Vac-forming for hire?

I would really suggest you check around, on E-Bay, for instance, for an old Mattel Vac-U-Form machine. I have seen price ranges from $25 to $100. One lucky person found one at a garage sale for 25 cents! These machines were made back when JFK was president, but they are almost all metal and are virtually indestructible. Once you have one, you will be amazed at the parts you can manufacture, especially crystal clear canopies that are thin, and thus to scale. If you decide that that is the way to go, don't get conned into high-priced plastic refills. Try Squadron clear sheets. Having your own machine means not having to wait around with a 99% completed model staring at you!
Tony Ryan

diy... www.warmplastic.com

Thanks unnamedplayer. I've been thinking of getting my own machine.

Anyone made their own vacformer ? it doesn't look like it would be too dificult...Greg

i am always reading about vacu-forming...but i am going to ask a dumb question. Do you have to have an original piece from which to start? And if you have the original piece, why do you need another. I am still looking for a canopy for the PBY-5A Catalina, which i just finished, and havent had any luck. Is vacu-forming the way to go or not?

Vacuum-forming has a number of purposes, such as making duplicates of small parts, replacing a broken part, creating an unavailable part, etc. The most common use is making a/c canopies. Why canopies? Well, most kit canopies would scale out to being 20 to 30 cm thick. A vacuum-formed duplicate is much closer to the real thickness. Being thin, they are usually clearer that the kit canopy, assuming good quality plastic. I recommend Vitax plastic. Check Micro-mark catalog. And yes, you do need the original part, or lacking that, you could carve a "master" out of balsa wood. Once you have a vacuum-former, you will wonder how you ever got along without one.
Tony Ryan

thanks for explanation Tony...i STILL dont have an answer to my canopy-less PBY. ME???? carve a canopy???? you gotta be kidding; carving my fingers would be more like it

OK Huskerguy. As the saying goes," Desperate times call for desperate measures." Here is a possible solution to your canopy-less Catalina. Now bear in mind that I haven't built this kit, but it looks like the kit canopy is like the windscreen on an airliner as opposed to a bubble-type. Assuming this to be the case, here's what you might do: With thin plastic rod, cut and attach the window "pillars." Suggest lots of test fitting. Then using thin (.020) clear plastic, cut rectangular windows, maybe slightly oversize. Remember, don't use super glue or fogging will probably occur. Use white glue. This should work, even tho it is kind of labor-intensive. OR, maybe one of the aftermarket companies that stock canopies might do the Cat canopy. Anyway, good luck and let us know what turns out.
Tony Ryan

Thanks again, Tony...sounds a little too complicated for this dumby...and i have tried about everyone for aftermarket canopies...with no success...i called Monogram again, and of course, the guy was out of the building today, so i left my name and number and we shall see if he returns the call.

Huskerguy,
I know that if your catalina is still in production, you can order replacement parts on there web site, Ive done that several times with monogram/revell kits that I skillfully messed up.

i have made a vacume former but i chucked it after i couldn;t fill in the leeks