Anyone do vaccuum-forming?

[captain america]

Hi there.

I was just wondering if anyone out there is able to do consistent quality vaccuum-forming? I'd be looking to have some clear canopies done as a small run. Please don't hesitate to PM me if you're able to offer this service.

Thanks in advance!

[captain america]

...Anyone?

[Kylwell]

Uhm, you could try PMing 1-0 and see if he knows anyone... that's about all the help I can give right now.

[wetphoenix]

Hey Cap,

I just built my first vaccume former box, haven't used it yet as I am sculpting my base model. so I will be vaccume forming soon. anything do to help?

Sam

[ajmadison]

Hi there.

I was just wondering if anyone out there is able to do consistent quality vaccuum-forming? I'd be looking to have some clear canopies done as a small run. Please don't hesitate to PM me if you're able to offer this service.

Thanks in advance!

Truth be told, making your own Vac-former is neither expensive nor requires a tool filled shop. Years ago, Fine Scale had an article about making a fairly large vac-former using cookie sheets and a canister vac.

If you look up this article, or some other plans on the internet, a vac-former consists of two major components. A base hooked up to a vacuum source to pull the molten plastic down to it, and a sheet holder. The sheet holder is usually two parts, a lower half that the sheet blank sits in, and an upper half that "nests" into the indention of the lower half with openings in both to allow the 'prototype' to press through the plasticard. But the FineScale holder was just an open rectangle (cookie sheet with the center cut out of it), and a series of document clips that ran all the way around the perimeter. The lower half was, IIRC, another cookie sheet (so it mated with the holder) with a series of holes drilled in it, caulked and screwed to section of plywood.

You will be amazed at what you can pull from even a simple vac-former setup. But it will take some practice, and yes, the prototype can be plastic, though you can't pull more than one or two copies at a time with it.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[Stu Pidasso]

Ebay has Mattel vac-u-forming machines once in a while. Used to be a kid's toy, so anyone can use it. For clear canopies, I've heard empty 2 liter pop bottles work great.

[Squall67584]

I never knew that there used to be one of these as a "toy". I'll have to keep my eye out for one, never know when I might want to vacu-forms of random junk I've got laying around.

[Joseph C. Brown]

Yep, there were awesome toys in the '60's...
http://www.gaugepods.com/vacuform/ads.htm

[captain america]

Hi there.

I was just wondering if anyone out there is able to do consistent quality vaccuum-forming? I'd be looking to have some clear canopies done as a small run. Please don't hesitate to PM me if you're able to offer this service.

Thanks in advance!

Truth be told, making your own Vac-former is neither expensive nor requires a tool filled shop. Years ago, Fine Scale had an article about making a fairly large vac-former using cookie sheets and a canister vac.

If you look up this article, or some other plans on the internet, a vac-former consists of two major components. A base hooked up to a vacuum source to pull the molten plastic down to it, and a sheet holder. The sheet holder is usually two parts, a lower half that the sheet blank sits in, and an upper half that "nests" into the indention of the lower half with openings in both to allow the 'prototype' to press through the plasticard. But the FineScale holder was just an open rectangle (cookie sheet with the center cut out of it), and a series of document clips that ran all the way around the perimeter. The lower half was, IIRC, another cookie sheet (so it mated with the holder) with a series of holes drilled in it, caulked and screwed to section of plywood.

You will be amazed at what you can pull from even a simple vac-former setup. But it will take some practice, and yes, the prototype can be plastic, though you can't pull more than one or two copies at a time with it.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Actually, I already do some crude vac-forming myself, but the results are hit-and-miss due to the fact that what makes or breaks your parts is the heater, and I don't readily have the means to heat the plastic properly and uniformly.

For what it's worth, I will be investing in a proper machine in the near future, but seeing as how this is for a relatively small project, I would much prefer to farm the work out to someone competent this time around, and then give myself the time to get a proper, professional setup for future projects.

[srspicer]

Try... www.acmedesign-inc.com

Don't know about price or availability, but they do nice work.

Scptt

[srspicer]

Try... www.acmedesign-inc.com

Don't know about price or availability, but they do nice work.

Scptt

[Andrew Gorman]

A good source for perforated metal for the top of a vacuformer is the door of an old microwave oven- check an alley or back of a parking lot near you!