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My 2 x 3 Vacuum Former
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sulla
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Joined: 30 Oct 2009
Posts: 75
Location: Indianapolis, IN

PostPosted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:20 pm    Post subject: My 2 x 3 Vacuum Former Reply with quote

OK, I am finally starting my build. I wanna' thank everyone for all the wonderful help and the resources of this web site. This build is the culmination of a few posts, most notable to me this one: http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1376&start=0

Step one - the dedicated breaker and outlet.

I have an electrician who will be doing all the installation. Here's what I've come up with using the oven calculator linked in this forum.

My oven will be 2' x 3'. It will be made from 6 panels built like the awesome protoform machine; each of the 6 panels measuring about 6' x 24" with 2" space between each length of nichrome coil..

By my calculations, I need a 30 amp breaker with a 220V outlet, which should be able to supply 6600 watts total (1100 watts per segment.) Does that sound right?

My existing box is a 200 amp box with physical space left to install some breakers.



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jdougn
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Location: Louisville KY area

PostPosted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're off to a good start! Keep posting up your progress. Interesting to see your breaker box mounted "upside down" with the main breaker at the bottom. That makes a whole lot of sense. It is a big stretch to get to the main breaker on the box in my garage.
DougN
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sulla
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Location: Indianapolis, IN

PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did some price shopping for oven materials. I want to make an oven inspired by the great protoform machine. I posted about some materials here: http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1382 in which DougN lead me in the right direction.

I just want to confirm that what I have found for framing the oven is usable. I went to Home Depot and found some 3 5/8" Steel stud track, 25 GA steel in 10' lengths.

I also found some steel 'Cross Tees.' One was labeled 'SDX/SDXL 424 12ft cross tee' (B290-013), and the other was SM7 Wall Angle 12ft (A258-057). The Wall Angle is also available in 2' lengths.

(I apologize for the image quality. I was taking the pix with my BlackBerry.)




Here is the Cross Tees - the only open boxes I saw. I didn't see the Wall Angle on display. I assume the Wall Angle forms the outer ring of the segment frame with the Cross Tees forming the cross members, and the Steel Track is the outer oven wall of the frame? Either that the the whole frame is made from Cross Tees attached to the top of the Steel Trakcs to form the oven like on Todd's protoform oven from Doug's plans (see link above)?





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jdougn
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Andy, you seem to be headed the right direction for the oven build. Frankly what I did was attempt to reverse engineer the ProtoForm 2'x4' modular oven so consider refering to that thread. I used 4 panels because I only had 4 controls.

On the one I built, the wall angle was used around the perimeter and it was attached to the steel stud channel. (You might attach two steel channels together into a box shape to get better strength. It seems the single steel channel is a little weak.) Then the cross tees were screwed to the wall angle. Just like building the frame work for a regular drop ceiling. I made sure to attach ground wires to the entire setup.
HTH, DougN
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jegner
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Keep us posted on your progress! Looking good so far!
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sulla
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Joined: 30 Oct 2009
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Location: Indianapolis, IN

PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! I am about ready to start picking up supplies to begin the build. I am tracking down a few last items, and my dad is getting a hold of his electrician buddy to install the new 20apm breaker and 220v outlet. I will wire up the oven myself. At least that is the plan.

I am having some trouble finding some materials though. Frame materials - I am going to build three different sized frames to fit the three platens I will use. I have heard that some folks like to use 'screen door kits' or 'screen window kits' (can't remember which) but for the life of me, I have not been able to find any. I even asked a sales associate (one with some gray in the beard who looked right in a tool belt) at one store and they didn't know what I was talking about.
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sulla
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got tired of trying to re-invent the wheel... I just picked up Doug's plans last night. If nothing else, I want the oven design done right on my machine. I hope to go the whole proto-form rout, but the steel tubing and welding may be beyond my abilities and bank. I can get away with spending a lot on my hobby but sometimes the XO (the wife) really pits a solid nix on things, especially after dropping $65 on what she called 'a bunch of drawings') Razz

But I promised to make some custom cosmetics-storage drawer trays for her and she capitulated!
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stormtrooperguy
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the plans are well worth it.

I also think that it can be done similarly without welding.

Now that mine is up, I think I could have done the same idea with angle iron from Home Depot and bolts / rivets.

The carrier frame would be tricky, but i think it could work.
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sulla
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool. I'm still reading through the plans. I've been watching your awesome build in your thread with much interest. It's one of the things that finally convinced me to buy the plans.

I like the idea of little to no welding since I have no welding equipment and don't really want to buy any or learn to weld yet. The reason I even considered the protoform machine (besides the awesome oven set-up) is because I actually have an uncle who used to build custom drag race car chassis (now he just drives the team truck and works with the pitt crews) and I am trying to enlist his help in procuring the steel and doing the welding. He still has his home-shop and his sons often come and work there.
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jdougn
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sulla wrote:
Cool. I'm still reading through the plans. I've been watching your awesome build in your thread with much interest. It's one of the things that finally convinced me to buy the plans.

I like the idea of little to no welding since I have no welding equipment and don't really want to buy any or learn to weld yet. The reason I even considered the protoform machine (besides the awesome oven set-up) is because I actually have an uncle who used to build custom drag race car chassis (now he just drives the team truck and works with the pitt crews) and I am trying to enlist his help in procuring the steel and doing the welding. He still has his home-shop and his sons often come and work there.


You might consider uni-strut as a no-weld option. I don't know what Doug Walsh might think of this idea though. You can buy "uni-strut" from HD or Lowes in 1.5"x 10'- 14 gauge channel. Electricians use it to mount HVAC units, suspended light runs, and similar. The advantage is that it has all sorts of accesories so you can bolt pieces together. It'd certainly be experiemental but may be worth looking at if you really don't want to weld.
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sulla
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am just learning about the vacuum systems in the plans, so I have no real parameters yet beyond building a proto-former with a 2'x3' platen and using forming plastic no thicker than say .125" ABS at the most - usually .125" HIPS or thinner with only infrequent use on the machine.

Would something like this HF pump work for me? Not sure of tank size (or quantity) yet as I have not really gotten into the vacuum system shopping phase of this build.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=66467

It looks like I could get away with a 5CFM pump and a 20 gal tank for a 2 x 3... I am not pulling production parts here. This will be hobby stuff.
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spektr
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That will do the job. It has a habit of spitting oil into the air while it's running. A very fine mist that is hard to stop. You should be fine if youre in the garage and you put a vent line on the outlet . Ever ask why it has 3 bottles of oil included with the pump???????

If you really dont mind waiting a few minutes, the 79 dollar 3 cfm pumps work pretty well.. I have 2 of them and besides the sloppy exhaust issue, they pull 26 or 27 inches most of the time.. Perfectly fine for low volume use....

Scott.
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sulla
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spektr wrote:

If you really dont mind waiting a few minutes, the 79 dollar 3 cfm pumps work pretty well.. I have 2 of them and besides the sloppy exhaust issue, they pull 26 or 27 inches most of the time.. Perfectly fine for low volume use....

Scott.


Both of them together pull 26-27 inches or they each do?
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spektr
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

either of them will pull that.. The reason they dont pull more is that they heat up a bit emptying big tanks.....


Scott.
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sulla
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool, thanks for the information. How do you (or do you not?) capture/filter the oily exhaust and keep it off all your work surfaces?

My machine will be going in the garage workshop and I really don't want the mess.
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