-548_524_810.html
Heres a tip most channels dont mention. If your gun came with a plastic carrying case, sometimes they have foam in them, just flip the foam over to the flat side and use the carrying case as the press. Makes it very easy. Sometimes the case isnt big enough, but usually it is.
Be careful trying something like this. Most carrying case foam will melt to the heated Kydex. Also, a thin plastic carrying case will deflect too much when you press it. If you're going to make a homemade press, use a minimum of 1/2 inch plywood to eliminate deflection. We use 3/4 inch on our wooden taco press. Read all about foams and presses here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/tools-molding-presses-foam-c-548_524.html
@@KnifeKits Definitely true. Ive made about 6 holsters with carrying cases, another dozen with a nicer press. Never had any carrying case foam melt on me, but theres a massive amount of variance in that foam, and the carrying cases certainly do flex.
The taco press is genius!
You made this look so easy! I really want to try it. I have puchased a toaster oven (yard sale score!) And now need a press, a few mold inserts. I will probably just use my gun as the mold, tapped up with a sight bar and inserts. Since it will just be a few custom molds... to start! Thanks for the video and web site info!
Hi Chris. Thanks for watching. If you run into any snags, give us a shout. 🙂
I know my reply is a year old but…if you use a real gun be sure to put one level of painters tape on a magazine and shove that up the mag well before you hot mold the plastic. You want to do this to be sure that the heat does not deform the grip/mag well. I’ve had this happen on a Wilson Combat grip for my P365 so a small precaution can save you some heartache.
I haven't even watched two minutes of the video and it is already more informative than the SDI video I am going off of. That is why I'm searching the web for better videos. I'm so stressed out over this class when it should be fun.
Can’t thank you enough for this video!
Thank you sir for the video, is pressing a real gun will damage the gun? and when you are using a vacuum and when to use a presser?
Not if you are careful with it. The only problem with pressing (or vacuuming) a real gun is the protrusions and indentions on the gun. If you mold Kydex around a gun without prepping the gun first, the Kydex will create unwanted retention points that will keep the gun from drawing and re-holstering easily. Check out our prepped molding props to see what we mean by "prepping". This will give you an idea of what is required before pressing the Kydex around an un-prepped gun. Note the difference in a "trainer", a "natural", and a "prepped" gun mold here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/molding-props-american-safety-molds-c-555_938.html
Let us know if we can help you in any way.
The only thing I will add is to wrap one layer of painters tape around a mag and insert the mag before you mold the gun. Some of the grip plastics can be sensitive to the heats you are working at so it’s best to be sure vs trying to fix an issue later. Most OEM grips won’t have an issue but they could and some aftermarket grips will.
thanks for the tuto and explanations its very helpfull 👍🍺
how many minutes do you let the kydex heat up and soften?
nice and easy make it simple
and helpfull 🍺
There's no set time limit. Each different type of heating source will heat it differently (oven, gun, etc.). The most important thing is to raise the temperature of the material to it's working range. In the case of KYDEX, somewhere between 300-350 degrees F. Once it gets uniformly heated to this temperature range, it'll be in it's most workable state.
@@KnifeKits ok thank you very much for your answer👍🍺 . I will test with differents piece of kydex
Полезное видео!!! Какой материал используете в прессе для прессования кайдекса?
Thank you. That material is called, "thermoform molding foam". You can read more about it here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=molding+foam
Please let us know if you need any help.
Спасибо.
Will it make that click sound when the gun goes into the holster? I'm not sure what in the process causes the holster to have that. I ordered one that doesnt do that but most of the ones I've ordered do.
That "click" sound is something that we all love. In order to get it, you have to create "retention points" in the holster shell. As an example of a retention point, when you look at the video title image on this video, you'll see an indention within the trigger guard area of the holster. This is generally found on both sides of this type of holster. It is created there by design (by the foam pressing the thermoform material into the cavity caused by the trigger guard), and this creates one of the major retention points on all handgun holsters. The kit comes with adjustable retention assemblies that allow you to tighten (or loosen) the "pinch" along the holster seam to create additional friction on the handgun. Don't worry, once you make your first one, it'll all make sense. If you follow the video steps, you can't go wrong.
Let us know if you need more help!!!😃
What is the purpose of the mod wing?
A ModWing is used to increase concealment. It pushes against your belt and causes the gun handle to sit more flush against the body. This reduces "imprinting" (the handle showing through your shirt or jacket). The interchangeable end pieces are designed to let you control the counter angle. Here's a link: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=modwing
What kind of foam is that inside your taco press
Hi Alex. We use "Maxx" form for the base layer and "Xtreme" form for the contact layer. You can see them here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/molding-presses-foam-molding-foams-c-548_524_810.html
What foam did you use?
We used 1" Xtreme Form foam on the outer and 1" Maxx form for the inner. Here's a link. Let us know if you need more help. www.holstersmith.com/vcom/molding-presses-foam-molding-foams-c-548_524_810.html
Heres a tip most channels dont mention. If your gun came with a plastic carrying case, sometimes they have foam in them, just flip the foam over to the flat side and use the carrying case as the press. Makes it very easy. Sometimes the case isnt big enough, but usually it is.
Be careful trying something like this. Most carrying case foam will melt to the heated Kydex. Also, a thin plastic carrying case will deflect too much when you press it. If you're going to make a homemade press, use a minimum of 1/2 inch plywood to eliminate deflection. We use 3/4 inch on our wooden taco press. Read all about foams and presses here: www.holstersmith.com/vcom/tools-molding-presses-foam-c-548_524.html
@@KnifeKits Definitely true. Ive made about 6 holsters with carrying cases, another dozen with a nicer press. Never had any carrying case foam melt on me, but theres a massive amount of variance in that foam, and the carrying cases certainly do flex.