Shapelock, anybody use this stuff in/around fishtanks?

[Matt K]

it's a low temperature thermoplastic, that when it's hard feels similar to the UHMWPE cutting boards you can get in terms of strength and hardness.

 

http://shapelock.com/

 

What is ShapeLock? (from the website)

 

ShapeLock is an Ultra-High Molecular Weight Low Temperature Thermoplastic.

 

What does "Ultra-High Molecular Weight Low Temperature Thermoplastic" mean in laymans English?

 

ShapeLock is a super strong plastic similar to Nylon or Polypropylene in toughness.

 

However, unlike the two former plastics it does not need high temperatures or high pressures to form into useful shapes.

 

ShapeLock is easily hand-formed into shape at just 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

seems very similar to the bracket material that comes with a lot of ATO kits for float switch mounting.

 

I have used it a lot for quick and easy brackets and stuff, but I was wondering if anybody'd used it in long-term contact with the tank water, and if they'd had any problems...

 

the website says it's non toxic.

 

for example, this isn't my pic, but it's a brackety thing that somebody made out of shapelock

[Jman785]

Seems useful for making probe holders or something in that nature for the noobs that aren't comfortable working with acrylic.

 

I've actually used some of this stuff it seems. I bought a pair of 'Bubba' teeth for Halloween...and for a custom fit, they come with the little white Shapelock beads. You boil water and then put it in a coffee cup and place the beads in there...when they turn from white to clear they are ready to pull out and form.

 

Neat stuff.

[MSU Fan]

Yeah, I bought an ATO kit, and the float valve holder was I believed made of this material. You submerge it in boiling water (or boiled water) and it turns clear. Then you shape it to what you need it to be, and then it cools and hardens to what PP or PE feels like. If this is the same stuff, that's good stuff.