Vacuumform over what?

[Silverzippo93]

Alright, I've been researching vacuumforming, but I can't find the answer to this. What kinds of materials can you vacuumform over?

 

[drgon47]

Westerfield uses ABS Plastic with a .06" thickness. Thats like, 7, one dollars bills folded in half and pinched tight inthe middle. Thats .06 thousandths thick.

 

[Silverzippo93]

No, I mean what do you use to form the plastic over. A positive mold.

 

[Long Shot]

No, I mean what do you use to form the plastic over. A positive mold.

try using MDF

 

[NZTK]

you can use pretty much anything thats rigid, hollow things are not a goot idea they get get crushed usually. Most firm plasters are good, like ultracal or hydrostone, you can even use carved foam, if you have the tools and woodworking skills you can make your positives from mdf but for the most part people tend to sculpt in clay. mold then pour a plaster copy for vaccing

 

[Xavier]

mythbusters did something with this the other night, they used a foam car as the positive,

 

[colmon 9]

i wish i had a machine as big as theres was

 

[thoren]

well i found it easy to make a pep (no resining) helmet and pour the plaster in it to make a positive mold but now i need a vacuum table... anyone know where i could get one of those or am i gonna have to make it?...somehow

 

[Dark One]

You are talking like armor bucks right? I have seen guys use MDF, plaster, bondo, and one guys molds were made from aluminum!!!!!! I am sure that cost a small fortune....but think about it....you would never have to clean them up again and they wouldn't lose detail after a ton of use.

 

[DKK]

vacuum form bucks crack up over time just use something that wont melt when it comes in contact with heat. Also if you have a good vacuum and an oven plus a table with holes your good to go. of course if you burn styrene you get cancer so using an oven requires a lot of precaution.

 

[thoren]

vacuum form bucks crack up over time just use something that wont melt when it comes in contact with heat. Also if you have a good vacuum and an oven plus a table with holes your good to go. of course if you burn styrene you get cancer so using an oven requires a lot of precaution.

well actualy i do have an old air hockey table in my garage idk if it works but then i dont need it to do i? now i just need to get some styrene or plastic (is there a diference?) and then hook a vacuum to my air hockey table

 

[DKK]

styrene is a plastic theres a few different plastics you can use to vacuum form. and as for an old hockey table if with the vacuum it pulls enough suction it should work. you might have to do some tests.


check out http://www.indplastic.com/index.cfm?fuseac...amp;product=358

and http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6008&st=20

 

[thoren]

styrene is a plastic theres a few different plastics you can use to vacuum form. and as for an old hockey table if with the vacuum it pulls enough suction it should work. you might have to do some tests.
check out http://www.indplastic.com/index.cfm?fuseac...amp;product=358

and http://405th.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6008&st=20

alright i made a test plaster master chief helm from plaster any way lol but now i have to cut in in half any ideas so i dont destroy it?

and thanks for the links

 

[Datahar]

I've been thinking of the same thing.
I'm going to slice the top off horizontally at base of peak, then slice the remainder in half vertically through the jaw.
And if thats not what you meant i'll be doing it nice and slowly with a small dremel cutting disk to avoid any shredding of the helm or uneven cuts.

 

[Darth Malevelus]

well i found it easy to make a pep (no resining) helmet and pour the plaster in it to make a positive mold but now i need a vacuum table... anyone know where i could get one of those or am i gonna have to make it?...somehow

yeah check this out,.....

http://www.tk560.com/vactable4.html

Complete with videos, tuts, everything I should have one up and running soon. He said in the tuts, it costs about 150 bucks