subject: How to Build You Own Vacuum Forming Machine [print this page] How to Build You Own Vacuum Forming Machine
A vacuum form machine is not difficult to build; it is basically a box with a perforated surface connected to a vacuum source.Draw a grid of 1-inch squares on the cookie sheet.Drill a 1/16-inch hole at each point where the lines intersect.the forming mold 13 is thrust against the sheet 24 clamped in place by raising the bed 11 with the lift means (not shown) of the vacuum forming machine, the sheet 24 being softened under heat at this time. Drill holes every 2 inches along the lip of the cookie sheet. These will eventually hold the screws that mount the sheet to the machine.Cut a hole in the center of the plastic sheet large enough for the shop vac adapter to fit snugly. To make the cut, first drill a hole in the plastic, then cut the adapter hole using a jigsaw with a plastic-cutting blade.Glue the hose adapter into the plastic sheet with crazy glue. Seal the seam with silicone caulk to create an airtight seal. Allow it to dry according to its instructions.
Cut four pieces of plywood to build a box 1 foot high, with its other dimensions determined by the size of the cookie sheet and plastic sheet (they will be the top of the box)Connect the four walls of the box. To do this, first glue the box together with wood glue. When it has dried, determine the best positions for the screws (usually two or three per corner).Drill pilot holes into the wood, which are holes a bit narrower than the width of the screw. They allow a screw to go in without splitting the wood.Screw in wood screws through the pilot holes.Use the jigsaw with a standard blade to cut a hole in the side of the box large enough for the shop vac hose to fit through.Place the plastic sheet, with the hose adapter facing down, onto the box.Drill pilot holes through the plastic and into the wood, spaced out every few inches.Screw the plastic sheet to the box through the pilot holes.
Space the wooden cubes out on the top of the plastic and glue them in place. They should be evenly distributed across the face of the plastic and will help to support the weight of objects being molded.Run a bead of silicone caulk around the perimeter of the plastic sheet.Turn the cookie sheet upside down and press it into the caulk. Screw it into the plastic and wood through the holes you drilled in the lip. Allow the caulk to dry.
Run the shop vac hose through the hole in the side of the machine and plug it into the adapter.occurring as a result of the atmospheric pressure on the outer surface and the vacuum or reduced pressure on its inner surface. The passage members 45 and 45a may be formed by the dividing into two equal parts lengthwise of a tube of aluminium or hard vinyl chloride measuring 10 mm, for example, in diameter, since an opening of these members on the order of this value is sufficient for all practical purposes. Their location does not require a high accuracy as required in the previous embodiments, and clamping bands 50 are applied at suitable intervals to prevent them from being displaced. This greatly simplifies the manufacturing of the mold without accompanying any distortion on the mold surface.Clamp a sheet of thermoplastic between the two screen frames with binder clips, two on each side.Place the object to be molded on the cookie sheet.
Set the oven to low and put in the frame.In a comparison test conducted with a prior art mold and a mold as constructed according to the invention, both in the form of a flat aluminium plate, it has been found that a thickness of 27.5 mm was necessary in the solid wall construction of the prior art while the mold according to the invention needed only to have a thickness of 0.4 mm when the exhaust tunnel measured 10 mm across its opening. It will be appreciated that an increased thickness will be necessary for practical purposes in view of the mechanical strength required in its handling.Watch the plastic until it begins to sag.Remove the frame from the oven, turn on the shop vac and press the frame and plastic onto the machine surface. The plastic will form around the object, and the vacuum will suck it down, capturing the detail.Allow the plastic to cool and remove it from the frame.
From the inside of the box, run a bead of silicone caulk along the corners where the plastic meets the wood. Allow the caulk to dry.Referring to FIG. 3, a vacuum forming machine is generally shown at 11 and includes a mold mounting frame 12. A forming mold 13 is securely mounted on the mold mounting frame 12. The forming mold 13 is formed as a hollow composite structure comprising a pair of mold plates 14 and 15, which are reinforced by a reinforcing structure to be described in detail hereinafter. The reinforcing is not shown in FIG. 3 to simplify the structure illustrated.
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