Topic: DIY Vacuform Machine

[Industrial Cafe]

I think this would be pretty useful for Producing multiple Cafe seats or even some Gas Tanks.

http://distributionbizwiz.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/diy-vacuum-forming-machine/



I think It could be made for a few hundred I'm sure.

Interesting...

[gmonkey]

I have a small vacuforming setup for small plastic bits that just hooks up to a vacuum cleaner and the heat comes from a heat gun.

Would vacuformed plastic be strong enough to make a seat?  Unless you're going to be making hundred of these, with the trouble of making this setup, wouldn't it be easier to just make the part out of fiberglass?

[Industrial Cafe]

I was thinking mass-production wise, if you used 1/8 inch thick ABS plastic it should be strong enough. that's what automotive bumpers are made of.
you might have to bolt it to an aluminum plate for the sittin' part.
 
...just throwing ideas around.
 and because of its size you could use it for other fun stuff too I guess.

protective plastic covers for your drill press or table saw that doesn't get used much for example.

(my kids touch everything)

[Alan F.]

There are thousands of parts you could make with that setup, fenders, headlight buckets, side covers, inner rear fenders, fly-screens..... the list goes on, and the beauty is that if you can find one bike to fit the part to, then make a template, you're good to go.

Craig Vetter in the old days made the prototype fairing mount right on the bikes, and from that fixtures and templates were made to ensure correct fit.
It sure aint rocket science.
-Alan

[Industrial Cafe]

AH! see?  wonder if I could make one on the cheap

[754]

Hope you got a cheap source for vacumn...cuz it may make  Carillos look cheap...

[myhondas]

CRAP !!! Last summer, I disassembled a professional 24" x 48" Vacuumn forming machine. Tried to sell it for the last four years with no success, so I tore it apart and kept some of the useful parts and dumpstered the rest. Never thought that anyone here would want something like that. BUMMER !

[Industrial Cafe]

damn man, that would have been great.

you could use an A/C vacuum pump and a large steel tank, like an old water heater reservoir, heat could be supplied by infrared heat lamps. and the deck could be controlled by levers or pulleys.

P.S. this is pure speculation and I have no idea what I'm talking about.

[Gordon]

P.S. this is pure speculation and I have no idea what I'm talking about.

That would be an awesome signature line.

[hoodellyhoo]

Here is a video I found a while back about a guy vacuum forming a body for a scale replica of Grave Digger. Makes the whole process seem a bit difficult to get right.

If you have time I recommend looking through his whole set of videos. Very interesting the ammount of work he is putting into getting all the details correct.

[youtube=425,350]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[bucky katt]

Here is a video I found a while back about a guy vacuum forming a body for a scale replica of Grave Digger. Makes the whole process seem a bit difficult to get right.

If you have time I recommend looking through his whole set of videos. Very interesting the ammount of work he is putting into getting all the details correct.

[youtube=425,350]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="

name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

i've always thought that having a vacuform machine would be a cool way to make bodies for r/c cars, if i could do them cheaper than what hpi and the other companies charge.

[gmonkey]

Depends on how fancy you want it and how big and complicated these RC car bodies are but THAT you probably could do with a vacuum cleaner and heat gun.  Make a wooden box with one side sheet metal with a grid of small holes and an outlet to hook up a vacuum cleaner.  Put the plug on top, turn on the vacuum, lay the sheet of plastic over it, and heat it with the air gun until it gets sucked down to the form of the plug.  Helps to make a frame to hold the edges of the plastic sheet too so it doesn't all bunch up and is easier to hold.  Kinda tricky but it's a hole lot easier to build a box with holes in it than a full vacuforming machine.

[Markcb750]

Check your local artist colony, may have shops that can be used for a few bucks.