Vac Table: Buy vs Build

I am wanting to start vac forming. Should I build or buy? I have seen how to build one but, not where I can buy one. Any pros or cons?

Thanks,
Asok

 

<div class='quotetop'>(asok @ May 30 2006, 05:12 PM) [snapback]1253291[/snapback]</div>

You may have answered your own question. I've not seen vaccume form set ups for sale. At least, not anything short of the heavy-duty/industrial variety. Perhaps I don't know where to look (I have to admit I've put little effort into looking. I don't have any place to set it up if knew where to buy one). You might find someone willing to sell their home-built set up.

If anyone does know of a "turn key" vac form set up for sale, I'm sure there are a lot of folks in this forum who would like to hear about it.

 

I'm looking into building one myself. I did see this company:

http://www.warmplastic.com/

but it looks like you're paying a lot for all but the tiniest ones.

 

On my site, I show you how to make your own for about $300. http://www.tk560.com/vactable4.html Or you can buy one of these for about $3,000. http://www.vacugenic.com/exo24/

Sort of depends how handy your are. If you can do basic construction, you can save a ton of $$ by making your own. IMHO YMMV.

Jim

BTW, I have a discussion board set up just to help others make their own machines:

http://www.tk560.com/phpBB2/index.php

 

I can tell you that unless your happy with paper thin parts made from .020 and .010 sheets, you will need a real vacuum pump.

So figure on a few hundreds for a serious Vacuum pump, and if you can holding tanks to pull a vacuum on.

Mine is a 6 CFM and will pull a real hard vacuum that will boil water at room temperatures. It pulls around a real 28 inches or better.

Rich

 

Here is another link for building your own:
http://www.halloweenfear.com/vacuumformintro.html

It's what I use & it works well.

 

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Cool link :thumbsup

 

I am building one right now based on the instructions from tk560.com. Even though I had reservations about doing all the wiring, Jimbo makes it very easy. Thanks, man..your site is a boon to the hobby. :thumbsup :thumbsup

 

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Dude. Why am I always the last to know? :cry

 

I would build a Vacuumformer like the one on tk560.com but my garage doesn't have the Power to handle such a powerful machine.

I plan on re-wiring my Garage/Shop to accomodate a more powerful machine, but not right away.

<div class='quotetop'>(BlindSquirrel @ May 30 2006, 09:05 PM) [snapback]1253482[/snapback]</div>

 

I've been asked about the plastic thickness, and if my Thurston James inspired shop-vac powered machine can pull thicker materials. Well, I can pull from .060, .080, and .093 HIPS and have even pulled as thick as .125 Acrylic with no troubles. I agree with what RACPROPS said, but I am pulling stuff like helmets and armor parts, and this system works fine for me. Not much luck with ABS, and I think to pull that stuff you need a decent high-vac rig. The more vacuum the tighter the pull, and the more details you can get. But for starters, you can make one of these little rigs,

http://www.tk560.com/vactable2.html

Cost was less than $75. I did this one to test the waters, and it works, but I wanted to go larger.

 

wondering what´s the pro´s and con´s between the different types of vac tables
i want to go for a flip system
heater beside the mold/vac table
but not sure if it is a problem when the plastic comes with a bad angle on higher moulds?

other opinion with heater on top
so i can pull it directly down
too much waste of energy while heating up?

anyone have some pics of a professional vac forming system or your private workstation?

 

I started to build one but still working out some of the problems. The main roadblock I hit was getting the plastic heated evenly enough to be workable. But heat guns do wonders in little spots.

Chris