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harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

i made another table yesterday.its not finished yet.just need to wire up a few switches.i made this fliptop with a adjustable oven height.so i can lower or raise the oven and the oven shroud for more sag in the plastic if i need it.so here are some pics of it.

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plasticfan · Novice Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 43

Nice idea harleyguy....

got a question though....how do you raise or lower the oven?

I imagine some kind of sliding bracket, etc???

Ive been thinking of using a tube within a tube approach. With predrilled holes and pins for preselected heights.

What about sides that could flip over and secure to offer more protection against heat loss when you lower the oven.

Pf

harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

when i designed it i made a frame for my oven to sit on,then i took 2 square tube and drilled a 1/2inch hole threw them on both sides.and welded a nut onto the tubes and used 5 inches of threaded rod ,so i can adjust them.the oven is 2 pieces, the oven and the shroud.my oven is 3 inches tall and my shroud is 9 inches tall.so i drilled on the side of my oven wallls.the holes are 1 inch apart from one another .and welded a nut onto my shroud.so i can raise it or lower it 3 inches total.and just screw bolts into it.so when i lower my oven i can raise my shroud up.so i dont loose no heat.ill get some closer pics soon,charging batteries now.but this will show u a little

thebluecanary · Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:58 am Post subject:

Did you get mad at your oven after walking in red paint? Shocked

A lot of boot marks on that thing. But still looks super slick!

plasticfan · Novice Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 43

yeah it might be paint...but my first thought was oxidation....virgin steel will get a nice reddish rust mark from a hand or....wet boot. ??

plasticfan · Novice Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 43

harleyguy

Is it my understanding that you arent even using cement board?

My background in metal tells me that if the sides were say 14 guage or thicker they would preserve a lot of internal heat...but radiate heat into the room....Im sweating the thought of summer time in the shop, despite ventilation fans. I had also thought of mirror polishing some steel sides to reflect the heat too. Seems like metal sides would indeed reflect more heat....but could also be insulated from the outside to minimalize heat venting.

Thoughts?....

harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

burley · Newbie Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 8

Did you use steel for the bottom plate of the oven aswell?

If so, how did you insulate the contact points of the circuit?

harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

here is another u might be able to see better
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drcrash · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 1:14 am Post subject:

HG,

Do you know whether the flip-top version works better than your over-and-under version did?

I'm thinking of building an over-and-under machine, so lessons from experience would be very interesting.

jegner · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:03 am Post subject:

I can't speak for Harley Guy, but for me, I liked the performance on the flip-flop better than the over/under that I had made. You might want to read this thread, http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=364&start=0 but I think Harley Guy likes the performance of his flip-flop as well.

The space saving aspect is the real reason for the over/under. But for the junk I make, and the space I have thats not a big issue, and I can remove the holding frame, and can pull spheres, by simply making a box, and cutting a hole.

Just my opinion.

Jim

drcrash · Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:11 am Post subject:

Jim,

When you say you like the "performance" better, do you just mean how many pulls per hour you can do? Or that it actually works better---fewer failures, able to pull thicker plastic, etc.?

My impression is that an over-and-under *should* work about as well as a flip-top as long as you get the plastic to the platen about as fast, and that the important factors are even heating, edge sealing, and how fast and hard you can vacuum the air out.

I'd think that an over-and-under machine would have a very slight edge by not swinging the hot plastic through so much air and cooling it (especially the corners on the outside of the swing).

harley guy · Novice Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 71

hey drcrash.i prefer the over under desin,for space and i can use my cyliders(iam lazy).and dont have to worry about meldown on your coils.but i use the flip top design though.because i need it for speed(high production).saves me 1 1/2 minutes in time to heat a sheet of plastic from both designs.if i didnt have to get so many pulls a hour i would be useing the over under.but i use the fliptop.just because its a little faster.besides that both pull about the same.so if your not in a hugh hurry on forming then i would go with the over under design.