georbeckha

My Feedback: (12)

I am wondering if anyone out there has constructed a vacuum Forming machine for those moulded plastic parts on their Aircraft?
I'm thinking very seriously about costructing one for Cowls, canopies etc and am wondering if anyone has ideas on how to construct one and/or links to plans.

Also, What kind of plastic to use and where to get it from.

Any help/suggestions or pointers would be very much welcomed as well as any horror stories.

Thanks all in advance

iaclmac

Here is a thought for you .... Using the search engine on this site, enter the term Vacuum forming. It will retrieve a ton of stuff ... includuing some good articles that I downloaded into MS Word.

saramos

There's a book you might find of help.

Do It Yourself Vacuum Forming for the hobbyist, by Douglas E. Walsh.

The book covers types fo plastics, mold materials, heat sources, vacuum sources and buiding vacuum form machines.

Scott

LesUyeda

Micro Mark offers the book that I learned from. The best $15 I have spent in a long time.

Les

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

Here is a short tutorial I did here on RCU some years back. Some great input and responses, well worth the read.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_81...r/tm.htm#81435

Bipe Flyer

Here's another thread.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10...tm.htm#1040369

flicka35

i have a back round in plastics and i know that the best plastic for vacuum forming is PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), it comes in various thicknesses, from 500 micron to 2mm( common) plus size. PET is generally used in soft drink bottles etc.
i once made wheel wells for my corsair. i used 0.7mm PET sheet. i made the mould from mdf timber, drilled a few holes in the bottom where i connected my hoover( vacuum cleaner). i used a blow torch to heat the PET sheet so it was malable, clamped it to the mould and switched on the hoover. presto, custom made wheel wells.