tabletop machine for project for rookie

[jmkrell]

Hi,

I'm working on a science fair project and I need an inexpensive way to make a small box (2 pieces - top & bottom) out of plastic. The kicker is it needs to be waterproof (haven't found anything on the market and mount on a headband - reason why I have to make my own). Does anyone know what would be the best way to make an inexpensive table - top machine that I could use? Also can I make it out of plastic at least 1/4 in thick? Thank you very much.

Jordan

[drcrash]

Check out this draft "chapter" I wrote, on building a simple but flexible vacuum former that uses a kitchen oven and a vacuum cleaner:

http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopi...2c3194961ad1c9

Among other things, it tells

* How to find a good vacuum cleaner for next to nothing, and why you likely don't want a shop vac

* how to make a simple platen with removable gaskets for different-sized sheets of plastic. (Basically a board with a hole in it, which is as good as anything if you're just making one object at a time)

* how to make inexpensive mix-and-match-size frames from aluminum windowscreen material, plus ways of making sturdier frames for thicker plastic

* pointers to more advanced info (on many-hole platens, formers with their own ovens, high vacuum systems, etc.)

Comments welcome.

[drcrash]

You might also be interested in this article I wrote about how to make a little stand-alone oven for heating plastic up to 12 x 20 inches, with a $15 two-burner hot plate and about $10 worth of disposable aluminum pans.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=621858

That's something you could sit on a table at a science fair. There's even some science in it, if you want to talk about infrared radiation, heat, etc.

If you have a slightly higher budget, and want to work a little bit harder, you can make an even better vacuum former sorta like this one:

http://www.halloweenfear.com/vacuumformintro.html

If you do, check out this thread on tk560.com, where I talk about how to improve the IR distribution and heat the plastic more evenly, etc.

You can get the grill at Wal-Mart for $30. (They weren't available for a while, which is one reason I came up with the hot-plate oven plans.)

http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=390

(I didn't use the cookie sheet platen hack; I prefer the removable-gasket system described in the "chapter" I linked to in the earlier post.)