vacuum forming on the cheap?

[charper]

I have a small vacuum former with a 10" by 12" bed. I have a big stock of 7" by 7" sheets. I know there is a way I can adapt my sheets for the former so that I can still get a vacuum with the smaller sheets in the bigger area. What can I place it on so that it down't melt, yet releases and gets a vacuum? mdf frame? help?

[elmosxyls]

I have a 24"x24" VFormer and I needed form some parts from 12"x12" sheets. I placed the mold on the platen, sealed off the unused platen holes w/ masking tape, sealed the part to the platen (w/ molding clay), and made a 2 piece "sheet carrier" from plywood that held the 12"x12" sheets in the center (the plywood carriers have a square 11.5"x11.5" hole in the center).

The sheet needed to be kept up from the standard plunge depth (the mold is a fiberglass mold and has a tall base), so I used a 2x4 to keep the frame from plunging fully and therefore the sheet was suspended in the wood carrier above the platen at the correct height to form the parts.

I should note that based on the nature of the mold, I had to drill holes in it for the air to flow through and into the platen underneath. In this case, the holes I had to drill were in an area that gets cut out. The mold can still be used for FGlass parts.

Hope this helps.

[charper]

OK. Made an adapter board out of luan plywood. Want to try next class. What about the heat? masking tape and wood? Do I need to cover the wood with aluminum foil or something? Uggh. My brain is full.

[ViperTX]

Well the foil will keep the hot plastic from adhering to the plywood...hopefully this is not 1/8" plywood, something thicker and the edges are rounded. Masking tape.....won't take the heat.

Your icon....is she feeding earth....or the inverse....

[charper]

What thickness do you suggest?
inverses? What a great mathematical concept.
visit myspace

[charper]

Thank you
I was able to vacuum form my small pirate ship
now to mill pieces in wood
vacuum form,
then pour soap to make nice Christmas presents for the families of my students

[ViperTX]

Hey, that's cool....depending on the depth of the mold and the draft...you might put some opening up top to assist in removing the soap models from the mold.

[charper]

Well, have a 10" by 10" bed, holding a 7" by 7" sheet of plastic
Made a thin, maybe 1/8" balsa plank with hole that lies OVER where the plastic normally is wedged between (the two metal plates with heat resistant material) . Therein lies the problem. Because of this the 3" by 4" X 3/4" wood block (soon to be milled) soap form which I am using does not have the mold fully around the piece.It sort of rounds out at the ends instead of fully forming square. What I believe I need to create is a thin stainless or aluminum adapter plate which fits between the clamps and sits lower to the riseable bed, the place where it should under normal circumstances be clamped. Unfortunately, my plasma cutter is down to route out my stainless. can I do that on the mill?

Maybe I will try to post some pictures tomorrow, I took a short digital video, but I am not sure how to upload it yet. Where's a techie when I need one?

[drcrash]

Please do post the video, or just some pictures, or explain a little more slowly. I couldn't follow that.