www.TK560.com

[drcrash]

A couple of epic threads on people making model airplanes.

This one is really a computer case in the shape of a chubbified 737:

http://www.gruntville.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15519

It's an amazing award-winning "case mod" (actually a scratch build) which is featured all over the web and even in some magazines recently.

The guy reinvented a lot of wheels to build a kludged-together vacuum former to do it, making and more or less fixing several common mistakes. He did do one very interesting thing though---he came up with a telescoping flip-flop design that brings the plastic down straighter. The hinge is on the opposite side of the oven from the platen. You raise the plastic up on the hinge, telescope it over the platen, and lower it. His implementation is pretty flimsy, but it seems like a cool idea.

The thread is a 33-page "build log" so you may want to skip or skim it.

But do watch this movie:

http://www.engelads.com/publicfiles/Boddaker/Video/vacuform.wmv

This other epic thread is about the vacuum-forming of a whole Starship. (A model of the kind of plane Vortilon makes real parts for.)

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131782

It's a beautiful plane, but what I mainly find interesting about it is the techniques for vacuum forming stiff foams in cavity molds.

Unfortunately, after the guy was successful once, he gave up because he couldn't repeat his success, and went back to balsa construction. (Some day I want to try this and figure out what variables he failed to control, so I could do it reliably.) There are people who do this regularly, but it's a black art that some people are secretive about, for business reasons.

[Vortilon]

I suggested that the starship modeler use a vacuum formed styrene skin to cover the model. I think he likes the idea, should make for a easier kit to build.
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We the unwilling, led by the unqualified have been doing the impossible now with so little for so long we now feel we can do anything with nothing.

[jegner]

Cool Stuff. I like that telescoping holding frame! Up, over, and down!

Neat! Thanks for sharing!

Jim

[Stomper]

In my many moments of mentally conceptualizing my future vac-forming table, the issue of having the "finish" side directly exposed to the heat source bothered me because of any inclusions that may form on the surface, like pitting or surface wrinkles, etc. THIS idea has pretty much nailed it for me to make a "pull and slide" vac-form table instead of the "over-under" or "flip-flop" design... now to further think through the logistics and production consequences/issues it may present!

Nice find Drcrash!!
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Tony Krewson
FEAR... is not my god!!