My Vacuum System for Vacuum Forming

[@mwjscn]

Before commenting, please read the video description to see if your question has already been answered there.

[@HOANGTHINH031207]

How can I vacuum forming 1mm Polycarbonate (PC) with your system, Is it the same as PETG? thank you!

[@mwjscn]

@@HOANGTHINH031207 1mm is very thin. Polycarbonate takes a higher heat to get to formable temperature, but at that thickness it shouldn't take very long.

[@HOANGTHINH031207]

@@mwjscn Thanks for your quick reply! I'm very interested in your article! I may still have questions while working on my project, looking forward to your help!

[@thiagomirandaautomacaoindu888]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm8YZ6hh6x_eK8

[@philipbarnhart]

Good video! I have a commercial machine that has a very similar setup except the valve that stops the pressure from going backwards through the pump is actually a one-way check valve. No need to flip that valve by hand before each pull.

[@MRaadesign]

Great how to vid! I'm in the process of upgrading my vacuum system from a shop vac to this set-up. Thank you!

[@minskmade]

Thank you for doing this. I could not wrap my head why you had the tanks. Great video

[@johnholmes4960]

Ok, well, not to be disrespectful if it works for what you need it to do, then I did overstep my bounds. I do things differently than most people. Good job on your system.

[@jefferygerman5585]

You inspired me for my build. Thanks for the great info

[@ahamed05]

The explanation is more than wonderful I was hoping to add an explanation of the heating process for the plastics and the Temperature of the heaters required Thanks in advance

[@mwjscn]

I use 2x 1500 watt quartz heaters in my system. I find that about 300 degrees F (149C) is the right temperature for PETG and Polystyrene. PETG will deform faster, so I suggest you keep a stopwatch running for repeatable forms.

[@ahamed05]

@@mwjscn I tried 5 heater with 600 watt for each one for pet 350 microns for 2 minutes but not work correct

[@mwjscn]

@@ahamed05 I'm not certain what the issue may be. My PETG heating times take about 2 - 2:30 minutes. Some quartz heaters have toggle settings for different heat levels. Make sure they're on the highest level. Also, make sure you plug them into different circuits in the house. You may be loading up on circuit with too much draw and they aren't operating at full capacity. I'm not an electronic engineer, but it may be worth trying.

[@ahamed05]

@@mwjscn Thank you for caring and response

[@ahmadali-qv9pd]

Thank you for the information you provided

[@AlistairSylance]

Great video, i made on a while ago and will be using some of your ideas to improve the system to get more detail from my pulls :D

[@craigsnowdon8322]

thank you for the up date a great help

[@happyhappysialkot]

dear sir iwould like to say thans u vvv much GOD BLESS U

[@cliffwan4470]

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your videos. I was hoping to get some advice from you. Making a 12 x 4 in tail light lens, what plastic would you recommend? Once again your videos make the process so easy to understand. Thank you!!

[@mwjscn]

Although I do not have much experience with the material, I would suggest polycarbonate mostly because of its strength if your goal is to use it in an automotive application. You may be able to find red material, but if you can't and are willing to do some wetsanding, you can use VHT Niteshades in red to make a transparent red tail light cover. Finish it off with some clearcoat and you should be good to go. Thanks for the kind words!

[@ianjohnson7728]

Thanks, very informative.

[@cj691]

I think this is the first time I've heard of vacuum forming using a vacuum pump with reservoir over a shop vac. Now I am curious what the difference in the results are. Also, the oil in the vacuum pump is what maintains the seal while operating which is why the reservoir will pull out oil when it is turned off. I had the same thing happen while using a vacuum desiccator, so I just made sure to unload the pump when I turn it off.

[@mwjscn]

This style is fairly common and it outperforms the normal vacuum cleaner method to my knowledge. If you're interested, I suggest giving it a try.

[@CliffsShed]

thanks again, off to the shed!

[@jabberman3000]

This is so cool. Didn't see anyone ask this so far (maybe i missed it), could I use an old compressor as the air tank? I'm wanting to make a bigger version of this and would need a much larger and thus much more expensive tank, but I can get a used compressor for a fraction of the price so I'm wondering if it's an option or if because of existing fittings on the tank it wouldn't be recommended.

[@mwjscn]

You can use an air compressor tank as a reservoir and can also modify the existing air compressor motor to make it a vacuum pump, if you have the necessary fabrication skills and tools at your disposal to modify the head. There are other DIY videos on KZbin that illustrate how to turn an air compressor into a vacuum pump. Good luck!

[@mohamedribaani2210]

Thanks

[@ibidesign]

Another top-notch tutorial. Only one question: you mention the foot pedal (maybe) but it's always off-camera and out of sight. I did not see it in your parts list, either. Can you please show/explain that feature? It sounds like a really good idea but I'm not sure about the mechanics involved. Thank you.

[@mwjscn]

It's the ball valve you see under the vacuum gauge on the front. When the system is on the ground, I just hit that with my foot to open it since I'm holding the frame with my hands. You can see some examples of the technique here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJ7bl5SAma13f6s

[@827sidd]

Q: I'm currently building/designing a 48"x48" unit with a multi-hole array platen. How much pressure(in of Hg) and tank size would you recommend if I use the stored vacuum charge system?

[@mwjscn]

Tank size depends on the amount of trapped air volume under the sheet of plastic and contained inside the interior platen chamber. Aim for 1.5-2x this volume in available vacuum capacity. I suggest anything from -20inHg to as close as you can get to -30inHg. The more you have the better it will be.

[@elroy9186]

Why do you have 3 adapters connected to the vacuum pump? Can't you connect the 1/4" hose directly to the pump?

[@mwjscn]

I didn't find a fitting at the time that would connect to the special port on the pump and provide the correct barb for the pvc hose. It may exist, so feel free to simplify whenever you can.

[@elroy9186]

Could you speak a bit on the connection of the vacuum system to the bottom of the vacuum table? What does that look like?

[@mwjscn]

It's a piping floor flange on the bottom of the platen to some threaded 3/4" pipe with a 90 degree bend. The water heater hose you see on this system then connects to that.

[@elroy9186]

@@mwjscn I ended up doing just that. My table works great, thanks to you. Cheers!

[@mohammadhajigholizadeh6176]

Thanks for the great video and details you provided. What is the CFM of the pump you use?

[@mwjscn]

Check description.

[@mohammadhajigholizadeh6176]

Thanks for quick response buddy. Just saw it

[@mohammadhajigholizadeh6176]

Can you please advise on what vacuume system (pump’s power, and air tank capacity) you would recommend for a larger unit which effective surface is 30x96-inch ?

[@mwjscn]

@@mohammadhajigholizadeh6176 That size is outside my expertise. I'd suggest using the combined gas law equation and finding the volume of trapped air (air under the plastic, in platen chamber, and all tubing after your valve towards the platen) and plugging in a result of at least -10inHg remaining when your vacuum volume is mixed with your atmospheric volume. If you solve for the vacuum volume with those known variables, you should be able to figure out how much vacuum you need. If you have a good vacuum pump, I'd plug in a vacuum-side holding pressure of -25inHg into the formula.

[@mohammadhajigholizadeh6176]

Appreciate it!

[@justchris846]

what you could do a tutorial on, is what kind of plastics, are what, what is used for food grade, whats used for making things like dog bowls and so on so forth. youve done an excellent job with this tuitorial, btw!

[@IliadDreyfus-js9oe]

Type it into KZbin search. Others have already covered those topics

[@costume35]

Hello grate video but can I use a compressor only

[@mwjscn]

No, the vacuum pump is not powerful enough by itself.

[@costume35]

OK thanks so much I will try to get the setup you got

[@alejandroorozcoosuna5611]

Thanks for your video bro, it helped me a lot to understand better how the vacuum system works! . Just a question, How did you choose the capacity of the air tanks?

[@mwjscn]

You just need a good portion more vacuum stored than regular pressure air exists trapped between the plastic and the platen, as when you throw the valve to combine the vacuum charge with the atmospheric air you want the end state to be a vacuum. HF had these 11 gallon tanks at a good price and that seemed to outweigh the capacity of atmospheric air I'd have trapped.

[@originalhotrodder4337]

Great video's you've made on vacuum forming, thank you for taking the time to share. Question, approximately how long does it take to pull the vacuum in your two tank system?

[@mwjscn]

Perhaps slightly over 5 minutes. I usually start it when I'm prepping the frames and bolting on the plastic and the system is ready when the plastic is heated (which is usually about 3 to 4 minutes for my heating system).

[@originalhotrodder4337]

@@mwjscn that was quick, thank you!

[@thiagomirandaautomacaoindu888]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXm8YZ6hh6x_eK8

[@johnrodriguez8931]

What size of hoses are you using overall?.thanks.

[@mwjscn]

See description

[@AndyMorrisArt]

great video thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I got the calculation of width + 2xheight = area needed. would that also equal the size of the plastic sheet?

[@mwjscn]

Yes, ideally, though I have formed things that calculate 'larger' than the area I have available. It depends on your plastic thickness and the level of thinout you find acceptable (the plastic area increases as it's heated and droops, but if heated a lot and pulled over a large object it will result in much thinner walls than the starting thickness).

[@mohamedribaani2210]

Haw to calculate compression air needed

[@mwjscn]

(Pressure1 * Volume1) + (Pressure2 * Volume2) = (Pressure3 * Volume3). Where Pressure1 is atmospheric pressure and Volume1 is the air trapped under the plastic, inside the platen chamber (if applicable), and in any hoses. Pressure2 being your vacuum level and Volume2 being the size of your vacuum charge. Pressure3 is the resultant vacuum force once both volumes are combined, and you want this resultant force to still be well within vacuum, likely around -10inHg to -15inHg. Volume3 will just be your combined volumes (Volume 1 + Volume 2), even though technically Volume3 will be slightly less since the plastic will wrap around the buck and therefore reduce the volume - it gives a close enough mathematical approximation to educate our needs. Example (30inHg * 2) + (-25inHg * 10) = (P3 * 12). P3 = -15.83inHg, which means 10 gallons of vacuum charge at -25inHg would be more than sufficient. You can use the same formula with Si units if you desire.

[@elijahandreventurina6130]

We have a similar setup, is it really necessary to have two tanks than 1? My platten is sized 86x86 cm, same pump but only one tank. Additionally what are the advantages of two tanks?

[@mwjscn]

@@elijahandreventurina6130 That's up to you. More tank volume results in a higher volume of vacuum available, thus when the two volumes are combined (trapped atmospheric air under the plastic and in the platen and your vacuum charge) the result is deeper on the vacuum side. If you have holding or definition issues you may want more vacuum.

[@elijahandreventurina6130]

@@mwjscn Thank you for the reply, my issues currently are after the vacuum charge is exhausted the sheet will try to go back to its original form. Resulting to round space in the edges.

[@mwjscn]

@@elijahandreventurina6130 Start by checking for leaks. Vacuum leaks are pretty noisy, usually it sounds like whistling or wooshing air. Helps to have someone else. Or you can use something that generates smoke/fog to see where it's being sucked in from. You can just mount a sheet of plastic in your frames (which should also be gasketed on the inside, at least on the bottom facing the plastic, I use thin neoprene foam) and hit the vacuum with it on the platen to search and test without wasting material. Otherwise, you may not have enough vacuum to overpower the atmosphere trapped in the system and may need more/larger tanks.

[@elijahandreventurina6130]

@@mwjscn Thanks you very much, will try do them later

[@AnkitVashisht]

sir, can you kindly share the specifications of the vacuum pump , you are using ...

[@mwjscn]

3.5 CFM 1/4 hp. Parts list is in the description.

[@AnkitVashisht]

@@mwjscn thanks sir , for quick reply

[@moldesparavaciado]

THANKS PORTU VIDEO MERSIRVIO MUCHO LLAQUE I AM ASSISTING A HOME THERMOFORMING MACHINE A QUESTION WHAT TYPE OF BRAND DO YOU USE YOUR VACUUM MACHINE AND ITS POWER FROM MEXICO GREETINGS

[@mwjscn]

The list of parts is in the video description.

[@frankc6430]

have you research what is the max vacuum pressure that those tanks can take? and if you had 2 tanks ,one connected with solid pipes and the other with a braided hose , does the hose sucks-in or collapses when the vacuum pressure is release? ... thank you for your informative video!

[@mwjscn]

I've had the system down to around -28/-29 inHg without problems dozens of times. I use both solid piping and flexible lines in my system. I use quality water heater hose lines and haven't had a single issue with them so far.

[@namolokaman2393]

Why not use the vacuum pump directly instead of using a tank? Note: I have the same 5 Pa pump, and it can pull a gallon pretty fast ( within seconds, which ought to be enough for vacuforming, if the bed isn't too large, I suspect ).

[@mwjscn]

It doesn't produce enough flow. You want the forming to be as instantaneous as possible, otherwise you may get an incomplete form or defects if pulled down slowly.

[@batarale]

Great video series on vacuum forming! I have some concerns about air tanks though... How safe are those for negative pressure? Are they the same tanks used with air compression system or specially designed chambers produced specifically for vacuum?

[@mwjscn]

They've been working just fine for years without any issues or leaks. Many others use the Harbor Freight tanks listed on the parts sheet, so the sample size is larger than just my experience.

[@batarale]

@@mwjscn Ok tnx, i guess you would need much more vacuum pressure in order to make some damage... I will try myself with the same approach.

[@deepb154]

How does equilization take place and what will be resultant pressure

[@mwjscn]

In a perfectly closed system, the air trapped in the platen side will have nowhere to go, so the key is to have a greater amount of vacuum available as a stored charge compared to the volume of air. When you open the valve and allow these two sides to mix, if the resultant pressure ends up equalizing as a vacuum, the system will draw the plastic onto the buck since the force of the atmospheric air on top of the plastic will be greater than that below the plastic.

[@making-arte5710]

Thanks for this video :D Its an excelent job Thanks a lot. I have a question. Can we use a compressor to create the vaccum?

[@mwjscn]

You use a component called a vacuum pump. It's the small silver/blue device in the video.

[@EdwinCutipa]

Hola amigo que tal,una consulta, que me aconsejas para realizar el vacío, una bomba de bacio o un compresor de aire modificado para vacío? Que me aconsejas espero tu respuesta gracias....

[@mwjscn]

Puedes usar cualquiera de los dos.

[@EdwinCutipa]

@@mwjscn y que me aconsejas resistencias electrica o calefones a gas para el calentamiento del plastico?

[@mwjscn]

@@EdwinCutipa No he probado los calentadores de gas, pero he tenido buena suerte con los eléctricos.

[@EdwinCutipa]

@@mwjscn a ya ya pero el consumo es elevado o lo normal? Porque donde vivo la red es de 220 volt

[@EdwinCutipa]

@@mwjscn para el vacío puedo usar tubos de pvc o metalicos?

[@elroy9186]

I've been trying to interpret the description and replaying the video for an explanation, but the fitting at 2:47 still confuses me. Am I looking at the FJC 6015, FJC 6014, and the 1/4" barb fitting all in a row? I ordered the first two parts, but is the 1/4" barb female to male or male to male?

[@mwjscn]

Parts list is in the description.

[@mfoye1980]

Hi, over the past few days I have really started thinking about building a vacuum forming table. I have a vacuum pump and a empty tank. I have seen that you were running two tanks. Is this needed? The table I am thinking of making will be roughly 12x18”. Most of the things I want to make will be smaller and any bigger parts I will make will be in panels. I was going to go with a vacuum but I like the instant decrease in pressure because it appears to have better pulls and better definition. I do also have a large shop vac that could be used. Opinions?

[@mwjscn]

For 12x18" you should be fine with only one tank. The ones pictured are 11 gallons in capacity each. I'd suggest using the vacuum pump before trying a shop vac, they don't make for good vacuum forming tools. If you did try it, you need to fill the void in the interior collection chamber to get any decent "throw" out of it according to the online research I've done.

[@pichkflo]

Great video, I have a question, why did you decide to use 2 tanks, isn't enough with the vaccum stored in one tank?

[@mwjscn]

I had some specifically large forms I wanted to have enough overhead for.

[@dylansmolen1526]

Thanks for the video and parts list. I am trying to use an old vacuum former but am having issues with the vacuum. I currently use a 5 gal vacuum chamber but I noticed the platen is 6.8 gal in volume so I think that is the reason I am not getting any vacuum. The platen is a big box that has holes in it. So would I need a larger chamber, more than the volume of the platen? And if so is it possible then to hook up a 5 gal vacuum chamber to a 10 gal air tank or would the volume difference be too much?

[@mwjscn]

In this type of system, I think it's fair to say that you always want more vacuum volume available than what resides at ambient pressure. Unlike a vacuum cleaner method, we can't extract the air that's inside the platen, we can only mix the positive pressure and vacuum within the contained system (with the idea that we want a negative inHg value - vacuum - when finished). When I form, I only have maybe a few gallons of ambient trapped air being combined with my approximate 22 gal of vacuum, so I wouldn't be worried about going too overkill. It will only become a problem if you're using seriously thin materials (less than .060 starting thickness) or if the plastic itself has been overheated leading to a blowthrough. I've found from my copious amounts of vacuum that it can also be hard to demold the plastic from any design that doesn't incorporate some minor draft angles on vertical walls (almost sucks it to the buck too well), but high-temp teflon spray usually helps a lot. If you want to do the math, which is beyond me, I would suggest calculating a value where the ambient pressure volume and vacuum pressure volume equalize to about -15inHg once mixed. I hope that helps!

[@dylansmolen1526]

@@mwjscn thanks for the feedback. When trying out my 5 gal vacuum chamber I feel no vacuum being pulled I believe because the platen box is larger volume than the vacuum chamber itself. When I take the tube out connecting the vacuum chamber and vacuum former I do feel a vacuum so I believe that volume is the issue. I think I will get a 10 gal air tank and connect it to the vacuum chamber and test it. Thanks once again.

[@ethangray3262]

Hey man how big can this system work with, in wanting to make car bumpers but I’m unsure on how much vacuum will be needed for say a 1500mmx1000mm bed

[@mwjscn]

I'd suggest starting with an old 60 gallon air compressor tank. You're going to need a lot of vacuum for something that large.

[@thomasmunn4751]

Q: How long does it take to draw down your (2) tanks/system to max vacuum? Thanks. I've enjoyed your videos. (I'm in the process of building a 48"x 60" unit).

[@mwjscn]

I've never really timed it, but probably about 5 minutes. Usually I flip the pump on while I'm demolding a previous pull and then the vacuum is ready once the frames and plastic are prepped and the buck has some Teflon spray on it. Good luck with your build!

[@FreClimbs]

How thick do you think you can go with such a DIY system? I am looking to making objects [ about 3 feet long, 2 feet wide and one feed high] from a 0.2 inch thick polycarbonate. Do you think this would be possible?

[@mwjscn]

It's possible, but I would practice with thinner and cheaper materials to test and potentially troubleshoot your system before you do the polycarbonate pulls. You'll want to have a very good heating and vacuum system for something that thick, which will likely skew more professional and expensive than what was shown here (mostly on the heater side, probably, you may be able to get away using a similar vacuum system and storing it in a larger capacity tank). I'd suggest reading the technical bulletin from the supplier of polycarbonate you choose, since they often have a thermoforming section that will tell you the sort of targets you have to hit, like making sure your heater can exceed the glass transition temperature.

[@FreClimbs]

@@mwjscn I would guess an array of ceramic heating elements could be a good option.

[@richnam9113]

can you explain the hose connection to the platen. Where are you locating the hole and are you using any attachments to connect the hose?

[@mwjscn]

The hose is connected to the bottom of the platen via a floor flange to 3/4" threaded pipe. The water heater hose end will just screw onto those threads. The hole drilled for the floor flange is 1-1/2". When screwed down, a layer of silicone was also added around the edge of the floor flange just in case.

[@richnam9113]

@@mwjscn Thanks for answering my inquiry. Should i locate the hole and floor flange centered on the bottom of platen, or does it not matter? This video is such a thorough and by far the best Vaccum Former Video on youtube. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us all. I will be assembling all the parts today. I look forward to testing it out this week. cheers

[@mwjscn]

@@richnam9113 Yes, it's best to have the main hole in the bottom centered. If you follow this link, you can see the entire write-up I did for the platen construction with lots of pictures: mattmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2017/10/eiga-dorobou-cosplay-build-log-21.html

[@mrmellow4724]

how are you heating up the plastic

[@mwjscn]

Check out my other video DIY Vacuum Forming Guide for a more in-depth look, but I basically use 2 large quartz heaters.

[@JackB42]

Hi sir, will a 1/2 hp vaccum pump be a factor? Or does the 1/4 hp be sufficient? I plan to do a 29.5”Lx21.5W platen table. Thank you for the inspirational vid!

[@mwjscn]

A 1/2hp pump would work great and will evacuate the air from your tanks even faster.

[@JackB42]

Thank you so much for the prompt reply sir! If speed to fill the tank is the only difference, then i guess I can still use the 1/4hp pump then to save some funds! Another question sir, -is it possible to turn on the vac pump again after the vaccum on the tanks have been used? Just to make sure the vaccum is continually sucking on the plastic/mold? And a couple of clarifications If i am correct, - will using a bigger tank give me a more stronger vaccum and duration of vaccum? -will using a 1/4hp vac pump to fill a bigger tank will take a bit longer to suck out air but will still eventually (in time)be able to make the -28Hg needed for a good pull? Thank you again and my apologies for the multiple questions. Please reply when able. God bless!

[@mwjscn]

@@JackB42 Ideally, if the system contains no leaks (if they exist, often between the platen top and the frame bottom on that gasket seal) the system will continue to hold the plastic around the form indefinitely since the air pressure (atmospheric) above the plastic exceeds that under the plastic (vacuum). I would not suggest turning on the vacuum pump during the forming process, since that won't give you any positive benefits and likely just suck the fluid out of the pump into your tank. A larger tank doesn't necessarily give you a stronger vacuum over a smaller one unless the air trapped in the system exceeds the smaller one's ability to equalize the air pressure into a resulting vacuum. The atmospheric air trapped underneath the hot plastic over the buck, in the interior platen chamber, and in the hose connecting to the system has volume at atmospheric pressure. When the valve is opened, we're just mixing that trapped air with the stored vacuum charge, hoping for a result well into the vacuum end of the scale. If you have the same amount of volume of trapped air as stored vacuum, it would be relatively weaker than if you had 3x the volume of vacuum charge available than what was trapped. So 'stronger' is a relative term that isn't a catch all. If you had 1 gallon of trapped air and 20 gallons of vacuum, you won't see a difference moving to a 40 gallon vacuum tank unless you had severe leaking issues. Provided your vacuum pump has good fluid and doesn't overheat from the duty cycle, yes, you can use a lower horsepower pump. I found that good fluid made a big difference on the performance of my cheap pump.

[@JackB42]

Thank you very much for all the info! I greatly appreciate it 👌🏼

[@JackB42]

Sir good day, a couple of questions. #1 will a 3CFM 1/4 Hp be enough to create a -28 inHg vaccum? i can’t seem to find a 3.5cfm 1/4 hp vaccum pump. #2 do i need a moisture trap to protect the tank? If needed where do I place it? Thank you again!

[@alhamedi66]

Thank you for the video. but how you calculate the right amount of air charge tank capacity. tray and error or there are equation.

[@mwjscn]

There probably is an equation, but 1.5 - 2x the volume of trapped air under the plastic sheet is probably a good start. In this system you're equalizing the pressure when you flip the switch since it's all contained (air is removed all together with an actual vacuum cleaner), so you need to make sure you have more vacuum than air.

[@alhamedi66]

@@mwjscn many thanks for your reply. 💐💐💐

[@mwjscn]

@@alhamedi66 Sorry that it was so late. KZbin didn't send me any notifications for some comments on my videos it seems.

[@alhamedi66]

@@mwjscn late better than nothing. Thank you 😅😅😅💐💐💐

[@califuturist]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@elroy9186]

Why do you use two air tanks?

[@mwjscn]

I wanted more volume of vacuum capacity available. This system equalizes the pressure between the air in the platen chamber and under the trapped plastic and the vacuum charge you have stored. You need more vacuum capacity than trapped air to get the sheet to still suck down after the valve separating the two environments is flipped. You may not need two tanks for some of my shorter forms on a 2x2' platen, but when in doubt more is always better.

[@EDSON8591]

Does it works

[@mwjscn]

Check out my other videos and decide for yourself

[@carlosmontandon9777]

Muy bueno, pero pueden mandarlo traducido al Español

[@mhsucio6830]

Can you educate me on what the hose does that’s not connected to anything ?

[@mwjscn]

The one pointing downwards connects to the bottom of the platen and the one pointing to the side connects to a second tank.

[@mhsucio6830]

@@mwjscn So i only need a hose going from the vacuum pump to a inlet valve before it enters the surge tank via a T connection then the outlet part of the T to another T connection with a vacuum gauge N hose to my kydex press im making?

[@mwjscn]

@@mhsucio6830 Sounds about right. I have a parts list in the description, and you can use this and my other vacuum forming videos as visual reference.

[@mhsucio6830]

@@mwjscn I watched them multiple times but im retarded and overwhelmed from being at home depot 7 days in a row.

[@mwjscn]

@@mhsucio6830 Here are some references from my build. If you're going a one-tank system, here is what mine looked like: 4.bp.blogspot.com/-wYqjdCix2QU/Wce0WFWmDCI/AAAAAAAABkw/K-1nPAB7NDQOXEsmRnt86uCj-kP-rcUOgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/new%2Bsystem.jpg It you think you need a two tank system (larger platen with larger forms), here is a reference of that all built (what was in this video, just fully assembled): 2.bp.blogspot.com/-X6854Y21t1w/WeaDFtojFvI/AAAAAAAABqU/ymfxTId6afs9a1u1_IuJLWR4RDa-TkTqgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/oh%2Bno%2B2.jpg A write up regarding my upgrades for when I built my current platen and former build is here: mattmakesstuff.blogspot.com/2017/10/eiga-dorobou-cosplay-build-log-21.html?m=1 Hope that helps.

[@HerrDark]

All those adapters were unnecessary, you could have used one male threaded pipe cap in the ball valve, after you drill and tapped the cap and install the vacuum connection

[@mwjscn]

There's definitely a more elegant way, feel free to improve on your implementation. I didn't have a drill press and tap set in the apartment back then, so this was my easiest workaround at the time.

[@scarlett73]

Hello friend, I'm brazilian and I would like to know if you can answer me a question.obrigado por enquanto

[@mwjscn]

Vou fazer o meu melhor. Qual é a sua dúvida?

[@scarlett73]

@@mwjscn obrigado pela atenção,já fiz várias pesquisas sobre como fazer vácuo em um cilindro para termoformadora mas não achei nenhum video igual ao seu.a minha dúvida é sobre o vacuômetro.Como saber se fiz vácuo por completo do cilindro? Ele deve ter um tamanho X ou é aleatório e pode ser quantos cilindros quiser? O vacuômetro pode ser qualquer um deve ser um específico ao tamanho do cilindro ? Desculpe a quantidade de perguntas rsrs

[@scarlett73]

@@mwjscn achei muito show o seu projeto,ninguém aqui no Brasil fez um vídeo assim,mas o grande problema é que eu nao falo e tenho muita dificuldade no inglês ,aí eu tive dificuldades em traduzir o seu vídeo.se você puder me ajudar eu te agradeço muito amigo

[@mwjscn]

@@scarlett73 O medidor que tenho usa a unidade 'inHg' ou "polegadas de mercúrio" para medir o vácuo. O equivalente métrico seria 'mmHg' ou 'Pa' (pascal). Normalmente, qualquer coisa acima de -25 inHg é suficiente (-635 mmHg). Você precisa de volume suficiente nos recipientes para compensar a quantidade de atmosfera presa sob a cobertura de plástico durante a formação. Se você está formando uma mesa com cerca de 600 mm x 600 mm, um tanque de 40 litros provavelmente funcionaria. Não conheço nenhuma fórmula, mas você pode realizar testes e descobrir o que funciona melhor.

[@scarlett73]

@@mwjscn ,me ajudou bastante,vou fazer alguns testes como você falou,muito obrigado

[@SEBSEBWORLD]

mmmm...popcorn...

[@JasonKlineOfficial]

How in the name of sweet baby Jesus did you get the original valve/manifold and gauge off of the yellow air tank so you could put the connector and pipe on it? I'm using a crescent wrench and hammer and it's not budging.

[@mwjscn]

I used a crescent wrench and it eventually spun off for me, but it was on tight. If you have a torch, you may try to add a small amount of heat into just the fitting. Be careful if you do, though.

[@JasonKlineOfficial]

@@mwjscn I literally just got it off there. I suspect they had something like loctite on it, had to crank that mother pretty hard but it came off.

[@mwjscn]

@@JasonKlineOfficial They definitely put some sealant on there. Happy forming!

[@JasonKlineOfficial]

@@mwjscn for some reason, I can't get this to go any more than 24.5 inHg.....is that normal? I thought you had almost 30 inHg?

[@mwjscn]

@@JasonKlineOfficial My system regularly goes to -28 inHg indicated on my dial. I suggest running the pumps to whatever inHg you can get and then stopping the pump. Wait 10 minutes and see if the reading is lower. If so, you may have a leak in the system that air is getting in. Did you get the same exact model of vacuum pump? I also noted some better performance when I put in the aftermarket higher quality vacuum pump oil. Some pumps have different tolerances and air can slip by their internal components while running. The new fluid helped a bit with this, in addition to not burning off as quickly. Also make sure you have Teflon tape or the sealing 'glue stick' type on all threaded joints in the piping.

[@nabeelhussain1154]

Absolutely 'Loved' watching and reading the comments besides that last guys comments. (So far some of my best reads). So I'm super new to this whole thing. I only thought of a vacuum as a vacuum cleaner. In the recent years I have been actively involved in wrapping dash boards with PVC Vinyl and have come across some exciting vacuum forming systems like yours to wrap these interior car panels I.e Dashboard, pillars etc... I have a ton load of questions which I won't bore you with. First question is: Does the power of the vacuum pump itself mean much if you have your tanks? This will probably sound way to ambitious, I want to make 75'' by 32'' system - is this size even possible? Basically I want to do this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3ele32Vmc-enKc (31 sec video) - Whats your thoughts on it? Once again much appreciate your knowledge - Much love from England :)

[@mwjscn]

Well, like they say, anything is possible with enough time and money. In short, yes, it can be done. The video you linked is how professional vacuum forming machines operate. The plastic is in the middle. It usually has a retractable heating element that comes over top (not shown), and then the buck is inserted from below with also creates a seal and activates the vacuum. To answer your question, the power of the vacuum pump itself doesn't matter much when using the tank method since you're not directly attempting to pull a vacuum with just the pump (which you cannot do). I'm happy to answer any and all questions, but if you haven't already you may want to check out my other video here (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqbKo2WgqruKq80) for a more comprehensive overview of all the considerations (the only difference is not worrying about undercuts, since you have no intention of removing the formed material from the "buck" in this case). You may also want to check out this video, which covers in more detail what you're trying to do: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZqTq5Wng8aoY5Y

[@nabeelhussain1154]

@@mwjscn Thank you for your reply. Yeah I see that is how professional vacuum machines operate. However I found another clip which seems to be less complicated, but does pretty which what Just dash's have. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3m4haeha8qjqbc (Any thoughts on this?) I watched your video link you sent, it was very informative. Once I have created the mould on the Vacuum, I'll remove it and glue it to the actual dash itself or I could apply the adhesive on the dash just before the vacuum stage so it can bond at the sometime. (That's something I'll have to experiment with). I just need to accomplish wrapping it without any creases.

[@mwjscn]

@@nabeelhussain1154 It looks like all of these videos have it bond at the same time and what I would suggest you do (otherwise dealing with the undercuts would be almost impossible without major cutting and possible destruction of the original dash). I would also suggest you make sure you can locate and acquire the very specific thermo-vinyl material before building anything.

[@johnholmes4960]

It is sucking the oil out of the pump because it’s a cheap pump. I bought a high quality BUSCH Vacuum pump..$2300.00 worth and never had that problem. You can’t run your work line and your vacuum line through the same fitting. You are working your pump against itself. 20 inches of vacuum is PLENTY to do what you are doing. It is not the same as air pressure. I used a tank from harbor freight, and a parts wagon from same. The tank was on the bottom and the pump was on top. I could roll it around my shop when not needed. Your fittings are leaking. You did not use Teflon tape to seal the joints. Now, try breathing through a straw while running a 40 mile marathon. That is what your pump is trying to do with the way you have it set up. Your vacuum in the yellow tank is stored energy.......that’s stored negative energy. It’s not pressure. It’s not the same. In a few weeks when your pump fails, invest in a BUSCH pump. They are not cheap, but they last forever. So, now, I am guessing you are a single guy. If you were married, I would like to know how she REALLY FEELS about having her living room converted into a plumbing shop.

[@mwjscn]

Lots of assumptions here. 1. It's not sucking oil out. That's why the ball valve was added. 2. It has sealant paste on all threads. It can sit at -28.5 inHg for over half an hour without leaking, I tested it. Your last assumption is on point, though, haha. I don't know why you'd suggest a 2,300 dollar pump on a budget build. This system works fine and I've produced all the parts I've needed so far using it - as the other videos clearly demonstrate.

[@johnholmes4960]

@@mwjscn well, that’s just me. My HAAS CNC milling machine was $160,000. I had a job in my shop for ten years before I retired. These were flight critical parts. I precut them on my Trumpf laser, then removed the heat affected zone on my HAAS. I did over 150,000 parts without a reject. I wanted a fail safe system. It was what I needed. That’s all.

[@mwjscn]

@@johnholmes4960 And I can fully appreciate that. I have plenty of tools where I chose the quality option rather than the budget - and it definitely shows when I use them. However, coming into someone's comments only to incorrectly tell them point-blank that their system is leaking (when it is sealed with Loctite 504467 and holds well) and will fail in a couple of weeks (when it has been operating for years) is presumptuous and rude. This is a supplemental video for the DIY home enthusiast. Someone who doesn't have thousands of dollars for their projects. While I appreciate your industry expertise, I don't think your commentary is applicable to the people I'm trying to support.