Projects/Vacuum Former

Data Collection and project tracking on Vacuum former

Data Collection

• For the Vacuum Former, I feel a DIY approach would be better.
  • A simple vacuum box using a shop-vac seems like the easiest route for forming
    • Like this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Vacuum-Former-Box-30/
  • For heating the plastic, an insulated box with a quartz heater seems like a safe and simple solution
    • Like this: https://youtu.be/maH5Ech0wK8?t=3m31s
    • Using a timer switch can prevent the heater from inadvertently being left running too long: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-15-Min-In-Wall-Countdown-Timer-White-TMSW15MW/203675434
    • Placing the heater overhead of the plastic would improve the safety, since the plastic would be unable to drip onto the heater
  • For a more polished design, these seem like good plans: http://www.build-stuff.com/ (Used by Adam Savage on Mythbusters)

• Generally nichrome wire arranged on an insulator, but there may be other ways to improvise. Not very safe I suppose, without a protective grid of some kind. I think something could be done with quartz heating tubes (a la cheap infrared heaters) or possibly even high output halogen worklight bulbs.

• http://www.gdiy.com/projects/vacuum-thermoform/index.php?lang=en

Current Progress

• A 24x24" vacuum box was designed and built. It uses 2 shop-vacs to provide adequate suction across the entire build surface
• The heating box was built out of cement board and a metal frame. It used several feet of nichrome wire, plugged into 220 single phase outlet, as the heating element
  • The wire was unable to produce enough heat to effectively melt/soften the plastic. An oven heating element was purchased to replace the DIY nichrome and hopefully apply additional heat
    • If it is found that more control is required, an oven element control unit could be easily added