This pages shows the construction of a one-off custom vacuum plastic forming machine.

The machine works with a vacuum source (such as a shop vac) attached to the bottom of the machine (black vacum connection under the white wood platform). This pulls a vacuum in the chamber, through the holes drilled in the cover, pulling the heated and soft plastic onto a form.

The peg board creates a smooth surface to work with. The screen material (difficult to see in the photo) creates a more textured work surface thereby hiding the pegboard detail from imprinting itself onto the workpiece.

Operation:

1. Connect source of vacuum to underside of vacuum machine
2. Prepare plastic between two metal frames constructed of window screen frame material formed to fit the rubber seals on the top of the vacuuform machine.
3. Heat the plastic until it begins to flow and droop using an even heat source such as an oven. (Temperature varies by plastic type and thickness.)
4. Place form or mold on vacuuform machine.
5. Turn on vacuum source.
6. Remove plastic from oven when properly heated.
7. Carefully drape heated plastic over the mold in a way that the metal plastic-carrying frame creates a seal against the rubber seals.
8. Allow vacuum source to pull the formable plastic over the mold of choice.
9. Allow to cool.
10. Remove from machine and trim any flash or scrap materials.

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