Why I got a Vacuum Former, What Can it Do

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VaCuCu3D said they liked my videos and they offered to send me one of their Vacuum Forming Machines to test out and share my experience with you. This is their largest size but they also offer a smaller sized unit too links below. It is a very strong and well built machine I think it is the perfect solution for anyone wanting to get into thermoforming plastics and doesn't want to go through the hassle of a DIY or building your own. Even though I wasn't originally interested in this new skillset now that I have this machine I find myself open to a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to making products. It really pairs well with my laser cutters and my 3D printer. I cant wait to share more projects utilizing this machine.

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[ChadsCustomCreations]

Use promo code “CHADSCUSTOM” for a discount

[josephgregory]

Back in the early 60's my brother and I received a Mattel Vacuum Form for Christmas. It worked the same way but was limited in size to only about 4 inches square. We made hundreds of copies of toy soldiers with our "Vacuum Form". Latter in life I went looking for that machine in the basement of my parents house, I found it sitting on a shelf, and to my surprise it still worked. I used it to make clear canopies for balsa wood R/C airplanes. Loved that machine!

[classicmetaldude]

The cup lids are done in a steady sheet of plastic that has rows of the Lids formed into it in an oven area, then fed into a huge die cutter that's basically a punch press with a cycle that feeds the sheet through it . The oven forms like, 6 wide, by around 20 deep, each time it forms a set, on a continuously fed sheet. The cool thing is that there is like NO scrap...anything that's deformed is ground down and placed back at the front of all the machines where its melted back down and sent right back through...pretty cool process!

[notebookluvr]

I made my own vacuum forming machine after reading a tutorial I purchased from an Etsy shop in the beginning of 2013 about how to vacuum form. I had found various handmade vacuum box models available at that time, starting around $100, but that was not in my budget, as a single mom. So I figured out a way to make my own. It ended up costing roughly a fourth of that. I opened my Etsy shop in 2014 and I have been selling molds ever since. I use 1/16 thick ldpe, but I have been wanting to use other materials. The plastic you're using looks like it will be perfect for what I want to make, but I have never worked with it, so it will definitely be a new learning experience for me. I will need to figure out the correct temperature to heat it, what it will look like when it is ready, and all the steps required to get it to mold correctly. I am trying My best to avoid watermarks. My setup is a large toaster oven, an aluminum frame I made from a window screen frame which I put the plastic inside and clamp to hold it while it heats up, and a vacuum hooked up to my handmade box. I also make handmade cards, so I would like to make domed shapes to create kind of a snowglobe card with a plastic window with confetti and other little things inside. They sell these plastic domes in different places and different shapes and sizes, but since I already have the machine and understanding and skills for the most part of vacuum forming, it would actually be a lit cheaper to buy the materials and make them myself. I'm considering letting my shop go. It's a lot of work, and I'm not the kind of person who thrives on that.

Most of the molds I sell are used with epoxy, or other types of resin, to make jewelry and other things.

Also, those wrinkles are called webbing, if I remember correctly.

Thank you for sharing! It's been really helpful for me 💖

[davidarnds]

Mattel Vac-u-form Maker Sets were the thing when I was a kid. This brings back that period Thank You for the video.

[LohagoenmiGarage]

I can see this machine can be used in order to create models in order to restore car batches, logos, stop or other fender lights for classic cars because some cars are now impossible or difficult to find spares, very nice video Chad! I'll consider this in order to create stuff inside my garage ;)

[CaptainOverLoad]

Can i just say how incredible it is that a LOT of these manufacturing machines used and new are making there way into OUR hands and not just corporations at reasonable prices. Letting us start our on side hustles and create passion projects?

[GunnerAl]

The sign could have had LED lights placed behind it to light up the letter. Use lighter coats of red to build until it's just barely covered and the lights will make them glow. Great video. On the 3" box, what about increasing the heat a little to allow the mold to completely form on the corners?

[DSage]

I 3d printed my own vacuum form! It's a lot of fun and I enjoyed your video!

[timapple]

Ok now I want a 3d printer and a Vacuum Former - the possibilities are almost endless, never be bored

[TrevorStruthers]

I have worked at a vacuum formed plastic factory. We made mostly fruit baskets that hold like a quart of blueberries or strawberries. We also made apple trays. It was a super boring job. This looks much more fun.

[ryanschultz]

You could make 100% epoxy signs using the mold of a previously made sign. So for example, the Atari sign you just made. You could make the mold of the completed sign, use red epoxy to fill the letters. After it's cured, use the white epoxy to then fill the rest. Making several at a time, it's pretty cost effective and time saving. Sure, you have time in curing but just like the laser and/or opens up time to do other things while it does the rest. Just an idea, it's what I do.

[glennedward]

They ate super easy to build. In a setup like that you need the heaters built in the top soon as it sags pull it down. Others I know heat the sheets in an oven which adds some complexity moving it to a vacuum table. If you don’t care about the fancy enclosure really very easy to build.

[EngineHeadCW]

Try doubling up on your wood stencil, then temporarily sticking them together making sure you line everything up, then vacuum form that whole thing. Pull out the plastic (leaving in one sheet, don't cut apart), then split the two wood forms apart. Your double-height vacuum formed plastic will now stick through one wood form at double-thickness IN ONE SHEET. Easy-peasy.

[Darth_Chicken]

I used to use a larger one of those 35 years ago in a professinal model shop producing consumer goods prototypes. We would make patterns from jelutong wood (cheap and very easy to cut and carve) and to get the plastic to pull into crevices etc we drilled small vent holes using piano wire with the end ground to make a flat spade end. You could even get it to drill holes in an arc and we often drilled them up to a foot long or more. We also put channels on the underside of the pattern to ensure all the holes got vacuum into them. For more durable patterns we would make wood ones and use the formings to cast tooling resin into (also needed vacuum holes drilling and where piano wire really shines). Your vent holes in the box are waaaay bigger than you need, 1mm holes are fine. The amount you can pull into a hole depends both on depth and the amount of taper on the sides verses the thickness of the plastic. You can look at using much thicker plastic and materials such as ABS but you need to pre-dry some types or they will produce bubbles in the plastic when the water in it boils. I used to stick the sheet under the heaters on low heat for about an hour or so for 3mm ABS sheet. Polycarbonate sheet can make VERY tough items but needs even more drying. Have fun with the machine! Steve in UK.

[SPENJERE]

Great review. I built a vacuum forming box a couple years ago. It's 22"x 17", the frame that holds the plastic sheet (fits exactly in an oven) is the same dimensions. I use it to make car headlamp lenses, love the results.

[jPup_]

Love the enthusiasm and possibilities of this for a small business. Only thing I’d say is to see if there’s a compatible bioplastic available or one that’s specifically post-consumer plastic based. If not, I would limit this to products that require or are greatly enhanced by it rather than just packaging anything or everything in plastic. Not trying to be a buzzkill, it’s a very cool machine, just important to remember many plastics are practically immortal and usually single use. Either way, enjoy and keep making cool stuff 🙏

[pierdocks]

So pleasant to find you! Great info tech.

[dwwoodbuilds]

Nice video Chad! Again, you are clear, concise and focused. Great demonstrations of the product and different types of projects (the Atari sign is very cool!). So many possibilities with this type of machine, esp if one has a 3D printer (your use of the laser is a great example also, can see how a cnc router would also be very useful to make forms). Great job! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us! (also, please give up on your dream of being a picture hanger.. 😉😁)

[Liens-den]

Hey brother I am extremely inspired by you and your videos, and I think because of you I am thinking in getting into laser cutting, I purchased a Glowforge and I worked with it for a while, and today I will be receiving a delivery of the omtech 60 watt, but my biggest hurdle is how to obtain clients and projects, and I am willing to do anything, if you don’t mind mentoring someone who is very passionate about his family, that will be amazing. Thank you so much for your time.