Discussion on Vac-forming question within the Prop Building Workshop forum, part of the Community category; Do any of you vac-formers know if a 6.5HP shopvac
Do any of you vac-formers know if a 6.5HP shopvac will be powerful enough for a 24X24 table? Id like to pull .080 ABS, but will use HIPS if it will work better. Just want to get a table going to start out and see how much i can do with it. Venturing away from just resin and fiberglass. Thanks guys!
I would ask that same question here www.TK560.com :: Index
Thanks bro...i just signed up..waiting to be accepted.Originally Posted by asok
I figure Brian would probably know the answer to this one lol.
my table is 15"x23" pulling .125 styrene with 4.75 shop vac. It's a simple pull, not detail, but it does pull the plastic down. I just make animated clone holsters
Cool thanks man, that helps. I want to able to pull bsic armor pieces. Like fett pieces and bikerscout pieces possibly tie pilot armor. Id think if i go.090 i should get decent pulls.
well browsing around on the Vacform forum TK560, i think i have determined this will work. I posted on there a couple of days ago but there's not as much action there as here. I may just PM Stormtroopoerguy, as he's helped me out before and is more active here than there. thanks hunters!
We used a 5 hp shopvac to pull PETG and Styrene and had good luck - table is 20 X 20. Got material from IPS. The ABS is a bit tougher to pull for some reason. We did extra sealing in all the joints of the box, and on some of our deep draws we had to use a heat gun on the exterior to get the fine detail. I think it is a lot more art than science.
Darth Voorhees, any luck with your set up?
Beleive it or not, i STILL havent gotten to putting it all together. I got the table and Vacuum, but still need to make the platen and get hardware to convert my "table" to an actual "vac-table".
do you still use shop vac in your set up?
I will..once its all together. I dont have the space or cash for a better set up right now. Apparently i dont even have the time to set this one up LOL!
Me and Garrison member pulled some nice Rebel (Yeah I know) helmets with his homemade Vac table using 2 shop Vacs. Both had decent rating but just wanted that extra kick and they came out great.
2 shop vacs will not double your vacuum power. I think your 6.5 hp will do the job of pulling any gauge of HIPS and maybe thin ABS. The secret to successful pulls is heating your plastic evenly and get it hot. Get a good sag for HIPS, say around 4-6" and less for ABS.
Use a single hole platen for the best possible results. You can have some fine mesh over the hole if you want to pull multiple pieces, and drill plenty of breather holes in your forming tools to get the sharpest details.
This is a helpful link for vacuum forming
ByYourCommand.net • View forum - Vacuum Forming
Agreed. Daisy chaining your shop vacs will not provide more power... rather more volume of pull at a quicker rate. In other words, you'll probably be able to pull the amount of volume of air out faster but it's not a stronger pull. Doesn't mean it won't work but it won't be as strong. What you're wanting is a higher pull of inches of mercury (in. Hg. vac) provided by a vac pump evacuating a tank(s) connected to your platen (which would likely vary depending on your elevation).
Go check out the TK560 forums and the vacuum forming section. All KINDS of good stuff to learn in there. Those guys know their stuff!! Hope that helps
I agree, my machine has a industrial rotory vane pump that draws a vacuum on a storage tank, It is a two stage system. The shop vac is the first stage to start the pull and then the tank dump. the tank is where you can get the strong vac. and yes depending on your elevation is how close you can get to absolute vacuum. We are 38 feet above sea level here so I can get somewhere between 25-27 In. Hg. I believe 29 is absolute. A vac gauge on the tank helps.Agreed. Daisy chaining your shop vacs will not provide more power... rather more volume of pull at a quicker rate. In other words, you'll probably be able to pull the amount of volume of air out faster but it's not a stronger pull. Doesn't mean it won't work but it won't be as strong. What you're wanting is a higher pull of inches of mercury (in. Hg. vac) provided by a vac pump evacuating a tank(s) connected to your platen (which would likely vary depending on your elevation).
Go check out the TK560 forums and the vacuum forming section. All KINDS of good stuff to learn in there. Those guys know their stuff!! Hope that helps
Last edited by AlanClabaugh; 04-29-2012 at 11:22 PM.
Here is a list of some Vacuum Sources and their suck power!
Vacuum In.Hg.
Single Stage Vacuum Cleaner Motor 3.7 to 4
Two Stage Vacuum Cleaner Motor 5.6 to 6.6
Mouth Suction 15
Hand Pump 27+
Modified Tire Pump 27+
Electric Vacuum pump 27+
Air Vacuum Pump 27+
Air Compressor (used as Vacuum Pump) 27+
Hope this helps
thanks for the link Al
Your welcome. I created that thread on BY YOUR COMMAND and tried to gather as much information and links that I could on the subject of Vacuum Forming...I have linked alot of info from TK560 and many other sites with pic and tutorials on the subject and guy's like us who have built machines. I love this subject! and it's fun as hell to make your own machines and parts!
27 inches from a hand pump? That's pretty surprising!
I've found that 25 is about my optimal pull. Any more than that and I pull the plastic right down through vent holes.
Depends on the thicknes...but true that!...I have sucked plastic through the holes!..lol
WoodChuck here. I have build several of these van tables: Workshop Publishing - Plans, Books, Videos - Home
PM the owner, Doug Walsh and he can answer anything about van tables you need to know, LOL
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