EVA Heat Shaping Test

I've just cut some of the major pieces for an EVA foam armor project, and I wanted to get a feel for different methods for how to heat-shape the material. Here are my results:

The wavy piece was under a heat gun at high settings, and the round piece came from a 250*F oven after ten minutes. The oven piece seemed to warp a little on the corners from gravity, but for my project that might actually be an advantage. The oven piece gets even heat, and this bends very evenly. It comes out warm, but manageable even with bare hands; after some shaping, it cools quickly and gets quite rigid. I think both pieces are actually more rigid after heating; I wouldn't be surprised if this also shrinks them very slightly. I can see using the heat gun for fine points and touch-up, but I prefer the oven for large pieces. I wonder if the heat gun scorch marks could also be avoided by using a lower setting or trying for a more gradual, even heat. 

What I'm Playing:

-Main Campaign: Shin Megami Tensei IV

-Side Quest: 3DS Mii Plaza games

Get Equipped with Mighty No. 9

When I was a kid, I played a lot of Mega Man. I had a dark blue winter jacket with ribbed sleeves, and sometimes at recess I would subtly tuck my left hand in the sleeve and that would be my Mega Buster, and I'd play Mega Man on the school playground. With everything else on Nintendo, I think I connected with Mega Man the most. Something about the character designs throughout the series immediately grabbed me.

Today at PAX Prime, Mega Man's creator, Keiji Inafune, announced a new game, funded through Kickstarter, that carries his classic game's legacy: Mighty No. 9. I could barely contain my excitement at the announcement; that's not true, I screamed and flailed my arms like an idiot. It was as if this project was not being presented to me, but to my inner child directly.

The project promotion video begins clearly intended to touch on nostalgia, opening with an upward pan of a glossy skyscraper. The camera finds Mr. Inafune, dressed in blue, ready to make his pitch. Continue with a discussion over classic Famicom games in a Super Potato game store; fans voicing their desire for a game that feels like what they know, but still offers something new and fresh. It is the tender/flaky pie crust of the video game culture. The video continues with images of a girl in a red dress walking a fluffy pink poodle, a visual study of humanity's relation to machines, metal, concrete, and electricity. Finally, a reveal of the main character, Beck, going from clay sculpture and pencil sketch to full-color digital art.

Mega Man fans have endured hard times, their old favorite getting watered down by bland annualized sequels and spin offs. Mr. Inafune knows this, and he knows that he carries the fans' passion and goodwill. By letting Mega Man go and presenting a new, very similar character, I hope this represents him retaking control of the vision. Mighty No. 9, as a fan-focused outreach, carries the hallmark of a passion project. I believe in Keiji Inafune when he has a passion project. I believe he can be Mighty.

What I'm playing:

-Main Campaign: Mega Man 2, Divekick!

-Side Quest: Don't Starve, Secret Ponchos, Incognita