How to Make a Larger Vacuum Former | I Like To Make Stuff

I'm remaking the vacuum former from my very first project video, but way better this time! Come check out the process.

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As many of you know, I don't really repeat projects.  Not that each project or video is perfect, far from it actually, I just rarely have the time or desire to completely reinvent something I've already done. If you check out the link for my first project video, you'l see why this project (being far from perfect) is in need of a revamping.

In my previous attempt at making a vacuum former, I placed the material in a frame and placed it in my oven to soften the plastic. This technically did work, but presented a lot of problems; melting plastic where my food goes, taking over the kitchen with a prop-making project, the plastic starts to cool when moving it around, etc. So I found a small space heater that is meant to hang from a shop ceiling to use as the source of heat to soften the plastic.

A vacuum former works by heating up and thereby softening/slightly melting a thin sheet of plastic. That malleable sheet is then pulled down over an object that sits on a flat bed of holes. Once the plastic is pulled down over the object and sealed around the bed, a vacuum pulls the air from under the sheet through the holes and the plastic sucks down into the object's nooks and crannies creating the vacuum formed shape.

To keep the heat source above the vacuum bed, I built a box out of 1/2 inch thick MDF and mounted the heater in it. The vacuum box was built in the exact same way and I used the CNC to drill a bunch of holes for the air to escape. I had to drill a large hole in the vacuum box's side panel so I can attach the shopvac hose directly to the lower box.

Some aluminum angled stock will act as the vertical supports. We guesstimated the amount of sag that the plastic would have when heated and added some space for a tall-ish object laying on the vacuum bed and that was my height dimension. I screwed the aluminum supports directly into the two MDF boxes and the vacuum former took shape.

To hold the plastic sheets up near the heat source and to bring it down on top of the object, you need a material support frame. This is a two-part frame that will act as a clamp on all sides of the material as well as a pulling mechanism that should seal to the vacuum bed. I decided to use some 3/16 inch thick steel flat bar because it would be rigid over the 24 inch span without much support. After welding up the two frames independently, I added two simple handles to one of them. You have to make sure to grind the welds flat, especially where a tight seal would be needed like the bottom and where the material would be held.

Furthermore, I added some simple MDF handles to the sides incase the frame got too hot for my hands. The two frames would be held together with some flat-bottom binder clips  and held up near the heater using some magnets suspended on long screws. This will keep the frame in place whilst heating and still allow me to pull the material down with minimal force.

On our first test pull we learned a lot. First, plexiglass is super brittle when vacuum formed and didn't work that great. Second, the space heater's radiant heating area was smaller than I thought, but it still worked well enough. Third, the binder clips prevented a perfect seal with the vacuum bed, so I needed to add some extra gaskets. Thin EVA foam cut into strips would acts as a seal when the material frame sat on the vacuum bed. I lined the outer perimeter with the EVA foam, and then added small pieces in the areas that wouldn't touch the binder clips. This made little notches in the gasket so that I could line up the clips in the same place each time.

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How to Make a Larger Vacuum Former | I Like To Make Stuff

I Like To Make Stuff

[qbaker]

Hey, Bob. Glad you are going to be able to vacuum pack your wrenches so they don't go rancid as quickly. I hate having to throw away wrenches that have gone off while most of the metal was still good.

[drvfstrlt]

We built a massive version of this about 10 years ago for the SAE Baja team I was on. After a form was made, it made body panels for the car in about 10 minutes a set. Huge time saver.

[JaredMize]

Craziest timing. I watched 10 different vacuum former videos with Hayden last night and then this came up this morning! And thank you for the time you spent with her at Maker Faire. She’s still raving about it to her friends. Btw, a scroll saw was the first tool I ever bought her about a year ago. We obviously think alike when it comes to “safe” tools for our kids.

[naivlyssillig]

Five years ago i started to follow you with your first vaccum former. Congratulations for your projects and your succes.

[AnEngineerAtHeart]

Do you ever watch a video and have the strange feeling that you've watched it before?

[pixll]

This was by far the simplest version of making a vacuum former I have seen, and I love the simple design of the boxes and how they are connected. I am sitting and planning my own former so this video was great ^^

[artiet]

I may not make a former like this, but I picked up a lot of other great tips for my everyday woodworking in this video, one reason I like your videos so much. Thanks Bob! Great video

[davidrucker]

So was watching this for the purpose of eventually making parts for my DeLorean, and you're wearing a DeLorean shirt! Fantastic!!!

[Roadsterrick]

No uptalk…to the point…no uhs or ands…steady camera…good lighting…well done.

[invisibleman]

I am just starting on my first machine and wanted to thank you for posting this video. It's not just helpful, it's brilliant, and your explanations are crystal clear. Many thanks for sharing.

[EcoMouseChannel]

For anyone wanting to make their own vacuum forming machine, here's a pro-tip that will get you great results even as a beginner. You need your vacuum box to be able to fit INSIDE your frame clamp. That way when you pull down your styrene, the plastic wraps tighter around the base of your object bucks. (That means you can't directly fasten the legs to the vacuum box underneath. Unless you make a tiered cake box, where the vacuum forming area is elevated and smaller than the whole box underneath)

I've made several of these over the years, and the most convenient items to start with are actually metal baking trays. Use one to contain your heating elements, and use the other as the base in which you pull vacuum through. Yeah, drilling holes in the metal pan is gonna suck a little more... but the results are more worth it and your homemade vacuum former starts to rival "professional" versions.

[phunkissartisticcreations]

Great step by step build. Woodwork, metalwork, welding, CNC, electric wiring and even rare earth magnets, this build has it all! Thanks!

[EvanAndKatelyn]

The answer is always MORE MAGNETS! Been wanting to build one of these, thanks Bob!

[paulweintraub]

That was very helpful. I am a retired Master Goldsmith. I used to cast a lot. This is something I could have used back then.

[mitchrob]

Despite the fact the original video was "pretty awful", it was the one that got me to subscribe. Such a great channel and it's been great to watch you and your channel grow and evolve in complexity of build and video quality. Thank you Bob, big fan here

[karnalindeman]

This Joe, Karna husband. I like your tool rack. It was behind you in this build video. GOD Bless you and your family. Amen

[kadephillips]

Awesome video man, I love how you give extra instructions for people with less equipment!

[CPoddy]

Absolutely perfect video dude! It’s so nice to see someone making such an intelligent step by step instruction video without wasting a single frame. Maybe you should go to go to Hollywood. They could use a guy like you! Seriously!

[Lejackal]

Totally having tool envy over that CNC, nice build

[Bmk]

I’ve gotten to play with a few of these at Auburn University, specifically one that does full 4x8 sheets of abs. One trick they use to get cleaner pulls is to use a piece of wood or a silicone spatula to even out the creases. We also just used quarters to space the objects of the vacuum table. You could also try drilling small holes through the object to get more surface detail, a 1/16-3/32 but should be fine for thinner plastics