Vaccum Forming

The most decent vacuum former around is the old Mattel Vac-U-Form, provided the plate size is not too small for your needs. I recently bought another one, a very good condition Vac-U-Form on E-bay for $40.00. The high expense can come in finding the proper low-temp clear plastic, but it can be found for reasonable prices at commercial plastic supply outlets. My original Vac-U-Form I purchased in the late '60's and it still works like new. Those things are bullet-proof! One suggestion: if the machine is not getting quite hot enough, wrap the top of the machine in aluminum foil. Keep a close check on the heating process.

hey all, I got instructions to make a vacuum form machine from a website belonging to a modeler. the site is www.geocities.com/hugedom/model_tips.html
follow the links

Making a vacuum former is really easy and inexpensive. Go to Radio Shack and get a circuit experiments board (not sure exactly what they are called - its a board with hundreds of small holes spaced very close together. You'll know it when you see it.) Then find a sturdy box or tupperware container that's the same size as the board and cut a hole in it to fit the hose on your vacuum cleaner (should be a tight fit). Duct tape the board to the box and plug in the vac hose.
Attach whatever you are trying to duplicate to the board (soft or flimsy parts may need to be supported with modelling clay, newspaper, etc.) Then make a wooden frame and staple your sheet plastic to it. Adjust the size of the frame to the part you want to duplicate allowing at least 50% more area than the master. Duct tape over the holes in the board not covered by the frame.
Take the whole mess into the kitchen and gently heat the plastic sheet over a burner until it starts to sag (wear potholders!), turn on the vacuum and quickly push the frame over your master and into contact with the board. After the plastic cools, turn off the vacuum and ... there you go! A vacuum formed part.

The clear plastic sheet for vacuum forming is also available from Squadron mail order. It is called Squadron Clear Thermaform, and comes in packages of six 8x5 inch sheets. Most hobby shops will order it for you.

It also comes with illustrated instructions on how make canopies without a vacuum form maching.

Pete

One of the major problems in using the old Mattel Vac-U-Form, even if you can find the right type of plastic, is the need of a method of holding the heated plastic sheet in place during the vacuuming process. The original sheets from Mattel came with small holes punched all around the edges of the sheet to hold it in place. These original sheets are now pure unobtainium.
The solution was given a number of years ago in (of course) FSM. The device is called a Rubber Dam Punch and is (or was) used by dentists. Fortunately a good friend and former Thud driver is a dentist and supplied me with one of these devices. It punches holes of various sizes in anything up to light metal sheets. I bet there are more uses for this device than just this, as it punches holes very precicely and cleanly. So if you have a Vac-U-Form and need a method to hold those sheets in place, this gadget is the answer.
Tony Ryan

Just to help you out, the "board with hundreds of small holes spaced very close together" Hoser was refering to is called a breadboard.

Here is a topic I posted a while back. I am gonna try and get some pic's of my progress here soon. Hope this helps.

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2668