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EmergencyDpt
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Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 7
Location: San Jose, CA
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 Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 1:55 am Post subject: Some questions on plastic selection. |
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Greetings.
What a great forum. I've heard you are the go-to guys for vacuum forming.
I've made a mold of my car key. it is a one piece affair that incorporates the remote and key in one unit.
I'm trying to make a wrap around key protector. It will have undercuts. I need a semi flexible plastic that can also withstand a hard drop without shattering.
I finished my table on Sunday and only had some window acrylic so I tried it. It formed very nicely. I used a dremel to cut the part off the buck but of course it broke since it's not very flexible.
Anyone have any ideas on what I should try next? Remember there are undercuts and the piece is small if that helps. Something not quite as soft as tupperware. Maybe some kind of poly carbinate? I'm thinking of cutting it off the buck with hot wire. The dremel takes forever and the cuts are poor becuase of the friction.
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jegner
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Joined: 30 May 2003
Posts: 2144
Location: Texas, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:23 am Post subject: |
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Does it need to be clear? ABS wil have more flex than acrylic. PETG if you are needing clear. HIPS to test with. Just some thoughts.
By the way, welcome to the board.
Ralis Kahn's designed machine? Looks good!
Jim |
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EmergencyDpt
Newbie
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 7
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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| jegner wrote: | Does it need to be clear? ABS wil have more flex than acrylic. PETG if you are needing clear. HIPS to test with. Just some thoughts.
By the way, welcome to the board.
Ralis Kahn's designed machine? Looks good!
Jim |
Jim,
thank you for your reply.
It doensn't need to be clear. It needs to flex enough to get if off an on since there are undercuts.
I'll try to get samples of these materials from my local tap plastics.
Yes it's a Kahn machine. Works pretty good except a little cool around the edges.
Thanks again.
-Spencer |
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TK 109
Guru
Joined: 11 May 2007
Posts: 712
Location: Galena, Ohio
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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i would go with thin HIPS, a small sheet since you're not vacufoming anything big....
how thick? eh. try something like 0.030 or 0.040 inch-thick stuff, i dunno. just throwing that out there.
you should get a tight pull, too, but webbing may be an issue with your particular mold. go thin for flexibility, man!
by the way, welcome to the board! 
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-Alex
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EmergencyDpt
Newbie
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 7
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you for your reply Alex.
My local TAP plastics did not know what HIPS was or PETG. They had ABS. I bought 10 sheets cut to fit my platen.
I'll post pics when I pull again.
-Spencer |
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EmergencyDpt
Newbie
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 7
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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So here is the ABS. it is 0.040 or 0.030 and a little thin for this application. I need to spend some time on the mold to get it to fit just right.
What do you think is the best way to cut the material off the mold? The edges are rough from the dremel tool.
Thanks,
Spencer |
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jegner
Site Admin
Joined: 30 May 2003
Posts: 2144
Location: Texas, USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:43 am Post subject: |
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As your supplier for 'styrene' or polystyrene. High-Impact Polystyrene is one of the most common plastics for vac forming as it is used a lot in sign making.' Score and snap' technique for the trimming should do the trick.
Jim |
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EmergencyDpt
Newbie
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 7
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:09 am Post subject: |
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| jegner wrote: | As your supplier for 'styrene' or polystyrene. High-Impact Polystyrene is one of the most common plastics for vac forming as it is used a lot in sign making.' Score and snap' technique for the trimming should do the trick.
Jim |
Thanks Jim,
I'll check it out.
I'm going to work on a two piece mold where the base is less tapered and comes out of the buck. This will allow me to score and snap. Thank you for your input.
On another note, where would I buy a stormtrooper outfit for holloween? Is there a vendor on ebay you like?
I'm grooving on the idea.
-Spencer |
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drcrash
Guru
Joined: 04 Sep 2006
Posts: 705
Location: Austin, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:20 am Post subject: |
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| EmergencyDpt wrote: |
Yes it's a Kahn machine. Works pretty good except a little cool around the edges. |
Looks like you're using the Uniflame grill from Wal-Mart, or something like it, rather than the Sunbeam Portable Deluxe... is that right?
You can fix the heat distribution with a $1 portable grill topper and half of a $6 roll of aluminum flashing... in case you haven't seen the thread on that, it's here: http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=390
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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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EmergencyDpt
Newbie
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 7
Location: San Jose, CA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:42 am Post subject: |
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| drcrash wrote: | | EmergencyDpt wrote: |
Yes it's a Kahn machine. Works pretty good except a little cool around the edges. |
Looks like you're using the Uniflame grill from Wal-Mart, or something like it, rather than the Sunbeam Portable Deluxe... is that right?
You can fix the heat distribution with a $1 portable grill topper and half of a $6 roll of aluminum flashing... in case you haven't seen the thread on that, it's here: http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=390 |
Hi Paul.
I can't say I'm having any heat issues with this grill. It is oddly shaped, not rectangluar. I had to build a box to mount it in. The box comes down a little on the side and traps the heat in a bit. Maybe it isn't getting quite as hot at the outside edges but my limited testing has not produced any glaring problems.
If I do run into any I know right where to go. I thank you for your post.
Best regards,
Spencer |
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