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Vacuum Forming, Movie Prop, Sci-fi and GIjOE Forum
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Banana Jack
Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Posts: 3
Location: Kansas City MO USA
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 Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2010 6:19 pm Post subject: fumes? where to buy? |
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I am currently in the process of building my first vacuforming machine, just a piece of wood with a hole, a small and simple machine to be run with a toaster oven and shopvac. Next version will be bigger and with built-in heating elements.
but anyways, as i'm still a newbie i have a couple basic questions...
i will be forming lexan/polycarbonate rc car bodies, and using hdpe from milk jugs for test runs. do either of these plastics give off bad fumes when melted? (google couldn't help me here)
another thing, where is a good/cheap/reliable place to get polycarb from? |
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Culvan
Novice
Joined: 20 May 2008
Posts: 85
Location: Kansas City, MO
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| Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:38 am Post subject: Re: fumes? where to buy? |
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| Banana Jack wrote: | I am currently in the process of building my first vacuforming machine, just a piece of wood with a hole, a small and simple machine to be run with a toaster oven and shopvac. Next version will be bigger and with built-in heating elements.
but anyways, as i'm still a newbie i have a couple basic questions...
i will be forming lexan/polycarbonate rc car bodies, and using hdpe from milk jugs for test runs. do either of these plastics give off bad fumes when melted? (google couldn't help me here)
another thing, where is a good/cheap/reliable place to get polycarb from? |
Another KC denizen!
I'll take a stab at your first question. Most thermoformable plastics do give off some form of fumes. I haven't found them to be a problem, but I haven't used my machine that much. I would avoid working in a small space without any airflow (I work in a big space without any airflow). Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in and share a voice of more experience.
As far as places to buy plastics, you can get lexan at Home Depot and Lowes. I think you'll get better prices at Regal Plastics. Regal Plastics is north of the river and has two locations one sells sheets and the other sells thicker stuff. There are a couple of other places in town, but I'm not sure if they sell to individuals. I used to go to Fantastik Plastiks, but they closed their showroom, changed their name and moved. There are a number of little hobby stores that carry RC parts that include sheets of various plastics. They're too small for a big machine, but they may be right for something the size you described. I've also purchased from www.professionalplastics.com. One thing about them though is that they quote you different (cheaper) prices over the phone. They have multiple warehouses around the country and the pricing fluctuates a bit. I got significantly better prices over the phone than on their website. In Kansas They are served out of a warehouse in Colorado. Missouri used to be served out of Dallas, but I think they've redistricted so MO is from CO too.
Andy |
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spektr
Master
Joined: 07 Jan 2008
Posts: 425
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| Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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There is no way in gods name you will pull lexan
with a toaster oven and a shop vac with any sort
of predictability. PETG is hard enough....
\
Scott. |
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Banana Jack
Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Posts: 3
Location: Kansas City MO USA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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i can typically get stuff online for cheaper than local stores, so i'll probably go with that...professionalplastics looks pretty good, i like the fact that it comes with a film masking, keeps me from having to add my own overspray film. but it looks like the 12 x 12, the 12 x 24, and the 24 x 48 are all the same price ($20) which seems odd...different shipping prices maybe? even so, with a 24 x 48 at $20 that's about twice as much for a dollar cheaper than what i bought a couple days ago on ebay.
ok, so what if i used an air compressor to pull the lexan? i was planning on upgrading anyways. and i could use our kitchen oven(that's why i'm worried about fumes by the way. our kitchen is pretty small too) instead of the toaster oven, but i don't think it matters - if it melts it melts. if it doesn't then i'll just have to try harder. |
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jegner
Site Admin
Joined: 30 May 2003
Posts: 2144
Location: Texas, USA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 8:06 am Post subject: |
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I've pulled lexan, the kind you get at the home improvement stores for storm doors and such, with a shop vac. Poor detail for trooper armor, but for an simple RC body form it is possible, but not recommended. You need a decent oven though, and a toaster, not sure that would work.
As for fumes, they all have an 'odor' one reason I do my vac forming in a tool shed, not in the house, but unless you melt it into a flaming pile of goo, it's not too bad. |
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Banana Jack
Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Posts: 3
Location: Kansas City MO USA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| what if i were to use PETG instead? these will be mostly 1/36 car bodies, and nothing very much bigger. so pretty dang small. and toughness is not really needed... |
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