So recently I tried vacuum forming my pep/fiberglass/bondo visor buck on my homemade vacuum form. It worked very well, except one big problem: The shell itself collapsed under the vacuum pressure. After posting to the Facebook page of my division (Southern) I realized that backfilling props like that is very important. However, I am now curious about what material to use for backfilling on pep'd pieces to make them strong enough for forming. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Vacuum Forming for Noobs
- Thread starter SirRayn0r
- Start date
- Status
- Member DIN
- S111
It all depends on the strength of your Vacuum and the thickness of your plastic. When I made the first pulls off my pep, fiberglass, bondo pieces for my Mark V, I was using a low powered shop vac table and very thin styrene. I actually did not even need to back fill the pieces that first time. I even had some parts that had been sculpted out of pink insulation foam that I pulled the styrene over directly, and they actually held up and were not crushed. I then used the styrene covered foam to pull parts in a thicker plastic. When I wanted to pull parts in a thicker plastic with a stronger vacuum, then I will need to back fill those pieces.
You can use Plaster of Paris, Ultra Cal, bondo. Like I said, all depends on the strength of your vacuum and the thickness and type of plastic.
You can use Plaster of Paris, Ultra Cal, bondo. Like I said, all depends on the strength of your vacuum and the thickness and type of plastic.
- Status
