Recent content by Falafel Flop

I'm sorry, I meant I think the silicone would work to pour the ultracal in for the buck. I'm not using the silicone as the buck itself. ;) Trial and error is the name of the game I guess haha

Okay- interesting, I guess the caulking method could work for extremely small scale but the quality clearly would be lacking. I did find some silicone with 30 shore strength that doesn't require degassing ($30 for 1lb/.5kg with shipping). The buck itself is maybe 5-6 cubic inches of volume so I...

Yeah I did see that thread; and for my current applications I believe I can make positive forming work well. Okay so you're going for more thickness; it's good to know what will be required when progressing to thicker material. Right now I'm working with much thinner plastic, actually around...

The full size of your rig is 8x4?! Cool, well you just seem to have done your homework into perfecting the whole process (I'm over here tripping over myself just trying to get my first decent pull lol). The potential for detail is exponential with the right set up.

Yeah I saw the picture but couldn't tell. I see what you're saying though; especially with this setup, the vacuum prevents the plastic from rising and burning. I used to work in a cabinet shop (where I built my current platen) but I'm so limited with my tools I can only do a little as this...

Re: Making a Fully Functional Vulcan Harp Great, natural color is the best. Is that walnut by the way? The other pics make it look like walnut, but the last two make it look like red birch :confused. I guess the lighting of those last pictures really brought out the color.

Yes, I agree. I see a possible thread in the future as well. So then, you have the heat right above the plastic, which in turn is right above the buck with vacuum pump already on while the plastic is heating? I'd REALLY like to see that. :popcorn This method seems vastly preferable to the...

Re: Making a Fully Functional Vulcan Harp Wow this is coming together beautifully. That stain really makes it pop! What type of finish will you use on top?

It's been a busy week :eek :unsure yeah I can imagine there's gotta be a fine line as far as the right temperature in that method. I agree on all accounts. Especially if you're going to be mass-producing a specific item, it's a no-brainer. Once I figure out my current set-up and get a few...

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep it in mind. That's true, the air really only needs one place in that area to be able to go through. So with slump forming (on a small scale), gravity would be enough to fill in details? I can certainly see applications, but I would think that a vacuum would be...

Okay, so based off of your input, maybe I should just invest in a decent vacuum pump and use the kitchen oven for the time being (bit of a trade off for the better I suppose). Anyways, reverse forming seems like an excellent alternative for more detail. As far as the female mold, does the...

So with reverse forming you apply heat while the vacuum is on and the plastic is over the mold (as opposed to heating it up and placing the moldable plastic on in one fell swoop)? I'm still trying to understand how it all works lol And as far as a vacuum pump, aren't they moderately pricey? I...

I finally finished a vacuum-former I started last year (it went into "storage"). It is roughly 12" x 18" with 3/4" plywood sides and bottom, 1/4" pegboard top with a supporting block inside at the center (to eliminate sag). I plan on using it to make lighter canopies for the above R/C...

Hey everyone! I'm Zach, and I live on the east coast in the states. I found you all while researching information regarding the process of vacuum forming (I stumbled on several threads here). It seems like a great community and, while I haven't made a costume for years, I like to dabble with a...