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www.TK560.com Vacuum Forming, Movie Prop, Sci-fi and GIjOE Forum
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drcrash Guru
Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 705 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 3:13 pm Post subject: My wife's (and my) little mask-making vacuum former setup |
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This uses the oven two-burner-hotplate (and disposable aluminum pans) oven described in this thread on RCGroups:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=621858
The plumbing is the little 2-stage setup I showed earlier in this thread.
The one-big-hole (with windowscreen) platen sits on whatever's convenient---in this case, a folding stand for a portable barbecue, which I found at the Goodwill Blue Hanger store for a couple of bucks.
The oven just sits behind the platen, making it easy and quick to lift up the plastic, pull it toward you, and bring it down over the buck. _________________ Paul (a.k.a. Dr. Crash)
Tired of buying cheap plastic crap? Now you can make your own! www.VacuumFormerPlans.com |
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TK 109 Guru
Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 712 Location: Galena, Ohio
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:47 pm Post subject: pink stuff? |
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I do hope that pink stuff in the background isn't what they vacuform with... _________________ -Alex
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drcrash Guru
Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 705 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: pink stuff? |
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TK 109 wrote: | I do hope that pink stuff in the background isn't what they vacuform with... |
Actually, I do plan to vacuum form it. (Or try to.) It's extruded polystyrene foam insulation that I sliced thin with a hot wire cutter. (The pink stuff is Foamular, the Owens-Corning equivalent of Dow's blue stuff, i.e. Styrofoam (TM) brand styrofoam.) I want to mold radio control model planes out of it.
And I'm confident enough in my masculinity to use the pink stuff when I get it for free. _________________ Paul (a.k.a. Dr. Crash)
Tired of buying cheap plastic crap? Now you can make your own! www.VacuumFormerPlans.com |
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gobler Novice
Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 30 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 10:58 am Post subject: Re: pink stuff? |
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drcrash wrote: | TK 109 wrote: | I do hope that pink stuff in the background isn't what they vacuform with... |
Actually, I do plan to vacuum form it. (Or try to.) It's extruded polystyrene foam insulation that I sliced thin with a hot wire cutter. (The pink stuff is Foamular, the Owens-Corning equivalent of Dow's blue stuff, i.e. Styrofoam (TM) brand styrofoam.) I want to mold radio control model planes out of it.
And I'm confident enough in my masculinity to use the pink stuff when I get it for free. |
Just to let you know, when you heat polystyrene it releases toxic fumes Be very very careful if you attempt this. Make sure you have a big open door (garage size) and fans venting any fumes to the out side. You will need one on both sides and pointed in the same direction i.e. blowing across the foam and then to the out side. You should also wear an OHSA approved respirator. Be safe and good luck.
Cheers,
Jeff _________________ Hey, how hot does this plastic get?.....Holly JEEEZZ it burns!!!! |
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TK 109 Guru
Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 712 Location: Galena, Ohio
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 2:34 pm Post subject: well... |
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Are you sure that stuff won't just melt, i mea, i just don't see that extruded stuff working very well...
Also, doesn't extruded mean... foam?
This isn't good for thermoforming either, because foam is all holy and stuff, so you wouldn't have a vacuum-seal, would you?
If it works, post some pictures of the results! I want to see this stuff in action! _________________ -Alex
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drcrash Guru
Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 705 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: well... |
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TK 109 wrote: | Are you sure that stuff won't just melt, i mea, i just don't see that extruded stuff working very well...
Also, doesn't extruded mean... foam?
This isn't good for thermoforming either, because foam is all holy and stuff, so you wouldn't have a vacuum-seal, would you?
If it works, post some pictures of the results! I want to see this stuff in action! |
You can vacuum form foams... I vacuum form EVA foam regularly.
The holes are not a big problem if it's a "closed cell" or mostly closed-cell foam. (In a closed cell foam, the bubbles are closed, so they don't make tunnels all through the foam, like a sponge.)
Check out these recent threads
http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=635
http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=567
and this older one
http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=441&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=eva+foam+craft+foam
Extruded polystyrene seems to be trickier than EVA... not as forgiving of sloppy heating... but there are people who vacuum form airplane models out of it, commercially. _________________ Paul (a.k.a. Dr. Crash)
Tired of buying cheap plastic crap? Now you can make your own! www.VacuumFormerPlans.com |
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gobler Novice
Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 30 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: well... |
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TK 109 wrote: | Are you sure that stuff won't just melt, i mea, i just don't see that extruded stuff working very well...
Also, doesn't extruded mean... foam?
This isn't good for thermoforming either, because foam is all holy and stuff, so you wouldn't have a vacuum-seal, would you?
If it works, post some pictures of the results! I want to see this stuff in action! |
I know the stuff is nasty to work with. Not my first, second, or third choice.. It may very well melt depending on the heat of the oven. IMO it's more of a PITA then thermo plastics.
Cheers,
Jeff _________________ Hey, how hot does this plastic get?.....Holly JEEEZZ it burns!!!! |
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TK 109 Guru
Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 712 Location: Galena, Ohio
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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most impressive, i would LOVE to see some pulls!
i learned something new today, thanks dr crash! _________________ -Alex
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drcrash Guru
Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 705 Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 7:41 am Post subject: Re: pink stuff? |
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gobler wrote: |
Just to let you know, when you heat polystyrene it releases toxic fumes Be very very careful if you attempt this. Make sure you have a big open door (garage size) and fans venting any fumes to the out side.
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As I understand it, the polystyrene itself is not the problem, unless you burn it. (Which you do when you cut it with hot wire.) It's the same plastic as solid "styrene" (actually polystyrene; styrene by itself is a monomer, not a plastic, and is a liquid at room temperature). So the insulation foam is mostly the same stuff as HIS.
The insulation foam does have flame retardants added to it, though, and they are carcinogenic to breathe. There may also be noxious stuff in the foaming gases, which get released when you cut it.
So yeah, I'm pretty careful with the stuff. (I do have an OSHA-approved lotsa-chemicals-absorbing respirator.) If I end up doing a lot of this stuff, I'll use a homemade forced air respirator. (A hairdryer with the heat turned off blowing plenty of fresh air through a hose to a snorkel mouthpiece.) _________________ Paul (a.k.a. Dr. Crash)
Tired of buying cheap plastic crap? Now you can make your own! www.VacuumFormerPlans.com |
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GoldCylon Newbie
Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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I feel so left behind, my unit was in the heat testing stages, and I blew out the nichrome wire the 1st try, and haven't had the heart to go at it again.
On an other note, the vac storage tank wasn't working out very good, but on the the frame, that sucker I would let stand on the freeway,and take a direct hit from anything out there. I built it tooo tough I think, weighs in at 200 LB , and it is a 24 x 24 puller popper. _________________ http://ByYourCommand.net |
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TK 109 Guru
Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 712 Location: Galena, Ohio
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:03 pm Post subject: some oven info for ya! |
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hey Gold Cyclon....
remember, when it comes to electricity...
BLACK GOES TO WHITE (A TERMINAL TO B TERMINAL TO C TERMINAL, BLACK WHITE BLACK!) AND THEN SEPERATE THE NEXT 2 (OR WHATEVER NUMBER OF TERMINALS YOU HAVE), D (BLACK) TO E (WHITE)
and there you SHOULD have it, oven coils. (that is, if you don't hve a short somewhere...)
One time, i had my oven thermometer too close to a set of coils, and they welded to my thermometer... I picked it off, fixed the short, sat back and watched my thermometer go from the highest temp back down to zero (i removed it to let it cool off)
sometimes, my terminal posts or coils will make contact with the roof flashing on the inside of my oven walls, and i create a sort that way. they aren't as violent as the coils plus thermometer incident, bu that section gets cold...
I never get shorts in my electrical box because EVERYTHING is taped and sealed....
just a little info...
welcome to the world of vacuum-forming! _________________ -Alex
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cod Master
Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Posts: 322 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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I use GFCI outlets on my 2 nichrome circuits. Theoretically, they should pop as soon as there is a short, but I haven't had one yet....
That and all enclosing metal is grounded- always a good policy. _________________ <.o'> |
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GoldCylon Newbie
Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 18 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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It was only a small section that went red, and melted, like a short almost. It was a break in the middle that was effected, not the entire length of the wire. _________________ http://ByYourCommand.net |
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cod Master
Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Posts: 322 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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GoldCylon wrote: | It was only a small section that went red, and melted, like a short almost. It was a break in the middle that was effected, not the entire length of the wire. |
that's weird. sounds like it was defective wire, or touching something it shouldn't be. I've heard some people just tie it together and continue on. I would think that would raise up your current flow a tiny bit though, and the whole length would run a tiny bit hotter.
I was thinking if my nichrome broke I might use a tiny nut/washer/bolt to clamp the two ends together again. But another forum member said they were able to just tie it together with itself.
How much red glow could you see before it blew ? I think in a daytime lit troom you should barely be able to see any glow, but turn off the lights and you will see a lot of glow. I've also noticed that if the coils are uneven and knotty, then their output varies accordingly, some sections redder than others. _________________ <.o'> |
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TK 109 Guru
Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 712 Location: Galena, Ohio
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:41 am Post subject: |
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check your wiring man, i had the same problem!
black to white, white to black! just keep that in mind... _________________ -Alex
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