# Vacuum Forming



## hbfatty (Dec 7, 2009)

I am going to attempt vacuum forming with Lexan over a resin body. I have access to one of those childrens vacuum forming machines. Is it going to be able to handle it? There are several resin HO bodies that aren't available in Lexan and I would like to form a couple of them. I have plans for a homemade former but think it would be a lot of work for a few bodies. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## SwamperGene (Dec 1, 2003)

hbfatty said:


> I am going to attempt vacuum forming with Lexan over a resin body. I have access to one of those childrens vacuum forming machines. Is it going to be able to handle it? There are several resin HO bodies that aren't available in Lexan and I would like to form a couple of them. I have plans for a homemade former but think it would be a lot of work for a few bodies. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Make sure you pack the full inside of the resin body with clay, they can melt and distort when vacuum forming.

Found that out the hard way. :freak:


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

hbfatty said:


> I am going to attempt vacuum forming with Lexan over a resin body. I have access to one of those childrens vacuum forming machines. Is it going to be able to handle it? There are several resin HO bodies that aren't available in Lexan and I would like to form a couple of them. I have plans for a homemade former but think it would be a lot of work for a few bodies. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


As you say alot of work for only a few bodies. Options are build a former , use the Mattel vac or buy a ready made former. Lots of places to find plans on the web like here http://webpages.charter.net/stessendorf/projects/home made vac former/vac_former.html . Also places to buy one out there like here http://www.warmplastic.com/or.html#canopy . The how to can be found on youtube like here 



 . I have 2 i made and ruined one. The really tough part is making the bodies just right. I make windshields by pouring resin into the female mold of a body i made in resin . Makes a hard BUCK you could if done right ( fill cavity ) also use to make a body. I make about 6-8 of these bucks and then place on former bed and vac over them for multiple windshields at a time. Likely use same method for bodies on a larger vacuformer like i use. Hope this helps you our some .

Bear :wave: 
http://ballsoutho.webs.com/


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## NTxSlotCars (May 27, 2008)

I got a mattel former a while back, but it sucks, I mean, it doesn't suck.
I mean, there must be some seal bad in it or something because the bodies and bugs don't come out very well.
Anything I should know before tearing this this down to find out?

Rich (lookin for another project)


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Made all my own stuff, airbox, etc, used it for 25 years with no problem. I wouldn't suggest lexan though, use 0.007 or 0.010 PETG, it's tougher and you can use regular hobby paints to paint it. Also cheaper. When using a resin car as a master you need to support it as Gene says and wait a while to draw more cars. Resin gets very soft when heated, and you'll have your plastic very close to 200 degrees, I'd say one attempt every 5 minutes. 

Here's my standard tutorial I did a couple of years ago...

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z262/FresnoPete/?action=view&current=MOV00058.mp4

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z262/FresnoPete/?action=view&current=MOV00059.mp4

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z262/FresnoPete/?action=view&current=MOV00060.mp4


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

Hey Rich ,
old seals on some of these are the culprit so you may need to do a tear down and reseal. There is also out in cyber space a guy who does a Mattel hop up kit . Made to get more out of them it modifies the former to ramp up suction . I can't recall the link but start a search and have a look around under both mattel vacuformers and vacuforming in general and it should pop up. If i run across it again i will post the info up.

Bear :wave:


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## 66Galaxie500 (Jun 18, 2004)

*Vac-U-Form link*

Here's a link that might be helpful.
http://www.gaugepods.com/vacuform/


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## scoobe dog (Jul 17, 2010)

I make 1/43 vac form bodies. So I know I could do ho on my machine. It cost me around $22 to make my machine. The shop vac was $19.99, lol. Everything else was laying around the house. I use a toaster oven as my heat source. I use p.e.t.g. It's $cheap$ and works very well. Picking the right material buc is the issue. If you use a die cast body, if the die cast body isn't room temperture, it will cool the petg quicker then you want it to, lol. If you use plastic or resin, you better pack it full of clay because it will want to break the body.


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

Pete McKay said:


> Made all my own stuff, airbox, etc, used it for 25 years with no problem. I wouldn't suggest lexan though, use 0.007 or 0.010 PETG, it's tougher and you can use regular hobby paints to paint it. Also cheaper. When using a resin car as a master you need to support it as Gene says and wait a while to draw more cars. Resin gets very soft when heated, and you'll have your plastic very close to 200 degrees, I'd say one attempt every 5 minutes.
> 
> Here's my standard tutorial I did a couple of years ago...
> 
> ...


Now here's the man ! I got lots of great info watching Pete's videos on youtube so if you got questions Pete is the guy to ask.

Bear :wave:


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

And I am planning a return in 2011, but only for selected oval track subjects. I'm also hoping to have a resin caster lined up to help me finish up my narrow chassis T-Jet USAC Offy. I still have the toaster oven and my old Kenmore vaccum. The whole thing is you don't need a ton of suction, like with a shop vac, you need between 4 and 6 psi, that's all.


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

Pete McKay said:


> And I am planning a return in 2011, but only for selected oval track subjects. I'm also hoping to have a resin caster lined up to help me finish up my narrow chassis T-Jet USAC Offy. I still have the toaster oven and my old Kenmore vaccum. The whole thing is you don't need a ton of suction, like with a shop vac, you need between 4 and 6 psi, that's all.


Hey Pete ,
i'm out of resin casting these days but would suggest talking to Tom Bowman ( BRP ) perhaps about that project as it may be something he would be interested in . 

Bear :wave:


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

I made the master already but it needs a lot of clean up still. I made a rubber cast and I was surprised as to how it picks up any irregularities from the master. I need a lot of fine sanding left on it and to redo the louvers on the side of the engine cowling. Vacuforming is a lot more forgiving when it comes to surface anomalies.


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## bearsox (Apr 22, 2006)

Pete ,
If the issue is alot of small fine spots and lines that sanding seems to not work on or even amplify .... then perhaps a fine coat of clear can be appiled to fill those marks. I have used this method in the past without losing much detail and improving overall looks .

Bear :wave:


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## Pete McKay (Dec 20, 2006)

Bear, since this is one of my hand made molds there's some roughness where panels meet and on the tail tank headrest. These are areas that tend to give me problems with the other molds I've made. The louvers were way out of scale for a 1950's offy midget and needed to be redone. The thing I got the most correct was the molded in exhaust. A work in progress still.


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