I just picked up one of these( MATTEL VAC-U-FORM )and was thinking I would find a few projects for my ho layout ( I have 9 x 11 central midland) but I cant seem to find eny sites with ideas just a lot of airplane and small boat stuff enyone
Bud
They still make them?
Mine’s at least 40 years old!
Where do you get the plastic for them?
Rotor
I see 50 on ebay for $25
[B)]
Ken-
EBay has guys selling plastic as well. I’ve been thinking of picking one up.
Budliner,
Here’s one project citation from the Index of Magazines:
Freelancing SPC passenger cars: solving the Duck-billed roof problem
Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette, July/August 1997, page 58 Vacuum forming the roofs ( “MCKENNEY, DON”, NARROWGAUGE, ON3, PASSENGER, VACUUMFORM, O, NGSL )
Admittedly, it’s O scale, but at least it’s a starting point.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
Several,
Modern Cars. Like the 2005 this or that. stuff.
Airplanes to match our scale. I.E. HO B-24s F-86s F-4s ect. Just so we have something other than a DC-3, P-51 ME-109 (from Walthers), JU-87, Huehy, Cobra, P-38, BO 855(from ROCO), a Stearman Bi Plane (Alloy Forms) or a Beechcraft Bonanza (Athearn) to pick from.
Personally I would love some B-17s and B-24s for my ME-109s to persue and my P-51s to defend. Or some F-4 Phantoms B-52s and some F-105s to keep the Huehy’s and Cobras company.
You could do tarped loads for freight cars
Just some of my Idears,
James
The problem with vacuum forming is that you lose a LOT of detail, and square corners get rounded off. If you’re planning on cranking out 50 foot all-welded boxcar bodies vacuum forming will work great, but if you want to make your own fleet of PS-1 boxcars or a nice 40’ outside braced box, you’ll have to either scratchbuild 'em all or cast in resin (or live with really BAD details; we’re talking the dark days of Tyco…)
I was thinking of using them for other things like scenery details–rocks, gravel piles, car loads, freight, etc. My latest thought would be to mass produce lumber stacks especially where partially hidden.
well for $50 I guess I got more hype then enything
[B)]
What do you mean Budliner?
Rotor
It’s the ID of a previous poster.
As to using the toy Mattel machine for anything fine, I’d say forget about it. Think of aircraft cockpits - round and smooth - that’s what this toy machine (and that’s what it is) can produce. Piles of lumber - allright if you want a rounded off pile that might and might not look like lumber.
Vacuuforming is for making parts and shapes in the general shape of what you want, not for replicating fine details on anything. The heat formed plastic is just too thick and coarse.
I’m sure there are other uses in model railroading though.
Bob Boudreau
that an interesting idea with the duck I love the aerodynamic shape of the zephyr
must have been a sight in 1934 http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/jrmia/goods/zephyr.html
Fasinating idea how would I get/make the mold I will love to get some ho plains
cool idea, if this keeps up walthers will be out of a job firs the infomation Explosion
now we have a manufacturing Explosion
This combines with product and performance trends that suggest a fundamental research focus on nano-scale manufacturing, both for small products (such as mems) and for greater precision of all products. It also drives the need for less capital-intensive methods of manufacturing. The new pace and organizational structure also drive fundamental problems in manufacturing systems that require better modeling and control of highly interconnected factories, enterprises and supply networks. There is clearly a need for better tools for design and operation of the Next Generation Manufacturing Enterprise in a highly interconnected global environment.
http://www.memsnet.org/mems/what-is.html
http://www.mems-exchange.org/
orsonroy I do see that loss of detail but it’s a cool starting point
What what
Bud
[^]
Is it possible to use the vacuum formed plastic as a mold and cast models from it in plaster or whatever? - Lloyd
That’s what I was wondering about what you meant, Budliner.
Rotor
Rotor
hey
its just seem like I got all kinds of ideas that I would be able to make my own plastic but like orsonroy sead you will lose the detail and I seen a ton of website and people seem to love this thing I just have not had it long and found some brick walls already to small no detail hard to find sheets I have some styreen from my freinds sign shop but it hasnt got the holes around the edges
B-
Gotcha! I understand now!
There are some things to remember when vac forming.
1 You can’t rely on the vacuum to pull the material into crevices in the mold. You must have vacuum orifices in the corners of the details to allow vacuum to pull the plastic into the details.
2 You wont get the same detail as cast parts. At least not most times. This depends on what pieces you are pulling.
3 The mold MUST seal against the base of the vacuum machine. A hollow mold, with vacuum orifices for details, will make acceptable pulls.
I can see where a “good” Vac U Form could be useful in model railroading. With a proper mold, there are lots of possibilties.
The finished product, however, will only be as good as the mold!
Rotor
I remember the Mattel Vac u forms having a set of letter molds. I can see where these might be useful for making storefront signs, etc. replicating the channel letter type signs on many businesses.
Rotor