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karisud
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 Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:04 pm Post subject: Does size matter? |
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I'm working with .040 Styrene it seems a bit thick.
Is there a better one to use?
Is the .060 or .080 thinner and easier to use?
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CJanssen
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| Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Depends on what you are pulling. Got any pics? The thinner plastic is easier to work with imo, but if you are pulling it over a large mold it can get waaaay to thin.
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jegner
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| Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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| .040 is about half as thick as .080 and .060 is in the middle. |
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stormtrooperguy
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| Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Does size matter? |
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| karisud wrote: | I'm working with .040 Styrene it seems a bit thick.
Is there a better one to use?
Is the .060 or .080 thinner and easier to use? |
What are you trying to make?
To me, 0.040 styrene is really thin... I use 0.080 for small parts and 0.125 for thicker (0.125 = 1/8" thick before forming) |
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karisud
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| Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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I'm making the Jedi armor from TOR.
I don't want to go too thick as I may struggle with the cutting and sanding.
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stormtrooperguy
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| Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:38 pm Post subject: |
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| karisud wrote: | I'm making the Jedi armor from TOR.
I don't want to go too thick as I may struggle with the cutting and sanding. |
if you are making armor, i'd say go with 080 or thicker... thin stuff that is easy to cut is also easy to break.
what are you cutting with?
i usually use either tin snips or a dremel. |
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spacephrawg
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| Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 1:05 am Post subject: |
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loosely related question:
How much detail do you lose with thicker plastic vs. thinner? I've read that you can get super-fine detail with the thin stuff but I haven't seen any examples of people trying to get any kind of detail with thicker.
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jdougn
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| Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 6:59 am Post subject: |
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| spacephrawg wrote: | loosely related question:
How much detail do you lose with thicker plastic vs. thinner? I've read that you can get super-fine detail with the thin stuff but I haven't seen any examples of people trying to get any kind of detail with thicker. |
Loss of detail is a function of thickness. In my thinking, the thickness of the plastic forms somewhat of a radius around any point of detail and smooths that detail. However, normal cellophane tape will telegraph through 1/16" thick ABS and show on the top side very clearly. If you really want to pick up maximum detail then use a female mold so the finished side of the plastic is in contact with the mold.
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spacephrawg
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| Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 7:17 am Post subject: |
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| jdougn wrote: | | spacephrawg wrote: | loosely related question:
How much detail do you lose with thicker plastic vs. thinner? I've read that you can get super-fine detail with the thin stuff but I haven't seen any examples of people trying to get any kind of detail with thicker. |
Loss of detail is a function of thickness. In my thinking, the thickness of the plastic forms somewhat of a radius around any point of detail and smooths that detail. However, normal cellophane tape will telegraph through 1/16" thick ABS and show on the top side very clearly. If you really want to pick up maximum detail then use a female mold so the finished side of the plastic is in contact with the mold. |
You mean a female vacuum mold? Never heard of that but I am a n00b. Can you point me towards some pictures of this process? Can it be done at home the way normal vacuforming can?
Thanks!
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jdougn
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| spacephrawg wrote: | You mean a female vacuum mold? Never heard of that but I am a n00b. Can you point me towards some pictures of this process? Can it be done at home the way normal vacuforming can?
Thanks! |
Exact same vac forming process so that doesn't change. Here's a link that'll explain:
http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1153&highlight=female
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spacephrawg
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:07 am Post subject: |
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| jdougn wrote: | | spacephrawg wrote: | You mean a female vacuum mold? Never heard of that but I am a n00b. Can you point me towards some pictures of this process? Can it be done at home the way normal vacuforming can?
Thanks! |
Exact same vac forming process so that doesn't change. Here's a link that'll explain:
http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1153&highlight=female |
Ah. I was expecting that you'd have to have holes inside the negative spaces in the mold so air could get sucked through though. so you just lay a female mold on top of your vacuum forming table and suck plastic down over it? is it really as simple as that? Somehow I expected that the plastic would web over the top of it or something.
Also if i'm using a female mold that may not work for an RC car body because the body would be rather tall. Or would that really be an issue? What makes me think it would be is that the plastic would have to stretch all the way over and into the mold as well as down the sides onto the table.
edit:
I reread it and apparently missed the mention of tiny perforations in the mold so that suction would pass right through it. Ok that makes sense but don't they show up on the final casting? I mean they didn't in the pictures on that thread but maybe he sanded them off? I don't get it.
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jdougn
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:05 am Post subject: |
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| spacephrawg wrote: | Ah. I was expecting that you'd have to have holes inside the negative spaces in the mold so air could get sucked through though. so you just lay a female mold on top of your vacuum forming table and suck plastic down over it? is it really as simple as that? Somehow I expected that the plastic would web over the top of it or something.
Also if i'm using a female mold that may not work for an RC car body because the body would be rather tall. Or would that really be an issue? What makes me think it would be is that the plastic would have to stretch all the way over and into the mold as well as down the sides onto the table.
edit:
I reread it and apparently missed the mention of tiny perforations in the mold so that suction would pass right through it. Ok that makes sense but don't they show up on the final casting? I mean they didn't in the pictures on that thread but maybe he sanded them off? I don't get it. |
Actually you are getting it. Everything you mentioned can be a downside with this if not properly addressed. For example, create long sloping sides around the exterior perimeter so the plastic doesn't have to stretch as much as it would if the perimeter was near vertical. As you observed, some thickness is lost on the part itself. Also, the perforations need to be placed at strategic locations where other details will hide them. Going with a female mold is not an easy option. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed as you quickly realized. But if a female mold is the only answer to the problem then that is the trade off.
hth, DougN
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spacephrawg
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| Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| jdougn wrote: | | spacephrawg wrote: | Ah. I was expecting that you'd have to have holes inside the negative spaces in the mold so air could get sucked through though. so you just lay a female mold on top of your vacuum forming table and suck plastic down over it? is it really as simple as that? Somehow I expected that the plastic would web over the top of it or something.
Also if i'm using a female mold that may not work for an RC car body because the body would be rather tall. Or would that really be an issue? What makes me think it would be is that the plastic would have to stretch all the way over and into the mold as well as down the sides onto the table.
edit:
I reread it and apparently missed the mention of tiny perforations in the mold so that suction would pass right through it. Ok that makes sense but don't they show up on the final casting? I mean they didn't in the pictures on that thread but maybe he sanded them off? I don't get it. |
Actually you are getting it. Everything you mentioned can be a downside with this if not properly addressed. For example, create long sloping sides around the exterior perimeter so the plastic doesn't have to stretch as much as it would if the perimeter was near vertical. As you observed, some thickness is lost on the part itself. Also, the perforations need to be placed at strategic locations where other details will hide them. Going with a female mold is not an easy option. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed as you quickly realized. But if a female mold is the only answer to the problem then that is the trade off.
hth, DougN |
The thing i had in mind to make has no raised rivets though, at least none placed where it would help the vacuforming. 8>/
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