Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: Plastic Forming Strip Heater!

Today's tool tip is all about using heat in different ways to form sheet material, whether it's with a blow dryer, dedicated heat gun, or a specialized tool like a plastic forming strip heater. As employed in his recent build of his Iron Man Mark 1 costume, an industrial plastic strip heater can bend sheets of acrylic quickly and evenly, creating convincing parts that double as bent metal. Adam demonstrates how this heater works on one of his favorite materials: foam PVC!
Plastic Forming Strip Heater: amzn.to/3edNw48
Conair Pro Yellow Bird: amzn.to/3dxUPV9
Milwaukee corded heat gun: amzn.to/32u92Mn
Foam PVC sheet: amzn.to/3v77PqO
Shot by Adam Savage
Music by Jinglepunks
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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman
Thanks for watching!
#AdamSavage #FavoriteTools

[@tested]

Plastic Forming Strip Heater: amzn.to/3edNw48 Conair Pro Yellow Bird: amzn.to/3dxUPV9 Milwaukee corded heat gun: amzn.to/32u92Mn Foam PVC sheet: amzn.to/3v77PqO

[@TomB099]

It's in my internet is down 🥺👉👈 is it i

[@paradox6427]

Hi Adam

[@protozenti5514]

Remember that wall-e vid from 7 years ago? That was a prettty cool vid

[@paradox6427]

@@protozenti5514 Savage made a robot

[@protozenti5514]

@@paradox6427 Yea

[@quincylab]

Thank you so much, Adam, for using one of our Strip Heaters to demonstrate the application of heat. We're honored to be among your favorite tools.

[@leelemon3373]

Everyone wants a garage full of Cool stuff like Adam has. We are jealous. I'm halfway there, I'm 66 this year

[@nevershoutnever1416]

The one consistent thing through this whole pandemic has been these videos, to Adam and everyone who makes these videos possible, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate them so much. They create consistency and routine which is what is what we're lacking recently. Thank you for all of this ❤️

[@Dino3014]

Former plastic fabricator here: We would prebake our Lexan and Acrylic sheets in convection ovens at temperatures relevant to the gauge of plastic being worked on. Opacity also factored into the temperature. Prebaking helps limit bubbles that may form when bending at an improper temperature. It also makes the time on the bending board shorter and more predictable. Our bending units were made in-house to meet our needs. Our bending boards were two rows of soft white fire brick, covered with soft Kevlar. My 4x8' worktable was also covered in a soft Kevlar. Lexan scratches easily. Between the rows of was a 1/2" spring wired to a rheostat. We would adjust the wattage depending on the gauge of plastic. Hit the plastic with a quick shot of air to remove any dust, as it will interfere with your bend. With correct lighting and practice, you instinctively bend when it's time. In the beginning, just press down on one side of the piece and gently being lifting/tapping the other side up. Don't force it up; watch your piece at all times when it's on the board. We all have that chapter called 'Fire'.

[@evans_workshop]

So for items I plug in that heat up (Thermal wire strippers or glue guns), I plug them into a ‘timed outlet’. I picked up a timer controller that has a button, 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, etc and added an outlet to it so it’s controlled. Then when I want to use it I turn it on for whatever duration I’m going to need. And I never worry that I left the ‘oven’ on in the shop!

[@marksnyder2232]

Great point. You can build your own using a line voltage timer (McMaster calls them "wall mount timer switches"), either wiring it into a fixed circuit permanently, or on a gang box on the end of an extension cord.

[@sevesteen2]

I've installed a wind-up version of the timer control into my soldering station. For other hot stuff near my desk (usually hot glue gun), an old Gra-Lab darkroom timer. Make sure you use the right outlet, most are set up so one outlet turns on when the other outlet is off.

[@peckenstein]

I didn't realize I needed a bobblehead Mark-1 until the last seconds of this video told me I did.

[@LadyTea]

Any build with a full face helmet, should be a bobble helmet.

[@robinbrowne5419]

(9:41) Adam: It's a little crowded in here. Iron Man nodding his head in agreement.

[@CaligulaCa3sar]

That suit has personality and is becoming something of a co-host.

[@lgerback34]

I teach high school shop class and we’re starting with this strip heating acrylic tomorrow! Guess who’s video I’m going to start the lesson off with now.

[@peterkelley6344]

GREAT!

[@ShadowDragon8685]

You probably combusted enough material during the run of Mythbusters to take a lifetime mulligan on "THE FIRE" chapter.

[@cmdraftbrn]

am i missing an eyebrow?

[@alfiefurnival7514]

@@cmdraftbrn i reject your eyebrow and substitute my own.

[@chrissewell1608]

"The big book of Fires!"

[@5oups3yeVi3w]

The compression artefacts on Adam's jacket at beginning to make me suspect he's a hologram :)

[@Adman1020]

I've just spent 20 minutes messing with my TVs settings because I thought it was messed up. Then viewed the video on my phone and it's the same. Why is it so bad?

[@5oups3yeVi3w]

@@Adman1020 It's a good question!

[@aserta]

The reds were blown up.

[@jjhack3r]

If you bought a hologram you need to take it back to your dealer and get a full gram...

[@davidk.1089]

Lol.. is that what you call them? Yes I saw it too.

[@vizionthing]

Left a 15w Antex soldering iron on in the shed, only noticed six months later, that was forty years ago and its still doing just fine!

[@lemon7777]

My tip for not burning down the shop is get yourself an extension lead with individual switches that light up nice and bright. At the end of the day when I turn the lights off I see the switches glowing and it reminds me!

[@DavePlaysGaming]

Oh man, this brought back some memories. We had a very similar heater at our school back in the day. We all had to make hexagonal stationary trays using some kind of thermoplastic. In hindsight it was a very simple project, but at the time I really enjoyed it.

[@AltessiaSilentarrow]

This was an excellent trip to the workshop!

[@diymatt]

You've just giving half of us flashbacks to 1990s shop class.

[@knyghtryda]

I was just gonna reply with the EXACT SAME MESSAGE! My middle school woodshop had one of these and we made your regular assortment of bent acrylic trinkets on them. I feel old now, and my time in the shop was 98-99...

[@_ravanys]

2010s shop class for me. But no funding so the equipment was still the same

[@aaronhankewich1351]

I have used this same type of strip heater to bend foam PVC as well. I find that back-cutting the PVC on the table saw about half the thickness of the material and just over 1/8" wide (for 1/4" thick material) allows you to fold the material into itself, creating a tighter bend and a perfect 90 degree interior corner while also 'guiding' the bend along the cut line which keeps it straight.

[@peterjf7723]

I found I get better results using a double strip heater, so both sides of the plastic are heated. Not so important for thin sheet material, but really important for thicker plastic. The foam PVC is good material, you can buy different colours and also a harder high gloss version.

[@Temple-of-Procrastination]

Save a few bucks and turn the plastic over to heat the other side

[@abc-pn6yi]

My job is working as an industrial electrician and one of the places that I work at makes pvc piping, tubes, and other pvc parts and its a huge factory.. they say the hardest thing for them to produce is the thin sheets of pvc like what Adam is using.. the great thing about pvc is that when they produce it, it is recyclable.. so if a pvc part was not formed correctly then they can grind it up into small pieces and re-heat, and re-use the grinds they made.. it is awesome that I get to work on machines that make materials like what Adam uses all the time..

[@sallman343]

My job for may years was making displays for supermarkets using a Strip Heater like that. A bit bigger and had mutiple heating elements but definatly an effective tool to have.

[@seanconlin8712]

I remember using one of these in the late 70's in a general shop class

[@Trainwreck1123]

Hey Adam, I just finished building myself one of these out of some MDF and nichrome wire! I think it would make a great one day build for you, because you can also include a movable section on one side of the heating wire to allow for in-place precise bends.

[@hypnoraythompson5824]

just love your enthusiasm

[@peterfox2565]

I made my own strip heater about 5 years ago, they are really awesome to have. Mine has a 15 minute timer built into its power supply so it always shuts its self off. They are really quite easy to make, just some metal channel, apropriatly sized heating element (NiChrome wire) and a power supply. My how glue gun and primary soldering station also have similar 1 hour timers. A few too many times walking into the shop and saying what is that smell. along with a full glue stick in a puddle in my glue gun stand.

[@logand12356]

I love the honesty.

[@SpaceGalleria]

love it...especially the "poor man's strip heater "

[@liammcclifty8750]

I just rewatched your EDC video from a few years ago. You need to machine the ‘perfect’ flashlight!

[@sleepib]

I've used a heat gun for this, but what I did is clamp the plastic in a vise, heat it up, and use a piece of angle iron to push it over. Worked surprisingly well.

[@wagwagdude]

You got a new mill! Cool!!!!

[@ucitymetalhead]

When i was a teen I was working on a part for a potato cannon type device and learned about the fire the hard way.

[@brikhouse22]

I remember using one of these or something like it in junior high, 13 yrs old, in our shop class to bend acrylic sheets.

[@jiubboatman9352]

Just watched a video of JayzTwoCents (PC and custom pc builder) trying to bend acrylic for a custom build and struggling a little, using a hot air blower. An interesting confluence of the two approaches to this.

[@ObsoleteVodka]

Yeah I was thinking about how useful this could be for PC modding. I can imagine using it to bend a bunch of pipes for water cooling at once.

[@caodesignworks2407]

For things like Acrylic, I use a torch. Propane works fine, but a few passes with a map gas torch should get it plenty hot to bend how you want it. It do get hot tho. For more precise control, especially in smaller areas, a butane torch works just fine as well. Just got to make sure not to hover in any particular spot.

[@ahbushnell1]

the end was great with the head of the suit looking over your shoulder.

[@3DJapan]

I use your blow dryer oven technique all the time now.

[@hanslain9729]

Clean solution!

[@Mostlyharmless1985]

This brings back memories of dual wielding two of these devices to create thousands and thousands of warehouse hanging signs. I can SMELL this video. Having a board over the top of the strip helps concentrate the heat and make your piece get plastic quicker. Though it would increase your chances of encountering "the fire" if you aren't paying attention.

[@joeholm4591]

Used one of these in jr. high and have wished for one many times since

[@matthewpeters2062]

I love the immediate "not on the FLY" XD

[@Jchmcom]

Just free hand draws a straight line in the air without any tool other than an elbow. Also I can see a future video. *Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: My New Thermal Camera!*

[@simonbennett9687]

No, he was using his fingertips on the edge, he’s described that trick before.

[@carlz0r]

He's done a video about the straight line trick. It's hard to see here, but he's placing the tip of his ring finger against the edge of the board and holding his fingers very still so that as he moves his arm, the ring finger follows the edge of the board like its on a rail, which also makes the pencil follow that same straight line.

[@Jchmcom]

Ohhhh so its devilment and witchcraft. Got it.

[@agentstache135]

@@Jchmcom If you’re interested in a more visual explanation the video Carlz0r is referring to is the $5 sword

[@blahblah9036]

@@Jchmcom here's the link, if you want it. It's a bit long, but it's just more opportunity to watch Adam be excited about stuff :P kzbin.info/www/bejne/anu0ZYJniLV7ibs

[@ejburke8271]

You can further focus the heat from a strip heater with thin gauge polished steel. If you have a partial bend, you can also mask half of the plastic to prevent it from getting hot. Also, fixturing the final shape is key to a high quality final product.

[@scottgray6276]

When I was building the original Bunnicula puppet, I needed to bend Sintra, cleanly. I laid down a bead of hot glue on the inside of the curve, and after bending I could still scrape out the molten glue with a stir stick, although it wasn’t necessary!

[@FilippSudanov]

Covering the heated material by putting e.g. some cardboard on top of it may help to heat if faster, as would reduce heat loss from it's surface.

[@Temple-of-Procrastination]

I use a piece of fiber glass or a favorite board to insulate and keep the heat in the piece until it is time to make the bend.

[@stevennovotny2455]

I like that iron man mk. 1 bobble head he’s making!

[@kiesminis]

It's a cool heater, but was just digging that Iron Man Suit for the first half!

[@mconfluence]

Very interesting

[@rpavlik1]

I remember using one of those to heat and bend acrylic in middle school tech Ed to make a "desk organizer". (Hence acrylic strip heater? I suspect heating pvc probably isn't highly recommended...). I didn't wait quite long enough and it cracked in the bend right at the end...

[@jasonmonk7336]

Can't believe its not a one day build diy version 😊

[@caodesignworks2407]

I'd love to see Adam tackle some Fallout Power Armor.

[@chrisosh9574]

Even PVC drain pipe is handy, I used my hot air gun and a section of 4" drain to make a bailing scoop for my kayak.

[@brandongaines1731]

Last few seconds: Life-Size IRON MAN Mk 1 Bobble Head!

[@ThomasSmith-fz6wq]

I use the FTM heating table!

[@gorillaau]

Sanding and paint makes the modeller I ain't. :-) But seriously, great video tip. Thanks to all involved.

[@ShadowDragon8685]

Holy crap, did anyone else notice how the Iron Man helmet was bobbing back and forth, and looked like it was nodding along with Adam at the end?

[@Andrew-mi8xx]

Made myself a pivoting one a few days ago in about an hour with a laser cutter

[@lucpet95]

We made one in the 90's but had square tubing fixed either side the heater strip and water plumbed in to cool beside the heater strip so the heat was focused to the perspex sheet we were bending. Heat creep is a thing hence the need. Caution with water and electronics advised here though. Rather than a close recirculating system we just used a couple of hoses..........one going in, and one going out into the little garden outside lol We were a large architectural Sign shop and commercial versions of this, required the sacrifice of your first born and a virgin to buy.

[@johnlucic6608]

You can use a heat isolation blanket over your piece to concentrate the heat. Talking about bending stuff, have a look at Kaka Vise Brake Die Set. Also, do you have a Machinery's Handbook in your shop for reference? Like your work.

[@fjbrady]

There's actually a tool Adam doesn't have? My world is shaken😄

[@ArfurFaulkesHake]

"... every artists biography has a chapter: The Fire." Flashback to... "Am i missing ... an eybrow?!?"

[@spagamoto]

Not so much "fire in the hole" as fire in the whole shop!

[@craigag76]

9:40 Ironman thinks its a little crowded too.. lmao

[@52Ford]

Adam, try a FLIR One Pro. I think This Old Tony had one and liked it.

[@BearDownCats96]

I learned how to juggle while using this in my shop I would juggle while waiting for it to heat the acrylic so I could bend it then I would put the balls down and bend the acrylic put a me one down and juggle again

[@52Ford]

You can buy PVC foam core pipe, too. It looks just like regular PVC pipe, but it's lighter weight. You can get it at a hardware store.

[@seedmoreuser]

Wonder if it would benefit better if you flip the piece so both sides get exposure to the element.

[@charlie9ine]

“The Fire” is something in 45 years I’ve been able to avoid in my studio. There’s always tomorrow

[@chrissewell1608]

You could probably build and sell, an industrial power timer switch, for your HOT Tools! So, those rare events when you left your Heaters and Hot Tools on, it would shut the tool down, if not attended. With warning lights and bells, and a reset switch!? Even something small enough to plug into a wall socket, would be gteat for home applications!

[@yakoubmezni4125]

Cool

[@IVAN_ENT]

I have a hair dryer in my shop ,In the winter I blow it under my jumper every 30 mins to warm up too haha

[@IVAN_ENT]

Also why can't you read metric now?! Lol

[@ahbushnell1]

We had a home made one we used in a shop. Nichrome wire with a auto transformer. The base was made of a non flammable fiber. Asbestos??? It was a long time ago.

[@davidwatkins8016]

Any use in this process for an infrared thermometer?

[@Gollum24601]

My singular request for these videos is a link to the books Adam references. Even if it is nothing more than a link to a Goodreads description. I hope to see this implemented as it will save me time searching for the books he talks about. Which Tom Sachs book?

[@johnrobinson4445]

"vitrine": display case, typically made of tempered glass or of acrylic, from "vitreous", I suspect.

[@allankolenovsky7028]

Ok, we've seen a number of different views of his workshop now. It looks like a fascinating place. I have to ask: Adam, do you have a favorite spot in your workshop and if so, why is it your favorite?

[@1BigBen]

with the amount of wood in the Adam cave, from floor beam to small wood holders, an fire in the cave would give the fire of 1906 a run for run for its money. I so hope that day never comes. the lost for the future generations would be too great.

[@justinwilliams4212]

Was there a video of the new mill, or did I miss it?

[@eross21]

did you get this on ebay? it looks exactly like the one i used to own? such a simple but highly affective tool.

[@moslimislam5714]

7:50 This is where he finally bends it

[@MrObsidianJeff]

I coach a robotics team in Minnesota and I send most of these videos to the other coaches on the team with "hey can we get one of these"

[@drewbass6645]

FRC 3572 here, this tool is magical for bending plastics. Polycarbonate has the protective layer of plastic on it and that is an aid for bending with heat too. You'll know it is ready to bend when the protective sheet "sweats" or looks slightly wet. Just don't leave it on too long or the material will bubble and be brittle.

[@georgedunham6833]

Will this work with acrylic clear plastic

[@R3VR1CK]

Savage 420 release! Ayyye did you celebrate bicycle day?!!!!

[@michaelsaxman]

That heating element looks just like the one in my old toaster oven. Wonder if I can just cut a slot in the top of the oven and use that? I need 380F to bend some acrylic.

[@michaelsaxman]

Never mind. I needed to bend long 4" wide strips into complex curves. I found a better solution. A flat iron and a curling iron. Goodwill, $2.95 and $1.95. Works a charm.

[@playachronix]

You should buy a Flir IR camera that attaches to your phone! It's convenient and frankly less expensive than most of the ones that have their own screen.

[@mattmayo3539]

I’d like to add that everything Adam mentioned are also the basic fundamentals of bending PVC conduit.

[@1pcfred]

PVC glue is flammable so we'd just pour it on pipe and light it on fire. Ain't nobody got no hot box out in the middle of a field. Yeah it blisters the pipe up but you can't see it when it's buried.

[@fredbrooks1386]

how long will it be before we are a thermal camera?

[@matthewellisor5835]

Grinder an' paint makes me the linear plastic bender I ain't.

[@TexChopper]

Does it work well on styrene?

[@machoneboard]

Longer piece bigger heater?

[@NLGeebee]

You heat the outer curve of the bend. That seems the most logical thing to do because the outer curve deforms the most, so it has to be more flexible. But can you bend it the other way as well?

[@Temple-of-Procrastination]

Heating both sides of the plastic you are going to bend allows it better flexibility as well as directionality. If you heat one side and bend it with that heated side on the outside, you will get an optimal result. Conversely if you heat both sides and forget which sides are inside and outside and you only have one bend on the piece, as long as it is flexible when you make the bend, it won't matter unless you have multiple bends on the same piece. Make a jig for 90° bends for best results. Enjoy fabbing, I do

[@adolfomaldonado8373]

Will it bend polypropylene

[@wcg663]

KZbin had a field day with artifacting on the jacket lmao

[@yakoubmezni4125]

You great

[@zip7806]

Can one Bend Delrin?

[@karinlammertsma9408]

Next tool, heat camera😄

[@rolands4175]

👌

[@brandonyoung-kemkes1128]

Oh the fire I lost most of my teenage years rebuilding someone’s garage I burnt down by accident with some High school friends.

[@cruftcreator]

Adam where does one get PVC foam

[@patrickwamsley3284]

Interesting. I've never heard of pvc foam boards. If it's roughly the same weight as normal dollar store foam board, perhaps it could be a more durable material for making gliders? But if they make it the same thickness as a styrofoam plate, that would be outstanding as the majority of the gliders I make I use styrofoam plates for the wings but the big issue is if there's even the slightest bend or crease or knick in the foam, it totals the part.

[@patrickwamsley3284]

I have a Guillows Flying Machine rubber powered glider that came with a badly warped wing. I thought about making a replacement using just what I had lying around and used six flat sections I cut out of some typical styrofoam plates and used packing tape to hold them together and it worked beautifully! Then I tried changing up the design from the original wing and came up with a swept back wing with a round leading edge at the tips and it flew at least three times better than the original straight wing. However sadly, I flew the life out of it and the cheap plastic propeller wore itself to the point it fell off. I need to get another plane so I can make a more refined version and get some extra band-prop motors or find one that's more durable.

[@charlesjennings93]

This will be perfect for cosplay.

[@fastmtnbiker]

Adam, you mentioned a roll heater? Also, that strip heater is not in stock on amazon anymore. Lol.

[@GaryGraham66]

I'm surprised that the heater doesn't have a bending mechanism to be able to bend the sheet in situ, easy made though.