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  Home-made vacuum-former
Merlin
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Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 - 05:10 PM UTC
Gino P. Quintiliani has written an excellent article about how he built his own vacuum-forming machine. He''s supplied a list of the materials required and a step-by-step guide to construction.

Link to Item

If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!
greatbrit
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Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 - 05:19 PM UTC
cool,

i used to use vacuum formers at school, never thought how easy it would be to make your own.

however wouldnt something vacuum formed have almost no detail on the outside? we only used to recreate simple shapes as the casings for electronic devices, using pretty thick ABS sheets.

maybe using thinner sheets works better?

cheers

joe
Merlin
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Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 - 06:44 PM UTC

Quoted Text

wouldnt something vacuum formed have almost no detail on the outside?



Hi Joe

That depends on whether you use a male or female master i.e. whether the sheet plastic is formed over or into the mould.

Using a female mould, you can get good detail, but you need to drill small air-holes through the mould to create a vacuum and allow the sheet to be forced into it - this is what causes the small pips visible on commercial vacuformed kits.

Hope this helps

Rowan
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Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 - 07:46 PM UTC
maybe stupid, but for what can vacu forming be used (not in terms of aircraft)
matt
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Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 - 08:08 PM UTC
Uh.... Canvas for trucks........ I'm sure there's more....
mikeli125
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Posted: Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 04:52 PM UTC
you could use it for boxes, notek lights alsorts just got to put your mind to it
Grumpyoldman
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Posted: Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 10:46 PM UTC
Nice article, and a simple method of making a Vac former.
as to what to make, canvas covers have been metioned and a few others. First thing that comes to my mind beside the obvious aircraft stuff, is scale thickness fenders.
propboy44256
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Posted: Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 11:58 PM UTC
Interesting article, but one most important item was left out of the list of items needed. the VACUUM SOURCE. What do I use a shop vac?, a regular vacuum cleaner..How much vacuum is required?



matt
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Posted: Friday, August 20, 2004 - 12:00 AM UTC
A good shopvac should work!!!
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, August 20, 2004 - 12:54 AM UTC
Hi there

Any vacuum cleaner should work. I've read that you should switch it off quickly after the vacuum is achieved, or you risk over-straining the motor.

All the best

Rowan
LogansDad
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Posted: Friday, August 20, 2004 - 01:59 AM UTC
Propboy, I use a 1 gal. 1.5 HP Shopvac. Our 2nd such, as I had to replace my wife's after discovering just the problem that Merlin mentioned...
Great Timing, Rowan!!!!! :-)
Merlin
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Posted: Friday, August 20, 2004 - 06:16 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Great Timing, Rowan!!!!!



Sorry Robert

I was there in spirit... I sent the vibes: "noooo Roooberrt, dooon't leeeave thee vacuuuum onnn tooo lonnngg!!!"

Fizz! Putt! Whirr! ... so much for telepathy!

Sorry

Rowan
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Posted: Monday, August 23, 2004 - 10:17 AM UTC
Interesting article.... could we get some "diagrams", as I got a bit lost on the use of the reinforcement basswood.

A nice vacuform would be excellent for creating things like wall sections and roofing as well....
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