Deciding on what tool to get for stippling plastic.
Looking at Amazon for woodburning kits, seems that about $20 will get it done.
Is there anything special I want or need?
This one has variable temp control.
This one doesn't.

What are the faves of the hive?

I used a simple wood burning tool w/o the adjustable temperature control. If you plan to also use the tool for wood burning or soldering, then the adjustable temperature unit may be a better choice. Mine only came with two tips so I altered one of the tips to provide the texture that I wanted.

Just a suggestion, but it's a good idea to practice before taking a heat source to a polymer pistol frame/grip. AMAZON also sells sheets of ABS plastic in varying sizes and thicknesses. Buy a thin sheet of 12"x12" and practice your techniques. If you're a pack rat like I am, many items come with ABS packing materials which would be otherwise thrown away.

use the small tip. try it out on something before you start on your grip. look up how to do on you tube helped me a lot when i did my shield.

I like the finest point you can get

Thanks for the tips guys!!
I ordered the variable heat model. I also got an ABS sheet to play with. Thanks for that az4783054, I wouldn't have thought to look for it. I have plenty of junk plastic around but I think the sheet will let me compare tips & techniques easier.

Once I feel like I'm not a bull in a china shop, I'll start on an old PMag to get used to working on curves.
This all started with getting tired of looking at the beat up area where I ground off finger grooves on my G23.
I know damn well it won't end there!
I just hope it doesn't take me forever to get anywhere near Dusty's skill level. That looks SWEET. (my artistic talent is just slightly above my golden retriever's)

Now off to wander in the Younoob universe...

Practice on a Pmag.

And old AR15 grips are good too...everybody has a ton of them.

quote:

Originally posted by jackimoe:
And old AR15 grips are good too...everybody has a ton of them.

Hey I love that idea, I never would have thought of it. I think all my AR grips are sitting in the ERGO grip boxes that replaced them. Now if I can only remember where I put them.
Thanks!

I might do one for my friend that doesn't modify anything. Not because of philosophical reasons, he just doesn't know how, doesn't care to learn and certainly wouldn't pay for a mod.

I used the Walnut Hollow device to stipple the front strap of a Glock 19 frame after I had smoothed off the finger torture devices.

I used the small, pointed tip and a random dot pattern after marking off the limits of what I wanted to stipple with vinyl tape. I practiced first on the smooth areas of a couple of Magpul P-Mags. I found I had to turn the temperature control up to nearly maximum to get the effect I wanted.

Worked out fine and it really wasn't very difficult. I'm sure if I had paid someone $100+ it would look even nicer.

Use the Glock box that your Pistola came with. I have learned that a few gunsmiths I know recommend practicing that way