Comments on: Vacuum forming How-to

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:57:22 +0000

PETG is clear and vac forms well. Lexan or Acrylic also works good.

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:04:06 +0000

I don’t see why you could not. Just need to scale up the machine large enough for the parts you want to make. I’d bet that many bumpers are made of ABS now anyways.

By: greaserjoe

greaserjoe — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:07:05 +0000

can i vacuum form my original pieces? i think itll melt pretty much duplicate my armor and using my original pieces as molds

By: dialswiftjustice

dialswiftjustice — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:46:13 +0000

thanks for posting this, is there a tutorial for making the bucks (or positive molds)?

By: fkiddle

fkiddle — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:36:12 +0000

I want to make a parabolic mirror using acrylic with a mirror finish. Do you know of any constraints using this method?

By: kptwitko1939

kptwitko1939 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:07:32 +0000

What is a vacuum’s power? More than 1300 W?

By: StrangeBrew020

StrangeBrew020 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:14:02 +0000

What should be used for ventilation for something like this?
Great armor btw

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:41:39 +0000

I work in a tool shed with the door open. HIPS is pretty safe to work with. ABS, not so much. PETG, dunno.

By: StrangeBrew020

StrangeBrew020 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:40:07 +0000

thanks. i have some HIPS im gunna try.

By: ClamTaco

ClamTaco — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:45:51 +0000

Nice work Jim. Do you make to order ???

By: 76sagi

76sagi — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:49:56 +0000

great vid… you have a great table set up there.
the “taper” pieces are a great idea… well done.

By: HornPer666

HornPer666 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:27:21 +0000

Great video! Is it possible to mold a ABS form out of an original ABS piece, or will that harm the original piece?

By: canisfabico

canisfabico — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:01:29 +0000

OMG! 0.o”
you are the real MacGyver….
i tried this before with a industrial oven and a vacuum bomb, and doesn’t go so well

By: Pujc

Pujc — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:53:32 +0000

WOW! Tök jó!

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:09:52 +0000

Thanks!

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:11:21 +0000

Thats tricky but doable, but you will need to reinforce the ABS part first, filled with plaster or the like. Then you are good for maybe 1 or two pulls before the heat starts to distort the original. IMHO

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:27:17 +0000

Thanks! The vac form machine is the 4th one I made, before I got one that would do the job!

By: treborly

treborly — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:07:34 +0000

how much are the sheets? how much do they weigh?

By: englundisgod

englundisgod — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:26:29 +0000

could you use it on a foam mold like great stuff canned foam or would it melt etc

By: Whitehorze

Whitehorze — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:39:10 +0000

For a stormtrooper costume like what he’s making you can use the Bathroom plastic sheets that they sell at Menards or home depot. typicially about $30 for a 4′x8′ sheet. You can find them cheaper by looking in the phonebook under plastic supplier.

By: frogaliscious

frogaliscious — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:58:34 +0000

I would love to hear more about how you assembled this.

By: JimE2

JimE2 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:28:33 +0000

When we did this armor, we used .080 and .093 HIPS. ABS is what Whitehorze is referring to and usually come in 1/8th inch or .125 thickness. Smooth on one side with a haircell texture on the other many time. Thats great if you have the proper high-vac setup for pulling the slower to cool ABS. I’ve not seen 4×8 foot ABS for less than about $40 a sheet in my area.

By: xxmiloszxx

xxmiloszxx — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:42:55 +0000

nice star wars clone trooper

By: DonaldShim

DonaldShim — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:46:52 +0000

I want to make a custom cup that will protect my groin from injury. It would have a hard part and flexible part. For the flexible part it must be made of a rubber/plastic kind of plastic that will flex when your legs bend together and not jab into your leg. Do they make plastic sheets that are sort of rubbery aka they will flex when formed into their final form that I can form using vacuum forming?

By: madzikud02

madzikud02 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:44:27 +0000

no but you could coat the edges with rubber grips which should help out