Vacuum Forming Custom Packaging for the Cyberspoon

In a previous project video, I shared the genesis of the Cyberspoon: • CNC Machining the Cybe...
In an attempt to provide protection for the Cyberspoon (should I ever decide to sell them), I decided to design and create some prototype plastic packaging. I modeled some bucks in Fusion 360, machined them out of Renshape, and vacuum-formed plastic sheets over them using the Mayku Formbox. I made several small mistakes throughout the process, like not venting concave features in my buck but ultimately overcame them.
The 14 Gal. Ridgid NXT Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum used in this project was provided by Home Depot and it is a serious workhorse. Check it out at: homedepot.sjv.io/gzg32
To learn more about the Formbox, head to: www.mayku.me/
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[@WinstonMakes]

For the record, I did weigh the fact that yes, I am introducing more plastic into circulation if I go this route for packaging. It was a calculated decision. Solid plastic is much easier to recycle for households with single-stream collection. Bubble wrap and foam mailers often have to be collected separately (as in my neighborhood), otherwise most people will just put them out with the trash. Avoiding #4 plastic in film form was the main goal. Also, Mayku's sheets are from partially recycled stock, and are fully recyclable. If I had a laser, I'd of course try some custom cardboard packaging as well. Laser companies, I await your sponsorship... In the mean time, should I ever put these spoons up for sale, maybe I'll have an option for "just put it in a box with crumpled newspaper".

[@darranedmundson1505]

I wonder if you could use soaked cardboard between the buck and one of your vacuum formed plastic holders?That is, use the combo to deform wet cardboard (or some other fibrous paste). Of course they'd have to dry but you could probably do a dozen and leave them in the plastic shells overnight.

[@Akroma1988]

Still plastic though

[@ayylmao.mp3]

Try using the plastic as molds to cast pulp from newspaper/cardboard/sawdust from the shop?

[@rndmfella1874]

You have the issue in your minset. First step is always recognizing the problem. I'm sure you will evolve on this! Asap

[@MaxLlewellyn]

+1 for the crumbled paper. Unless you put a recycling symbol (the triangle with the number) on your plastic it can't be recycled by normal municipal recycling collection.

[@felixdietzCGN]

I once ordered a small production run at a professional vacuum forming business, those guys had a horizontal bandsaw to trim off the formed pieces but of course you could use a "normal" bandsaw with a board clamped to the fence as your work surface. You'll just have to add a small "raft" to your form or just make it a bit taller than the final product so you can run the entire sheet along the bandsaw blade and only cut off your final part.

[@SwitchAndLever]

Great video Winston! As a tip for the future when cutting out the plastic from the sheet is to design your bucks taller than they need to be, maybe like 1/4 inch or so. Then you set a small slitting saw in your drill press (assuming you have one) and lock the quill the same distance from the table and just slice around the circumference of the plastic. So essentially instead of cutting down into the plastic sheet with a knife as you are in the video you'd be cutting the side wall of the piece. 🙂

[@maxpagliuca2132]

At my job we use this same method, but with a router table. We also use a 5-axis CNC router to cut out windows, holes, and trim vacuum formed parts. Not many people have a 5-axis CNC at their disposal though...

[@konobikundude]

What I saw an oldtimer do many years ago was to cut roughly around the edge (only pushing straight down around the edge) and then using a belt sander to take it down the rest of the way. A quick zip over the edges with a heatgun and it was good to go. That was an experienced hand though.

[@muchappreciated4653]

So smart. Thanks for sharing

[@anthonylosego]

I was going to say, make a jig to set your product in and get a really long bit. Tread lightly but you'd get straight cuts. Maybe leave two tabs for hand cutting? Or a clamp you put down halfway through the route to hold the piece down. Screw it to the surface with a hinge and a lever lock so it's quick.

[@faolanmckeown7222]

Was just about to comment this

[@ed_halley]

It seems like the shuttle of the vacuum former was a bit of a pain in the ass to un-latch from the UP position and slide down the rails. Every shot that included the motion had a visible moment of struggle in it.

[@WinstonMakes]

The latching action on mine was a bit stiffer than I'd like. It might wear in over time or might be adjustable, I'll need to see. Agree it could be smoother to operate.

[@ProductDesignOnline]

@@WinstonMakes Mine was the same way at first... but slowly became easier. Probably a combination of practice and the latch getting used.

[@AndreasBested]

For a limited run, you could have an extra buck cut that was left on the cnc. That way every newly formed packaging would be separated from the sheet and put on the extra buck before running a contour cut with the cnc around the buck at a defined distance, matching the material thickness

[@WinstonMakes]

Definitely a good idea. And/or I could machine a pair of indexing pin holes in the bottom of the Renshape to re-mount them on the CNC.

[@Lossanaght]

Good idea. I wonder if a drag cutter or laser addon for the cnc might give a nice edge.

[@callumrussell]

For trimming the plastic neatly. Take Two Flat scrap pieces wood, or even better some acrylic. Sandwich a razorblade or scalpel blade between them. Secure the pieces together with a screw or bolt and nut. I do this with two pieces of 3mm acrylic. I have two grub screws to secure the pieces together so I can swap out the blade. You can slide the flat side of your 'cutter' across the vac forms circumference to get a consistent straight cut all the way around the perimeter. Quick, cheap, easy.

[@jholmessiedle]

Love the project, hate the use to make a throwaway plastic holder - toooooo last century, what would the modern 'save the planet' version be?

[@OminousPinapple]

Unless there was an eco friendly polymer sheet that can be used I'm not happy either.

[@fogfestival]

There is the option of pressing leftover paper (with a bit of woodglue and water blended in) into molds, clamping it down and creating the same package that way? kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnrXgZmerZiootk

[@jholmessiedle]

@@fogfestival wouldn't that be a super cool project

[@felixhelix6171]

We used top have a tool back at high school for cutting vacformed pieces from the sheet. It was basically a flat plate with a dremel type small rotary tool fitted with a tiny circular saw blade protruding from the plate by about 3mm and parallel with it. You'd just mould the pieces slightly taller than needed and then cut them out of the surround material. Produced a very flat even edge too.

[@3dbits_art]

I don't like vacuum forming. This has been around for ages and it has flooded the environment with more and more and more plastic. Your spoon is made of wood. It is a valuable article and it should come in a card board package and maybe molded fibers. Every super cheap product from China comes in plastic! Those times should be gone sooner rather than later.

[@klave8511]

Oliver R. Well said!!

[@kendallemory8455]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnrXgZmerZiootk this is more like your expectations.

[@fogfestival]

There is the option of pressing leftover paper (with a bit of woodglue and water blended in) into molds, clamping it down and creating the same package that way? kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnrXgZmerZiootk

[@klave8511]

That is a great method, good find, complete instruction and who doesn’t throw out cardboard and those paper cartons.

[@SSimonDD]

Indeed, quite the discrepancy between the nice content and the one use plastic packaging. When you have a hammer, every problem looks like a nail...

[@Tarbard]

Up until seeing this video i'd assumed that for £599 it came with a built in vacuum pump.

[@Charlieavery12]

This thing is leagues ahead

[@garagemonkeysan]

Great video. Nice build and demonstration. Mahalo for sharing!🐒

[@LionOfJudahRules1]

For the lid to remain clean and clear you can vacuum form over top of the first vacuum form. I've done this many times in the models when I needed a clear and clean final form. With this in mind you have to change the dimensions of the buck to compensate for the added material.

[@Stephen8454]

That's quite a nice tool

[@turboconqueringmegaeagle9006]

I just spent a few weeks temping doing maintenance at a thermo-form packaging factory, was very interesting, the big machines use air pressure and vacuum, have a roll feed and a cookie cutter built in. Nice machines to work on apart from the heat! Great vid by the way. I built a pretty big clicker press if you want to use it for inspiration I have a vid on my channel, probably a bit caveman esq for you though.

[@rendtech]

Great Video. You can use the vacuum form to cut the plastic. You need to put in the design a sharp tapered raised line. It wont cut all the way through, but east to snap or cut through.

[@certified-forklifter]

this is a nice video. thanks

[@maesto]

A buck with a base and a follow bit in a router table should be great for cutting out the parts.

[@woogaloo]

Unrelated to the actual CNC and forming - I never thought about buying a diffuser for my Ridgid vacuum. That would be nice not having all that hot air just flowing out.

[@Stefan_Kawalec]

Just for your information. Festool vacuum cleaners are not as quiet as you'd think. Given the noise is measured on a set of vacuum and suction hoses (some manufacturers measure only the vacuum cleaner without hoses) here are the results for units in the same class(taken from official pages): Festool CLEANTEC CTL 36 E - 71,00 dB Makita VC4210L - 62 dB. I use both - Makita is quieter. Both Festool and Makita measure vacuum cleaner + hoses.

[@garagewizzard]

GERBIL! Vacuum formed plastic cutter in the UK. You could DIY your own with a dremel.

[@LucasHartmann]

Maybe forming the bottom case inverted could help. Less complicated pocketing on the cad too.

[@WinstonMakes]

That's actually a really interesting idea because it means my 2 renshape bucks could also be easily combined into a single solid piece.

[@c7ndk]

I was thinking the exact same.

[@julesmarchand2765]

Haven’t we learned enough about single use plastic

[@mymemeplex]

To accept sharp corners using a round bit you can mill a relief radius in the corner to avoid creating too much clearance in the rest of the form.

[@illusionistpro]

Thinking about small scale manufacturing, if you can use smaller blanks held in place by a heat resistant jig, it might be possible to pre cut the formed plastic while its flat, and then shape it. It would require some R&D to get the jig and blank shape down, but the upside is not having to cut each formed piece individually.

[@giliant]

Outside shell the dimension desired for your tolerance next time, then you have a precisely oversized spoon for your boolean operation, great video.

[@WinstonMakes]

Good idea, but in this application it wouldn't make it any easier to account for the fillets left by the ball endmill when machining the spoon cavity.

[@phil.tsao.]

You can also check out the Vaquform which is a fully integrated machine and from what I've seen, is way better than the makyu. Disclaimer - I own a Vaquform and love it 🙂

[@ProductDesignOnline]

How much do those run? Last I checked they weren't shipping them :(

[@1337BlueBird]

On my god, i need this machine in my life

[@user-qb9cx8lb6x]

真空泵，连接一个储气容器，再连接阀门，需要的时候打开阀门，排气速度非常的快。这样设计的原因是，加热塑料膜需要时间，这段时间可以用于抽真空用，而且排气速度越快，吸塑的效果越好。

[@pesterenan]

"this vaccum... Sucks." Oh, so it's good then.

[@DominusFeles]

"Really hard!"

[@jamescrombie1911]

I use medium-sized vacuformer at work and to cut out the parts I developed a frame to hold the formed parts in our laser to cut them out.

[@Endoplasmic-Reticulum]

There’s actually a way to incorporate a sharp edge to your forms combined with elevating them, to essentially automatically cut the circumference. Granted, it will actually make the edge of your piece very thin at the parting line..you can literally tear the section away without ever knowing it was torn, vs cut. Respond and I’ll explain the modification to your blocks.

[@mastermaker666]

Identical mold + vacuum for hold-down on a cnc + some simple code, and you have a packaging trimmer...

[@pereventura3443]

Great video. I did have a small question, have you thought about adding some type of form release on your bucks? It helps smooth out minor surface defects while also improves the release of the molded plastic. It doesn't need to be anything fancy, we just used a light dusting of baby powder for our mold release, (think of using a small sponge to dust the bucks), back in the day when I was working as a plastics engineer. Anyway, thanks again!! Keep up the great work!

[@lalalu7866]

Greetings form malaysian ~ I am a mold maker. I have a suggestion for you . Make it like a lunchbox every time you done forming it just fold to seal it. If you annoyed by the machine mark ,you can sand blast the mold make it like matte surface. this also give customer pleasure of open box .👍👍👍 Feel free to ask more question to me 😄

[@tungym]

Great project. Beyond my skills though.

[@danhyde7501]

Interested to see what non-packaging products can be made from a vacuum former

[@reidn5185]

Hey Winston! On the note of vacuums, you mention on your website that you use the Fein vacuum because its a lot quieter. Have you tried out the new Stealthsonic Dewalt vacuums? They are supposedly even quieter than the Fein vacuum based on their specs (who knows how they got those measurements though). Keep up the great work!

[@MarinusMakesStuff]

That's a really nice small vacuform. We have a large one at work with two different mounting plates for 50x50cm and 25x25cm, but the machine is very bulky and the majority of the vacuuming work we do is just small objects. Maybe I can convince my colleagues to get this smaller machine...

[@MrJcTTK]

the only problem is they charge way too much for it. 700 dollars for that is a lot

[@MarinusMakesStuff]

@@MrJcTTK Nah, it's cheap. We have a bigger one that cost around 5~7k or so (and it's not ten times as big). I'm fine with the price and it looks well developed :)

[@MrJcTTK]

@@MarinusMakesStuff I guess my whole thought process with it is if you were gonna spend 700 on that you could easily make one far bigger for the same price. Also yeah it does look amazing but I just don't see how it can be justified at the 700 mark.

[@nourbenmbarek8886]

Hello , i have a small sugestion for you about the final texture on the plastic , so you can apply a medium coat of automobile primer on the forme sand it with 600 to 1000 grit sand paper and it will be fine .

[@simple_fred]

on the subject of trimming the waste from a vacuum form, have you tried an ultrasonic knife?

[@WinstonMakes]

Ooh, no, but that could work really well.

[@simple_fred]

@@WinstonMakes On second thought, a hot wire cutter would be easier. PS, I just received my shapeoko and I've been finding your videos very useful in planning my work station. Thank you.

[@ivan8or]

when you resized your model a bit for the spoon, I think it would have been much more straightforward to simply import your spool model at 101-103% size and use that as the cutout instead

[@AJB2K3]

Custom die cutter, later project? Hurry up time, I want to see this happen!

[@radicalleavemealone-ist7751]

And aerodynamic marvel of geometry

[@charlietighe]

A hobby bandsaw should make easy work of cutting the finished packs

[@ayatotakema1194]

super long term solution: get a Datron neo or at least make the base heavier i.e Epoxy granite

[@joe_fabricator]

This is awesome Winston. I've used Fusion but for mainly visualization purposes. I currently use VCarve for drawing and toolpaths and it's really straight forward and very reliable. Have you used VCarve? On the fence still about a Fusion subscription...

[@WinstonMakes]

I've not used Vcarve outside the demo/examples. It's good for 2D/art stuff and 3D surface things like signs and whatnot. I know people who like laying out designs in it, but it's no replacement for 3D CAD if you want to engineer things.

[@joe_fabricator]

@@WinstonMakes I totally agree. Thanks for the reply.

[@xaytana]

While all the other suggestions of cutting the plastic would work fine, what about converting the shapeoko to work as a drag knife? It'd give you yet another tool within the shapeoko's platform, could be useful in the future, and would make for more interesting content. I know plastic is tougher than what drag knives are typically set up for, but it'd be interesting to see a solution for drag knifing plastics; say either a circular, rotating cutter, similar to what a pizza cutter is, or adapting a small ultrasonic knife to work in a drag knife.

[@colchestermedicalcannabisc742]

🙏🏻

[@yangyedda8092]

I found a similar machine on Amazon with a much larger work area

[@CalebKraftmakes]

I didn't have the shapeoko pro at the time of this video..... so, do you have one now? I'm eager to see you play with it!

[@MrJcTTK]

honestly there are far better cnc's for cheaper I would suggest

[@CalebKraftmakes]

@@MrJcTTK I'm not particularly interested in the shapeoko pro myself. I am interested in seeing Winston push it to it's limits

[@MrJcTTK]

@@CalebKraftmakes ah i see I'm a pretty big fan of the longmill CNC but I do really see anyone talk about it. It's cheap and uses lead screws haha

[@CalebKraftmakes]

@@MrJcTTK I did a video all about the longmill for Make Magazine. It's a nice machine! That's a world apart from the shapeoko pro though. Those Vwheels won't take much lateral pressure before they start to have wobble

[@MrJcTTK]

@@CalebKraftmakes Yeah that's my biggest problems with most consumer grade cnc's that you buy. It's either they use straps with linear rails/vwheels or vwheels with lead screws. I don't know many that use linear rails with lead screws. If you know of any do tell. (reasonably priced though haha) I am currently working on building my own. Though I have been debating on saying screw it and using a rack and pinion system like on the CNC Pro machines. I shall check out your videos though.

[@inifin8]

Any good source for the material used for machining stock?

[@dronus]

Where do you get the PET sheets?

[@antoniorios3856]

Do you have any engineering experience, or degree? Great vid, still wanna get my hands on a cnc

[@WinstonMakes]

I went to school for mechanical engineering.

[@rndmfella1874]

Pushing the walls outwards.. Jupp, know all about that! Just ask my wife. ^_^

[@hasansawan4970]

-"Pro tip, avoid setting up the machine in front of a fan" - setting it up in front of +70 000 Fan

[@DerRindenmulchficker]

So underrated

[@REDxFROG]

Just wrap it in newspaper....etc.. there's many ways to protect goods in a package.

[@cxxx54]

Can you tell me the name of the MDF Wax material?

[@arturbobinski2287]

Could design the two pcs to fold into themselves saving you from cutting them out.

[@BlakeRobinson-uk4cv]

Can you use a 3D printed mold instead of and CNC machined wood mold?

[@WinstonMakes]

You absolutely can, just keep in mind that pockets and concave areas need to be vented. So some tiny holes modeled or drilled through the mold would be recommended.

[@sethhowell2278]

how do you get the dark background on fusion 360? is that a paid feature only??

[@ProductDesignOnline]

Select the "Display Settings" (computer icon) at the bottom > Environment > Dark Sky

[@joelsebastian3628]

If there was a hole in the spoon cavity the vacuum could have pulled the plastic better into the cavity

[@joelsebastian3628]

Ya I saw the full video Sorry

[@Theplayers_club]

Hi what is the name of the plastic you are using

[@bruces2193]

Shapeoko pro did you say?!?!

[@southe101]

Just looked at the price for that thing on Amazon. At a price of 699.00 this toy is waaaaayyyyyyy too expensive. Crazy expensive for what I am seeing.

[@DerRindenmulchficker]

4:27 that didnt look very smooth. Has anyone experience with the machine?

[@seriousCADninja]

or a laser cutter to trim the plastic 😏😉

[@palava8500]

The Vaccum-link seems Not to work. It keeps denying access

[@kjeldschouten-lebbing6260]

To cut them, you can remove the guides from something like this: images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51k8FAUaoCL._AC_SY355_.jpg

[@evanhernandez1450]

Winston... I've watched a bunch of your videos now. You have creative ideas and you do very well at learning through your mistakes. You have a crap CNC. No way around it. Buy a different machine.

[@chapzer6686]

So let me get this right... y’all are gonna get mad at this guy for using a bit of plastic? Maybe go after a bigger fish

[@colchestermedicalcannabisc742]

How much does it cost you packet $1

[@ubacow7109]

If you drilled a hole in the block/mold it woulda saved you so much time

[@chrisball7335]

mushrooms sawdust or popcorn packaging is better

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

Isn't there a company that will make a custom vacuum shape? I only need 1 shape, and building the entire thing to make 1 shape isn't worth the effort. Plus my shape is just a rectangle lining for a case.

[@Major00Tom]

Just what we needed, another completely avoidable single use plastic container. I'm putting this channel on my ban list.

[@chapzer6686]

Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed

[@petert101]

Hi Winston, I enjoyed your video's and journy in life very much. But since I stopped using fusion both at home and at work I no longer will watch your video's. Thanks for the nice time and watching your skills improve. I wish you all the best while I and the company I work for switch over to FreeCAD.

[@ElonMuskFan]

I would buy the cyberspoon since I don’t live in china so I can’t get an actual tesla one

[@key2010]

10:07 honestly, just the fact you didn't do it in the first place makes me question your production planing abilities, and I'm not being funny here

[@zacpackman9186]

u should send a cyberspoon to elon musk. just a thougt

[@nigelsmith7366]

We need to move away from plastic packaging

[@Nick-hm9rh]

That looks awful spoonwhise. Corners are never good with foodware

[@ianhall2208]

Not interested in the plastic waste.