madmax22

Any one do it? I want to make micro-t bodies, so i went to the Depot the other day and got what this guy got: http://www.marvin3m.com/vacuum/index.htm

I for got I needed 8 L brackets and got 4 [:@]... Im 1/2 way there. Got my hole drilled (for the hose), and the weather strip to make it air tight on there.

Im going to use Lexan sheets i found on line .60 8x9 sheets, for about $4 a sheet, ill get a few sheets and see if I can make some magic.

REVO_RACER

Nice, But i noticed that he mentioned that lexan sheets tend to "Bubble up". So I would watch out for that. But it seems that its a good idea. Maybe you could start designing revo bodies, I would buy one.

madmax22

Im goign to start with some small scale (micro-t's) then up to 1/18 or 1/16, the hopefully 1/10. I found poly carb. sheets the right thickness that are DIRT cheap 12x24" .04 and .03 thickness so i could get a couple bodies out of it for under $10. Once i get that down, my molds will have vents or simething sick added to them. Ill let you guys know when i get it rollin'

REVO_RACER

Nice. I cant wait to see the first body.

madmax22

im going to show you how to make a vacuum forming rig to make bodies and what not.

ok Step 1, grab a pen and paper. you will need at least a 10 foot strip of 1x4 pine wood, depending on how big you make your rig the more/less you will need. Next you will need some 1/4" thick fiberboard atleast a 2 foot square (really cheap, so i got more then I needed in case I make another rig). Next metal "L" brackets (hinge department) you need 8 of them. You will also need 2" long 8-32 machine bolts along with 8-32 wing nuts. The last thing you need to get your rig going is a pack of adhesive weather stripping foam.

*Note this is just the RIG, so im not putting plastic, Shop vac down, but you will need both if you want to make things.

*And another thing, you need screws to get your L brackets down, make sure there not to long, dont want them to go in one side and out the other!

Ok so now that you have both of your frames and have them traced, with the foam on there, put the 2 frames on top of each-other and drill 2 holes on both sides of the long pieces (about 1/4 inch from the out side of it) and 1 on each of the shorter pieces. No take your screws and wing nuts and slide them thru. In the end it should look somethign like this:



Ok now you need to make your "picture frames" I cut the long sides 16" and the short sides 7" long (size varies, the bigger the more wasted plastic, but not big enough its not going to form right)

One you get 4 of each sides cut, attach them with your brackets (i only had 4 so i used a couple blocks of wood, ill just use this frame for the top part, and the one with the brackets for the bottom):




ok once you get at least one of you frames done, trace it on your fiber board. Then put the weather stripping around it:




Ok now that you have both of your frames and your fiber board all set up, put the frames on top of each-other and drill 2 holes on each of the long pieces, almost in the middle, but a little further out side. Only do 1 for the shorter pieces. Just like this:





The last thing you will need to do is driller your hole for your vacuum hose to fit in. Mine is 2 inches wide, so i took a 2 inch bit and went to work, its a little loose but ill wrap some tape around the end of the vacuum to get it nice and snug.

*Note: See where the hole is? Your mold shouldn't be over the hole, a little can be over but try not to get to much.

Thats it your rig is now complete. Once i get plastic ill post part 2 "how to make molds/forming" up!

calvino

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5CGfoxnKaQ is a cool vid that I think is prety informative. One thing you may want to try is using a heat gun with gloves RIGHT after the Lexan is "sucked on" so that if there are any bubbles they can be dealt with at the moment they form [8D]

Lightfoot

My Feedback: (1)

There is a thread [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3442120/anchors_3442120/mpage_1/key_vacuum%252Cforming/anchor/tm.htm#3442120]here[/link]. There is a lot of excellent information.

madmax22

Thanks for the link Lightfoot. Good stuff in there![sm=thumbup.gif]

Ttam Says Blarg

I was wondering. If you took my Db-01's shell and flipped it upside down and filled it up with like some sort of plastic. ( I dont know what its called but they do this kind of stuff on mythbusters) Then used that as a mold would that not work?

madmax22

i covered the inside of micro-t bodies with painters tape, then filled it with Auto body filler, let it dry then poped it out. I will make little roof scoops and what not to customize them and once i get the sheets, and make them, some will be up for sale.