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Thread: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

  1. #1
    Fresh Paint
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    Default vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    (Sorry, I seem to have screwed up editing this post and lost the original text... this is a rough reconstruction. See the movie in a later post.)

    I wrote an "Instructable" on how to make a good cheap upgradeable vacuum former using your kitchen oven and a vacuum cleaner:

    http://www.instructables.com/id/E8RW98YF3C4XLCQ/

    You can also make a high-vacuum system for it, using a converted bike pump, to get finer detail with thick plastic, for about $50, or add a standalone oven for about $30. The high vacuum system can use a converted bike pump or a thrift-store tire inflator, nebulizer pump, or kitchen food sealer. (For volume production, you'd want to have a "real" vacuum pump, but for making a few sturdy cases, high vacuum can be cheap.)

    http://www.hackaday.com/2007/07/01/vacuum-bike-pump/

    This stuff and more is linked at my new "Vacuum Former Plans" web site, www.VacuumFormerPlans.com
    Last edited by drcrash; 07-19-2007 at 02:17 PM. Reason: browser problem, screwed up previous editing

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    Woodworking unicycling bodybuilder tybrenis's Avatar
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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    I recently made a vacuum former myself using nichrome wire heating elements and a dual shop vac vacuum system - it was very strong and could form plastic up to 1/4" thick.
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    Jon has altered his cock to compensate.

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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    Quote Originally Posted by tybrenis View Post
    I recently made a vacuum former myself using nichrome wire heating elements and a dual shop vac vacuum system - it was very strong and could form plastic up to 1/4" thick.
    I saw the thread that stopped about a year ago, but nothing since then.

    Did you post pictures and stuff somewhere?

    If you add a high vacuum system, you'll get better detail. (If you need that.)

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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    I made a video of using the vacuum former from the Instructable:

    Last edited by drcrash; 07-19-2007 at 12:41 PM. Reason: deleted extra version of video after getting youtube version embedded

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    Woodworking unicycling bodybuilder tybrenis's Avatar
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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    I never really posted pictures of the final vacuum former - my computer is for some reason not allowing me to upload photos anywhere online. Its a big problem for me, otherwise I'd show you the pics. I honestly haven't even been thinking about modding much lately so the vacuum former has been sitting unused for a while now. However, I tried it out with a second shop vac I recently got, so with two 6.5 horse vacuum the thing was incredable. I could actually hang from a sheet of plywood with two handles on it being held by the vacuum.
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaveW View Post
    Jon has altered his cock to compensate.

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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    Ha! That video was awesome! I don't think I have a _real_ need for vacuum forming, but hell, that looked like fun! Can you say.... self made Halloween masks? :p

    Tybrenis... what HAVEN'T you made?? lol I mean jeesh, From your own case mod to a cnc machine to a vacuum former to a heat strip for bending plastic to a etc etc etc.

    Whats next? Your own custom Unicycle? ...oh hey... a cirque du soleil themed unicycle!
    People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool.

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    Woodworking unicycling bodybuilder tybrenis's Avatar
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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    Quote Originally Posted by SnowFire View Post
    Ha! That video was awesome! I don't think I have a _real_ need for vacuum forming, but hell, that looked like fun! Can you say.... self made Halloween masks? :p

    Tybrenis... what HAVEN'T you made?? lol I mean jeesh, From your own case mod to a cnc machine to a vacuum former to a heat strip for bending plastic to a etc etc etc.

    Whats next? Your own custom Unicycle? ...oh hey... a cirque du soleil themed unicycle!
    I also have absolutely no need for a vacuum former. It was just cool to make, lol.

    Actually, my current project is replacing all of the furniture in my bedroom with my own, hand made solid cherry pieces.
    Typo:
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveW View Post
    Jon has altered his cock to compensate.

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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    I'd be interested in info on how to make a good cheap strip heater.

    I've been thinking I can modify my hot wire foam cutter design a little bit and make a nice one with heat control for about $20 (not including a car charger to use as a high-amp transformer)... but I'd like to see what others have done.

    I saw "Tim"'s strip heater in Tybrenis's build log, and it looks a whole lot like what I've got in mind. (I'd probably use stainless steel fishing leader instead of nichrome.)

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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    Quote Originally Posted by tybrenis View Post
    I could actually hang from a sheet of plywood with two handles on it being held by the vacuum.
    With a high vacuum system---even a converted bike pump---you get several times as much forming force, and could hang your whole family, or maybe your car. (Briefly, but long enough to suck 1/8" or 1/4" plastic into tighter radii.)
    Last edited by drcrash; 07-19-2007 at 02:22 PM. Reason: typo

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    Woodworking unicycling bodybuilder tybrenis's Avatar
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    Default Re: vacuum forming and high vacuum for case mods

    Quote Originally Posted by drcrash View Post
    I'd be interested in info on how to make a good cheap strip heater.

    I've been thinking I can modify my hot wire foam cutter design a little bit and make a nice one with heat control for about $20 (not including a car charger to use as a high-amp transformer)... but I'd like to see what others have done.

    I saw "Tim"'s strip heater in Tybrenis's build log, and it looks a whole lot like what I've got in mind. (I'd probably use stainless steel fishing leader instead of nichrome.)
    Basically the same thing.
    Typo:
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveW View Post
    Jon has altered his cock to compensate.

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