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24x 48in Vac Forming Unit Questions.

 
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yardc



Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 12:42 pm    Post subject: 24x 48in Vac Forming Unit Questions. Reply with quote

Wow ... great site and a fantastic resource for someone like me trying to make their 1st Vacuum Forming Unit.
A few Questions on the Thurston James' Design:
I'm wanting to make a long slender helicopter fuselage and wondered if I could use the same design for a 24 X 48in setup?
I'm mainly concerned if I'll need more vacuum and a redesigned oven?
I'll be pulling .030 or .040 HIps ... can I simply reposition the Nichrome wire uniformly to fit the 24x48in oven box?
Also, I'll be pulling a part ~ 3-4in deep ... any special design consideration?
Thanks in Advance.
Charlie
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jegner
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Joined: 30 May 2003
Posts: 2144
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The scale-up to 24x48 is not that hard, but the challenge will be the oven. Its a matter of principles that the larger the area that has to be heated, the more energy its going to take. A 24x24 oven is about as big as you can make using a 110V , 20AMP circuit. Just using the same oven specks, and spacing the wires apart won't heat the plastic enough to form. Adding more wire will add to the AMPS and blow the 20amp circuit.

Thurston talks about a 48x48 table that is a 2X scale-up of the 24x24 table. That might be where you want to try, just double everything.

The forming platen is not an issue, or the vacuum source.
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yardc



Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply.
I figured the oven may be the issue but was hoping I could get away with it because I would be pulling thinner material (.030) ?
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jegner
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Joined: 30 May 2003
Posts: 2144
Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The thickness of the material has little to do with getitng your plastic up to forming temp so I'd guess that you will need the oven to reach the same forming temp regardless of thickness.
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