Introduction: Making Hoover Former for £2 Out of Scrap Corporate Victimisation 3D Printed Molds

This guide will show you how to make a A4 sized vacuum early exploitation bits of trash materials that you might have lying around at home. I was suprised how quick and easy it was to get great results!

If you're not too acquainted with vacuum forming, it is a real easy way to modeling plastic over one broadside of a mold. Some examples of common things made using vacuity forming are:

  • old plastic sandwich boxes
  • chocolate boxwood trays
  • cutlery seperators
  • plastic cover of a bike helmet
  • packaging (blister packs)

Government note: This contrive works for A4 sized plastic, not A4 grape-sized molds

WARNING: Cost careful to choose a plastic that will non ware toxic fumes.

Remeber: To design every face of your model with at least a 4 degree angle to allow simple removal of the mold (billet; I didn't coiffure that with the holes in the side)

Even with a 3D written mold it took the cast very nicely simply I did suffer a bit of heat warp in the PLA printed break, next time I will try putt it in the deep-freeze first or using a higher meld 3D printer filiment (PETG Beaver State Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene).

Supplies

Materials you will need (see film):

  • Something to hold a corner out of. I used scraps of 10mm MDF with PVA mucilage and nails only in hind plenty I mightiness cause used a elastic nutrient boxful to keep open fourth dimension
  • Something to make a frame from. I used some scraps of 2mm aluminium
  • 12 bulldog stationary clips for holding the plastic onto the figure (the only matter I bought, costed £2)
  • A vacuum cleaner
  • Whatsoever plastic for vacuum forming. I used PETG, polystyrene is other cheap vacuum forming material.

https://www.amazon.co.Great Britain/gp/product/B00F3B8FB2/ref...

Tools you leave call for are:

  • Wood saw (not needed if you manipulation the shaping solid food box instead of the MDF)
  • Drill
  • Step drilling bit
  • Weight grinder
  • Ruler/tape measure
  • Set square
  • Sanding mask
  • Ear defenders
  • Goggles

For doing the vac forming you will likewise need:

  • A heat source. A kitchen grill works errorless! It's the same type of ignite source that industrial vac formers often use
  • Sissors
  • Oven gloves

Footprint 1: Design Your Mold

Design your mold in CAD ready for 3D printing. Of course you can make a mold using other methods to a fault, e.g. layers of MDF affixed together then cut away down by hand or CNC political machine, or you can just have amusing vac forming objects around the home for almost endless playfulness!

I desiged a part to protect a cushioned things from wear in a breathing machine: https://openventbristol.cobalt.uk/

I would reccomend placing your mold in the freezer for a a couple of hours before using it as my mold got a bit warped from the heat and the cold volition speed up the cool weak

Step 2: Work the Vacuum Place Box

I used a sheet of 10mm MDF that I had fabrication approximately just you can use whatever sheet you deliver, OR just find a plastic food box to save loads of time (regard I had thought process of that before).

My MDF box's outer dimensions are: L:220mm x W:130mm x T:58mm

The length and width were chosen to give headroom for the frame. The thickness was elect to give room for the hose from my vacuum clearner to attach

Steps:

  1. Measure and slashed all panels to make the box size of your choice (remember: measure once, cut twice). I would reccomend oil production the muddle for your vaccum dry cleaner hose before ablation the panels, the step drill bit worked of import for this as I could stop slightly short to leave a bit of material at the succeeding hole out size down for a really tight fit on the vacuum hose
  2. Drill holes in one of the large panels for the air to flow. I use 3mm holes spaced about 10-20mm apart. (remember to leave a boarder around the edge without holes for the mating grimace with the side panels)
  3. Line the edges of your panels with PVA glue and carefully place them together and use the nails Eastern Samoa well. try to make a continous bead of PVA to Navy SEAL the faces from strain leaks
  4. Sand down box

Footstep 3: Seal MDF Box

Search any air gaps in your box seat and seal with glue PVA will run pulverised but bequeath take hours to sugarless. I utilised super paste with activator.

Then run a leak essa with your vacuum cleaner attached, feel with your hands around the corner for leaks. If it's sealed well you will only finger leak around the holes that you trained

Step 4: Make Your Frame

  1. I marked kayoed the size of it of my frame on the 3mm aluminium based happening the A4 sheets of PETG that I had. The outer perimeter of the frame is A4 sized and the interior perimeter is 25mm (1") set off
  2. Scratch out the draw up with an angle grinder with cutting disc. Use all the PPE, honestly it's necessary! Probably a angelical idea to wear gloves as well

Step 5: Get Forming!

  1. First seize your A4 plastic to your frame using the bulldog clips
  2. Press your vacuum nozzel into the mess in your box
  3. Pack your mold out of the freezer and place it in the midst of your vacuum box seat. Wee bound that there are holes all the way around the mold
  4. Pre-heat your grillroom
  5. Erst once the grill is up to temperature, direct your vac box with part on top in the floor of the grill and at the Saame time hold the fram with plastic right below the heat component. Use oven gloves!
  6. Watch the plastic equally the gets torrid. You're looking for the plastic to bow a bit simply not too a great deal, it only took me about 20 seconds with a pre-het up grill
  7. Once the formative is ready (try and fare these things quickly):
    1. lower the formative with frame onto the part
    2. turn on the vacuum
    3. and remove everything from below the heat

Watch the video below to witness my arcsecond attempt. Along my basic go I left the impressionable for too retentive subordinate the rut and it bowed way as well much which caused the formative the wrinkle on the mold

Step 6: Firing Mold

It should either just fall out, or take a couple of taps. Mine took a little more persuasion because I left holes in my mold that the plastic gripped onto. Remember: ever make every nerve at to the lowest degree 4 degrees for easy mold release. No vertical faces or overhangs

Step 7: Trim Part

Use sissors to trim the unwanted bits from your molded set out

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