www.TK560.com

[jegner]

+1 for the spring clamps. I've used them from time to time when my wing nuts stripped out.

[inventer]

fast_monte, I spent some time searching, and found this company

http://www.piedmontplastics.com/films/default.asp

who had me contact a branch close to me, they are in Maryland, my sales guy is Donny Dixon, he found me what I needed real quick, than got me a good deal on it, told me about how the weight thing works for shipping., Did you know the with UPS and FED EX, that any thing over 70lbs will cost over a hunderd dollars to ship, so I buy rolls of only 200 feet long, weighting 65lbs and it only costs me 35 dollars for s&h. I don't know what gauge you want to use, I'm useing .010 If you need or want his no. to talk with him, I'll get it out of my plastic's folder.

fast_monte, I tryed spring clamps, but because my frame sets right on top of the wood, I don't get a vacuum, but I'm thinking of looking into the clamps like ahillworks uses, I can attach them to the side like he did. I have a friend that works on lifts and automated machinery, he has access to catalogs that we've never seen of will ever hear of in our life time, he's looking for custom latches for me. He said the one catalog he has at woek has over a thousand pages in it, so it'll take a little while till he finds something that might work, if it does, I'll post it for you guys. Today I talked to a couple of marketing agencys, now who to have with me on getting my tray liners out into the main stream market place. I can easily made 200 trays in a week if I want, that'll give me some income to pay on the credit cards I used to buy parts and plastic, I hope. Keep up the good work guys, love pictures, Tony

[ahillworks]

Inventor so you know. Since cost expence can get kinda high on these machines. The top metal frame that holds the plastic down is window screen frames. I riveted two together all the way around. Works really well. Total Cost would be 5 for rivets - 5 for two 8 foot long window screen frame - if you dont have a rivet gun then its about 5 or 10 bucks at a dollar store =). So a grand total of 20 bucks and works really really well. Figured id give you some ideas. May save you time and money.

See.

[inventer]

ahillworks, thanks, I made my first frame from alum. was to soft of a metal, thats why I bought steel tubing, welded it together, now it can't bend, get knocked out of square and rivets never loosen. I tryed riveting a few different latchs on it now because they were a soft white metal and alum. and they loosened up after several uses, so I'm seeking some sort of metal latches to weld on, that way I can draw the frame really tight together, as you's have seen, I'm going for production, I don't think rivets will hold up to 200 or more pulls a week. But thanks, I do shop at Harbor Freight alot, thats where I got my weilder, air compressor, air tool and alot of other stuff, but let me warn you guys, don't buy drill bits for metal drilling, their to hard, they shatter when drilling, wear eye protecten if you do, I had alot shatter, and always buy the extra warrienty on any drills or any electric tools, I had a drill bust wide open, the caseing split when drilling a piece of wood, could'nt believe it, took it back, showed my warrienty, they gave me another one right off the shelf. Tony

[ahillworks]

Those are all very valid points inventor. I guess when I get where I want I have a goal to buy a real vacuum former when I can. So good luck to all of use. We all have some awesome ideas. Now back to my idea. =) I will talk to you guys later.

[fast_monte]

Inventer,

What type if plastic are you using? (PVC, PET, PETE?) I Posted a video of my machine in this thread: http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=6966#6966
I will have to add the video of me loading the machine.

[inventer]

fast_monte, I'm useing PETG plastic, clear.

[TK 109]

[CrazyFool]

Just a quick update on my project. The contractor hired to put my signs up on the store fronts backed out. Then my boss asked me if I could do it (or if I knew anyone who could). Then, the contractor was suddenly back in the game again and it looks like the first two signs might go up this weekend.

Hopefully I can have some nice before and after photos to share next week.

CF

[CrazyFool]

They finally did it!!

The contractor my boss hired finally installed two of my signs on a building! Woohoo. He said that he was going to install them by this weekend but I didn't believe it. So I didn't bother driving by the store until around 11 pm Friday night and... "No way!" There they were, 20 feet in the air all lit up like Christmas trees! And they looked GREAT!!!

I'll try to post some photos in the next 24 hours. My boss is already lining up a 2nd payment to me but I'm not sure how much.

Wow. It's going to take some time for this to sink in - that my vacuformed signs are actually up on a real building for all the world to see. (And built by a homemade TK560 machine!!)

CF

PS I think that I might be suffering from a bit of burnout so forgive me if I'm a little slow to read threads right now. Thanks.

[TK 109]

good job, man!!
_________________
-Alex

-------------------------------------------------------

[ahillworks]

[jegner]

Pictures! We need pictures! LOL. Great news. Keep us posted on their progress.

Jim

[CrazyFool]

*** !!! MISSION COMPLETED !!! ***

Well, the first store is completed anyway! lol Since you guys have been so cool I decided to show you everything. Below are before and after photos of the first store. My job was to replace the word 'Mobil 1' with the word 'Gotta' (and add the new logo which is a little oil filter character.) The only thing left to do on the new signs is to glue round, opaque, white circles into the centers of the 'o's and 'a's of 'Gotta' so that the centers do not light up at night. The contractor who installed the signs forgot to do that. There are 6 more stores to do with about 2 signs per store. Note that I did not do the 'monument' sign out by the street. That sign was done by a professional sign company before I got involved.

Enjoy...













CF

PS In case you are wondering the little oil filter guy's name is 'Otto' as in 'Otto J. Filter'. In his left hand is a dripping dipstick. In his right hand he is waving an oil can. I thought it was a bit wacky at first but he grows on ya.

[ahillworks]

That is Freak AWESOME. Great job Crazy Fool!!!!!!