The cost of vacuum-forming...

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:28 am

From those of you who know, what does it cost on average to vacuum form for a portable? I know it varies depending on how much plastic you buy and how much time and effort you put into your mold, but I'd like some examples. As of right now, I don't even know ballpark figures.

The reason why I'm asking is because if it's cost-effective, I'll be looking for a business partner to make vacuum-formed cases for five to six portables (Atari, SNES, and PSOne). Granted each of these have their own challenges, but it might be a better deal all around for both of us if we work together (plus way easier if you're making more than one shell using the same mold and same color/type of plastic). I don't mind the engraving plastic/aluminum sides method (see my SNESp in progress), but having someone make a vac-formed case while I'm working on the guts would be more productive. I'm planning on setting up a table at the Oklahoma Video Game Exhibition next year. It only costs $25 to set up a 6' vendor's table

Awesome. Right now I'm doing research and buying supplies, as I've got a year to get this all together, so I'm excited.

I'm looking forward to any and all responses.

Indigno · Post by **Indigno** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:17 am

Quick froogling brought me these estimates, assuming that you are starting with nothing:
Shop Vac $50
http://www.builderdepot.com/browse.ihtm ... oreid=2111

3-6 bucks for some pegboard (Stolen from somone else

)

30-60$ for some sort of electric grill (found one for 30$ but may not be suitable)
http://www.nowonsale.com/itempage.asp?i ... AWHT&cp=fr

5-10 bucks on 2X4s

and other random parts probably come out to another 5-10 bucks.

It all depends on what design you'll use, but that's a pretty good 5 minute rough estimate.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:46 pm

Who all here has actually vacuum-formed? Let's see, from what I recall - TurboTax, Marshal, dkap, um...

Klefmung · Post by **Klefmung** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:36 am

I do, but I am not revealing it yet. >.<

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:53 am

How much has it cost you personally so far?

Klefmung · Post by **Klefmung** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 5:56 am

I guess I am a bit off, because the shop vac, I already had. As for heating, oven. >_> And, I made the former out of plywood, completely. I just drilled holes in the top. No pegboard. So, perty cheap.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:09 am

I'm thinking about going the same way - I already have a shop vac available, and if I just make a frame large enough that will sit on the oven rack ledges on the sides, it should just slide right in... It doesn't even need to be the full size, as I'm only using it for portable cases. How do you determine the size of the sheet of plastic you'll need? Do you just eyeball it and say, "Well, this is a bit larger than what I'm vac-forming, I'll use this!" ?

Klefmung · Post by **Klefmung** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:22 am

I just get plexi from home depot, or, some plastic, then chop it down to the size of the frame.

joevennix · Post by **joevennix** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:37 am

Well the easiest way to build a vacuum former would be using an electric stove as the heating element. I tried a nichrome wire-ish setup, but it failed, and would not have gotten hot enough anyways. So I returned the things I bought (shhhh) and got an electric stove from Walgreens (gannon's idea), for $10. The table itself cost like 5 dollars for me to build, since I already had some scrap shelving and screws. The shop vac is what costs so much money, I'm trying to use an old home vacuum but I'm not sure if it will produce enough suction.
Around here you can get 4' by 6' sheets of styrene for $22. So plastic isn't that expensive.
Good luck!

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 7:55 am

Excellent! Thanks for the input, guys. Anybody else with some tidbits of wisdom or tales of vac-forming gone awry on your first attempt?

Klefmung · Post by **Klefmung** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:20 am

never touch the hot plastic. Never do it with a cat around, either.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:57 am

Sweet! I picked up a huge sheet of peg board at a local hardware store for $4! More than I needed, but it was deal. Now I just need to borrow some scrap lumber from my grandpa (who always has stuff like that laying around) and I'll be in business...

joevennix · Post by **joevennix** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:10 pm

joedog86 wrote:Sweet! I picked up a huge sheet of peg board at a local hardware store for $4! More than I needed, but it was deal. Now I just need to borrow some scrap lumber from my grandpa (who always has stuff like that laying around) and I'll be in business...

That's like, exactly how I started mine. I changed my design so that the heating element sits beneath the plastic. Once the plastic has been heated up, I remove the element and move the plastic down on the mold.

Post by **gannon** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:27 pm

Yeah...in contemplating my newest design (with the heating element above the plastic) I'm wondering if I should install some fans to blow the hot air into the plastic. Then again, the entire thing is contained and should act as an oven set to broil, so it should be fine I guess...

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:15 pm

I think I'm going to go the quick and easy route and try using my oven at home first. If it looks like I'll need something different (or it just doesn't work well in the oven) I'll then think about using some heating elements.

What dimensions did you guys use in building your frame for the plastic? Also, what type of wood do you suggest? Obviously something that can withstand heat, but what did you use?