vacuum form? Ohhh yea!!!

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 7th, 2010, 6:44 pm

So, i have been looking for months for a decent vacuum forming to use at home. Saturday was finally my day. Professional grade with a 14 x 20" forming area. perfect for Windshields, lenses, wheel covers, driver figures, etc. It also came with a bunch of material to do blister packs to give my lru items that pro look!!!!

M.R. Ogle · Post by **M.R. Ogle** » March 7th, 2010, 7:56 pm

I am envious.

It's absolutely necessary to have access to a vacuum forming machine to do production compound-curved clear windows, like on your GTP body, and helpful to make other lightweight small details.

Great that you have found one of these!

Get a good local source for Lexan, and be sure to dry out the sheets before vacuum forming with them to remove moisture... Lexan sucks up moisture, it's hygroscopic, and if you DON'T dry it first (we used an old oven on very low heat for a day or so) you'll get small pockmark-looking bubbles in the plastic.

You can use other types of plastic (pvc, polyethylene), too, but don't buy that PETG polycarbonate, it gets brittle and shatters after you paint it. We had a body guy in tenth scale try to pass that **** off as Lexan, and the bodies would crack and literally fall off after one or two smacks to the wall.

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 7th, 2010, 8:04 pm

Yea, tried some lexan. When it starts to sag and get close to the right temp. it bubbles or looks like white fog and it destroys it. If i try to form before that, its just too hard. I was going to try the petg i figured for windows and lense covers it would be OK. What do you think? You dont need to dry that stuff first right? ABS is no problem, this thing works great with that...

M.R. Ogle · Post by **M.R. Ogle** » March 7th, 2010, 8:40 pm

I don't know about the fogging, but the bubbles definitely sounds like moisture in the lexan. Ask your plastic supplier about this, or call somebody at ProLine in Beaumont and ask them.

You might get away with the PETG for clear windows... i do not know if it's also hygroscopic, but it is a polycarbonate like lexan, so it may have the same tendencies. But DO NOT PAINT it!

You really want to whip the Lexan problems, lots of people successfully use this, and that's the "good stuff" and for cars costing several thousand dollars, I think the premium materials are an expected part of the package.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthre ... 633&page=2

K · Post by K » March 8th, 2010, 8:46 am

Mike: A very nice setup you have there indeed! I'm looking forward to seeing what you make with it ..... windshields and headlight covers for the daytona would be really nice, please .......... pretty please

Kevin

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 8th, 2010, 9:05 am

i have the molds for the daytona parts. So if someone that bought a body fron the deal... i can offer those items.

I dont plan on doing custom stuff. This is just really for my personal use. However, if someone really needs a favor i can help.

The Vette windows would need a mold made to form them.

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 8th, 2010, 9:27 am

they are going sloooooow. Very slow. I have my two back, but been so busy that i have not had any time to dedicate to them. Lots of irons in the fire over here. More then you guys can imagine...

eightman · Post by **eightman** » March 8th, 2010, 11:48 am

hey mike welcome to the vaccumforming world!
my little FM1 is still 400km from me!!!

K · Post by K » March 9th, 2010, 7:14 am

Mike: Please also put me down for Daytona 'glass'.

Thanks, Kevin

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 9th, 2010, 8:50 pm

Soooo, today i had a couple minutes to go and score some material. I purchased 8x4 sheets of poly styrene, Petg and lexan. Lexan is the only one that needs to be pre dried before use. The rest of the stuff can be thrown right in and used. Today I tried the poly styrene and it worked very well. I was impressed. Next will be the petg...

iggmon72 · Post by **iggmon72** » March 9th, 2010, 9:38 pm

Nice work Mike... I noticed the SKELLENGER rear ends in the shot... I'm in need of one for the COBRA build... If you have a spare you can realocate i would be more then happy to buy....

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 10th, 2010, 9:25 am

i dont have an extra one to sell yet. But may need to in the near future... hope not though.

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 10th, 2010, 8:43 pm

ran some PETG tonight and dang, this stuff forms awesome!!! This stuff came out awesome!!!

I did daytona coupe windshields, front lense covers with side scoops, rear skellenger covers and a skellenger side cover.

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 10th, 2010, 10:09 pm

heck yea it does!!! I had some space open on the table so i figured what the heck! I trimmed out a windshield and its much better then the one that came on my daytona!!! This material is good. Much better then the poly styrene I think. Cant wait to try the lexan. Its gonna be a week or so though. Dont have any time...

Post by **Mike Casey** » March 17th, 2010, 9:42 pm

somehow between the 30 things i got going on right now, i was able to start on a mold. Its the driver from the yankee cars. Pretty easy mold to make with some secret juice i had. I did some test pulls tonight and finally got a good pull. I had to get the temp of the plastic just right. Now I know what i am doing... The last one came out really good considering the molds are not done. I need to clean them up and put them on risers still. Gotta love this machine!!!!!!