Vaccum forming?
01-18-2012, 11:35 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Vaccum forming?
I recently got a Rovan 4wd monster truck,
The truck arrived with a damaged pick up truck body,
Contacted Rovan and they are sending out one of there new stronger material bodies, but it's a hummer,
Although I like the hummer style, I want a pick up style body shell that won't break after a rollover,
Today I got out the epoxy resin and repaired the full length split in the body,
I also used some bits of polycarbonate to cover up the wheel cut outs, and held these in place with duck tape,
Painted the inside of the body with petroleum jelly and made a resin and fibre glass mold from the truck body,
now have the mold released and smoothed up the rough bits,
looking for some pointers on how to put together a vaccum former,
Hoping to use 1 or 2mm thick polycarbonate to make my own truck bodies
Anybody made there own vaccum machine before?
The truck arrived with a damaged pick up truck body,
Contacted Rovan and they are sending out one of there new stronger material bodies, but it's a hummer,
Although I like the hummer style, I want a pick up style body shell that won't break after a rollover,
Today I got out the epoxy resin and repaired the full length split in the body,
I also used some bits of polycarbonate to cover up the wheel cut outs, and held these in place with duck tape,
Painted the inside of the body with petroleum jelly and made a resin and fibre glass mold from the truck body,
now have the mold released and smoothed up the rough bits,
looking for some pointers on how to put together a vaccum former,
Hoping to use 1 or 2mm thick polycarbonate to make my own truck bodies
Anybody made there own vaccum machine before?
01-18-2012, 01:49 PM
#2
Thread Starter
RE: Vaccum forming?
My mold
Looks like the surface is rough in the pics,
But I ran out of white gelcoat and the dark bits on it are where I used fibreglass resin in place of gelcoat,
The mold is real smooth and is around 5mm thick all over,
Saw some vids on YouTube of homemade vaccum machines using pegboard,
Il keep progress pics here of my first try at making a bodyshell in a few days.
Looks like the surface is rough in the pics,
But I ran out of white gelcoat and the dark bits on it are where I used fibreglass resin in place of gelcoat,
The mold is real smooth and is around 5mm thick all over,
Saw some vids on YouTube of homemade vaccum machines using pegboard,
Il keep progress pics here of my first try at making a bodyshell in a few days.
01-18-2012, 04:49 PM
#7
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RE: Vaccum forming?
sparky
just last night, i ran across a thread like yours, sorry can't remember where
they told him to use thicker material-like 4mm and a pro vacum machine
if i find it again I'll send a link.
tap
]
01-19-2012, 01:30 AM
#9
Thread Starter
RE: Vaccum forming?
Thanks, if you could find the site that would help a lot,
I will be using a valeting vaccum machine with twin motors, it has got fantastic suction,
Just need to build my vaccum former and get an old oven or two to pull the grill element out of to heat the polycarbonate,
Polycarbonate is kinda expensive, but I can get a 2mm thick 2050mm x 1050mm sheet for £48,
This will be enough material to make 4 shells,
I just want to give it a go, if it doesn't work out there is no big money lost,
Hope somebody can post the link to that site where they used 4mm polycarbonate,
I will be using a valeting vaccum machine with twin motors, it has got fantastic suction,
Just need to build my vaccum former and get an old oven or two to pull the grill element out of to heat the polycarbonate,
Polycarbonate is kinda expensive, but I can get a 2mm thick 2050mm x 1050mm sheet for £48,
This will be enough material to make 4 shells,
I just want to give it a go, if it doesn't work out there is no big money lost,
Hope somebody can post the link to that site where they used 4mm polycarbonate,
01-19-2012, 03:13 AM
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