Why I got a Vacuum Former, What Can it Do

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Vacucu3D Vacuum Former www.vacucu3d.com/referral/chad20241101

[@zedabyu]

How is the machine doing after 2 years? Is it still as good?

[@josephgregory5567]

Back in the early 60's my brother and I received a Mattel Vacuum Form for Christmas. It worked the same way but was limited in size to only about 4 inches square. We made hundreds of copies of toy soldiers with our "Vacuum Form". Latter in life I went looking for that machine in the basement of my parents house, I found it sitting on a shelf, and to my surprise it still worked. I used it to make clear canopies for balsa wood R/C airplanes. Loved that machine!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That is too cool I love the fact that it still works today. Did it have an integrated vacuum also?

[@josephgregory5567]

@@ChadsCustomCreations Yes it did have an integrated vacuum. You would place the plastic sheet which had perforations around the perimeter into a frame that was hinged on one side. The Frame with the plastic installed would be suspended above a "Hot Plate" to heat up the plastic. Once the plastic began to droop from the heating process, you would take the frame, which as I mentioned was hinged on one side, and flip it over onto your item you were making a mold of. Immediately you would begin to press repeatedly a lever which was a manual vacuum pump to evacuate the air causing the plastic to conform to the mold. In my case a toy soldier or mold of a R/C canopy. Not to many toys that you received as a kid you still find uses for as an adult. Thanks again for the Great Video!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@josephgregory5567 that’s incredible I’ve gotta search eBay and see if I can find one for my kids!

[@josephgregory5567]

@@ChadsCustomCreations Just for fun I went looking to see if anyone had made a video of the Mattel Vacuum Form and came across this short video. Enjoy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXKzaYWDib91qpY

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@josephgregory5567 oh wow what a great design for that machine! Thank you for sharing that.

[@classicmetaldude]

The cup lids are done in a steady sheet of plastic that has rows of the Lids formed into it in an oven area, then fed into a huge die cutter that's basically a punch press with a cycle that feeds the sheet through it . The oven forms like, 6 wide, by around 20 deep, each time it forms a set, on a continuously fed sheet. The cool thing is that there is like NO scrap...anything that's deformed is ground down and placed back at the front of all the machines where its melted back down and sent right back through...pretty cool process!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Super cool, the development of factory machines is so fascinating to me. I used to love watching that tv show how it’s made!

[@classicmetaldude]

@@ChadsCustomCreations Me too!

[@rcdogmanduh4440]

Sweetheart Plastic's Wilmington Ma.

[@notebookluvr]

I made my own vacuum forming machine after reading a tutorial I purchased from an Etsy shop in the beginning of 2013 about how to vacuum form. I had found various handmade vacuum box models available at that time, starting around $100, but that was not in my budget, as a single mom. So I figured out a way to make my own. It ended up costing roughly a fourth of that. I opened my Etsy shop in 2014 and I have been selling molds ever since. I use 1/16 thick ldpe, but I have been wanting to use other materials. The plastic you're using looks like it will be perfect for what I want to make, but I have never worked with it, so it will definitely be a new learning experience for me. I will need to figure out the correct temperature to heat it, what it will look like when it is ready, and all the steps required to get it to mold correctly. I am trying My best to avoid watermarks. My setup is a large toaster oven, an aluminum frame I made from a window screen frame which I put the plastic inside and clamp to hold it while it heats up, and a vacuum hooked up to my handmade box. I also make handmade cards, so I would like to make domed shapes to create kind of a snowglobe card with a plastic window with confetti and other little things inside. They sell these plastic domes in different places and different shapes and sizes, but since I already have the machine and understanding and skills for the most part of vacuum forming, it would actually be a lit cheaper to buy the materials and make them myself. I'm considering letting my shop go. It's a lot of work, and I'm not the kind of person who thrives on that. Most of the molds I sell are used with epoxy, or other types of resin, to make jewelry and other things. Also, those wrinkles are called webbing, if I remember correctly. Thank you for sharing! It's been really helpful for me 💖

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s such a cool journey! Thank you for sharing this!

[@balover2010]

Holy cow, now I want to make my own! I just looked at prices online and they're way out of my budget. I appreciate you sharing this idea, I'm off to figure out how to make one!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@balover2010 definitely go check out punished props and iliketomakestuff i believe they both have tutorials on DIY machines.

[@bossdog1480]

Well done. 😁😁

[@DataJunkieTX]

What is the name of your shop?

[@CaptainOverLoad]

Can i just say how incredible it is that a LOT of these manufacturing machines used and new are making there way into OUR hands and not just corporations at reasonable prices. Letting us start our on side hustles and create passion projects?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I second all of that! It’s a great time to be alive.

[@SPENJERE]

Great review. I built a vacuum forming box a couple years ago. It's 22"x 17", the frame that holds the plastic sheet (fits exactly in an oven) is the same dimensions. I use it to make car headlamp lenses, love the results.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Oh that’s awesome so cool to hear all the different applications

[@EdwinKG]

Hi @SPENJERE, am really interested to get tips on how you make car headlamps (especially creating of headlamp moulds). It will really help me and my family to get off the ground. Am so glad I found this channel. Thank you @Chads Customs Creations for this platform. May God Bless You.

[@Darth_Chicken]

I used to use a larger one of those 35 years ago in a professinal model shop producing consumer goods prototypes. We would make patterns from jelutong wood (cheap and very easy to cut and carve) and to get the plastic to pull into crevices etc we drilled small vent holes using piano wire with the end ground to make a flat spade end. You could even get it to drill holes in an arc and we often drilled them up to a foot long or more. We also put channels on the underside of the pattern to ensure all the holes got vacuum into them. For more durable patterns we would make wood ones and use the formings to cast tooling resin into (also needed vacuum holes drilling and where piano wire really shines). Your vent holes in the box are waaaay bigger than you need, 1mm holes are fine. The amount you can pull into a hole depends both on depth and the amount of taper on the sides verses the thickness of the plastic. You can look at using much thicker plastic and materials such as ABS but you need to pre-dry some types or they will produce bubbles in the plastic when the water in it boils. I used to stick the sheet under the heaters on low heat for about an hour or so for 3mm ABS sheet. Polycarbonate sheet can make VERY tough items but needs even more drying. Have fun with the machine! Steve in UK.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

This is some great info and love the fact that you used piano strings to drill holes that’s brilliant. Thank you Steve!

[@Darth_Chicken]

@@ChadsCustomCreations I don't know what guage they were, pretty thick, but much cheaper than breaking lots of 1mm drills!

[@douglasfuqua7082]

​@@Darth_Chicken That's 19 guage... Info: Gauge No Inch Metric 17 0.056" 1.4mm 18 0.048" 1.2mm 19 0.040" 1.0mm 20 0.036" 0.9mm

[@davidarnds3831]

Mattel Vac-u-form Maker Sets were the thing when I was a kid. This brings back that period Thank You for the video.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

We didn’t have cool toys like that in the 90s

[@GunnerAl9]

The sign could have had LED lights placed behind it to light up the letter. Use lighter coats of red to build until it's just barely covered and the lights will make them glow. Great video. On the 3" box, what about increasing the heat a little to allow the mold to completely form on the corners?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea and yes more heat does allow for more detail but also if you go too far like I did that first time with the knives it will create random folds also.

[@dwintster]

@Chads Custom Creations drill holes in the corners helps. I'm genuinely impressed. Holes, 3 degree draft angles and radius on parts are your friends when designing for vacuuming forming.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@dwintster awesome thank you for the tips.

[@dwintster]

@@ChadsCustomCreations you’re welcome, thank you for the inspiration. Time to put my industrial design education to use on small production runs for my own business.

[@EngineHeadCW]

Try doubling up on your wood stencil, then temporarily sticking them together making sure you line everything up, then vacuum form that whole thing. Pull out the plastic (leaving in one sheet, don't cut apart), then split the two wood forms apart. Your double-height vacuum formed plastic will now stick through one wood form at double-thickness IN ONE SHEET. Easy-peasy.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Yes this is definitely the way!

[@timapple9580]

Ok now I want a 3d printer and a Vacuum Former - the possibilities are almost endless, never be bored

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Haha sorry but your exactly right. 3D printer and vacuum former is a match made in heaven.

[@glennedward2201]

They ate super easy to build. In a setup like that you need the heaters built in the top soon as it sags pull it down. Others I know heat the sheets in an oven which adds some complexity moving it to a vacuum table. If you don’t care about the fancy enclosure really very easy to build.

[@LohagoenmiGarage]

I can see this machine can be used in order to create models in order to restore car batches, logos, stop or other fender lights for classic cars because some cars are now impossible or difficult to find spares, very nice video Chad! I'll consider this in order to create stuff inside my garage ;)

[@davejsullivan]

Have you discussed how your business took off? That would be interesting.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s a great idea David, I would definitely love to share that if there were interest in it.

[@davejsullivan]

@@ChadsCustomCreations There is a lot of interest. I've watched many popular videos about it. I've had a local woodworking business for years and am looking to go more online, so I'm a sponge right now.

[@SuperSeaguard]

@@ChadsCustomCreations I am interested

[@joshuawray7968]

Definitely interested

[@aadilkader]

Interested

[@StygianBlood]

something my shop teacher would have us do for the tight spots with depth issues like you had with the "R" is while its still being vacuumed use a torch or a heat gun to reheat the plastic to get sharper corners and full depth vacuuming

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

What a great idea and I am super jealous as I never got the opportunity to have a shop class like yours!

[@rDunfee]

Lasering lends itself really well to vac forming because your cuts kinda have a draft angle built in, even if it's a really shallow angle from the shape of the laser kerf. Amazing work!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Oh yes you are totally right! I bet I could increase that angle with a shorter focal length lens also. Great point thanks for adding that to the comments.

[@CSmr-cc7ge]

In Mould building with solids, 8% angles are the minimum, but since this seems a little flexible a smaller angle might be fine

[@TrevorStruthers]

I have worked at a vacuum formed plastic factory. We made mostly fruit baskets that hold like a quart of blueberries or strawberries. We also made apple trays. It was a super boring job. This looks much more fun.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I bet that did get boring but I bet those machines were amazing.

[@TrevorStruthers]

@@ChadsCustomCreations yeah. They were much bigger than this. Lol. The rolls of plastic used for each machine had to be moved with forklifts.

[@PedroMachado]

Don't close your google or etsy, instead, hire people to do the repetitive mechanic work for you, or hire someone to talk with clients, delegate, elevate your prices, but never refuse clients

[@alienychris511]

this

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Mo money mo problems

[@stevrgrs]

AI assistants :)

[@matiastripaldi406]

If you used some translucent paint for the plastic, you could also add some LED backlighting to highlight the vacuum formed letters/symbols!

[@Anthony-uz5tj]

whats neat about these is you can use it to make a mold out of anything and then use that mold to pour your own plastic or epoxy and make all kinds of things

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Definitely love the mold making capabilities.

[@aggonzalezdc]

Tall items will have issues with webbing forming at the corners, like they did on your tall box you tested. Make a frame that countours to the edges of what your pulling. Put it down over the plastic as youre pulling vacuum. That helps pull all the plastic flat. I'm told a bit more heat to make it stretch around those corners helps too, but that also takes more skill because pulling holes and tears is definitely a thing.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea, yes I thought I saw someone using that technique I’ll have to give that a try.

[@NutjobGTO]

@@ChadsCustomCreations A while back I was looking into making RC car bodies, and there was someone posting videos of a fully automated vacuforming system, cranking out hundreds of copies of car shells. Part of setting up for a run was adding cleats, like 1x1x5 blocks, around your buck, at a right angle to where those webs are forming, to tension the plastic as it's being drawn down. Setting it up is a little bit voodoo, but if you're planning to crank stuff out in big batches, it seems easier than trying to juggle in an extra frame while you're dropping down the sheet.

[@jPup_]

Love the enthusiasm and possibilities of this for a small business. Only thing I’d say is to see if there’s a compatible bioplastic available or one that’s specifically compostable/recyclable/already post-consumer plastic based. If not, I would limit this to products that require or are greatly enhanced by it rather than just packaging anything or everything in plastic. Not trying to be a buzzkill, it’s a very cool machine, just important to remember many plastics are practically immortal and usually single use. Either way, enjoy and keep making cool stuff 🙏

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thank you for the kind words. I definitely relate to what you are saying. Thankfully this plastic is recyclable I meant to mention that detail in the video but it didn’t make the cut.

[@Liens-den]

Hey brother I am extremely inspired by you and your videos, and I think because of you I am thinking in getting into laser cutting, I purchased a Glowforge and I worked with it for a while, and today I will be receiving a delivery of the omtech 60 watt, but my biggest hurdle is how to obtain clients and projects, and I am willing to do anything, if you don’t mind mentoring someone who is very passionate about his family, that will be amazing. Thank you so much for your time.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I have plans to talk more about my business in future videos

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

(UPDATE 1-16-23) units are back in stock and available limited quantity Amazon Links (US residents only) Machine I am using - amzn.to/3GF2XlJ 46 Sheets - amzn.to/3i7Xmdl 73 Sheets - amzn.to/3tUcAFu Smaller Machine - amzn.to/3i7vzcO 50 Sheets - amzn.to/3V2dSdg 77 Sheets - amzn.to/3U1v7dJ Information and the placing orders for non US customers www.vacucu3d.com Or email [e-mail]

[@polakis1975]

Products in links you posted are unavailable

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@polakis1975 which country are you in they might only be available in certain countries. If you’re really interested I can get you in contact with the owners and see if they would be able to get you a machine.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Owner of company said 2.5mm

[@kafilkavich707]

@@ChadsCustomCreations I'm in the united states and it's still showing unavailable and they don't know when it will be back in stock! I am really considering getting this machine as I have some great ideas on stuff I want to make!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@kafilkavich707 let me reach out to the owner and find out when more will be available

[@russfunk7615]

As a maker of all kinds of stuff. I try to use average everyday items that the average person tends to overlook. For example, on a pop bottle, there is a tamper ring attached to the cap. Once the cap is removed, the ring is left on the bottle. The ring on some bottles unfold to what looks mechanical like part of a jet or rocket engine. Some parts I use are vacuum formed packing from batteries or some toy. Finding the right shape is not always easy. Forming cogs or sprockets, gears or chains.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s the best kind of maker I really appreciate you upcycling to create!

[@ryanschultz6633]

You could make 100% epoxy signs using the mold of a previously made sign. So for example, the Atari sign you just made. You could make the mold of the completed sign, use red epoxy to fill the letters. After it's cured, use the white epoxy to then fill the rest. Making several at a time, it's pretty cost effective and time saving. Sure, you have time in curing but just like the laser and/or cnc.....it opens up time to do other things while it does the rest. Just an idea, it's what I do.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Amazing idea!!!

[@MadsterV]

@@ChadsCustomCreations or you could make two molds, use one for white epoxy and another one where you cut out the letters to use as a painting mask so you can do it quickly and precisely.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@MadsterV great idea!

[@RomboutVersluijs]

Actually I'd that wooden box had an incline Ned angle. You would hardly get it out. Since the plastic would get sucked in on the inside as well. That's means it would block you from being able to pull it out @6:18

[@RomboutVersluijs]

Just like what you did with the kids cups, that was inward and you could not get it out

[@urbangirlresin]

Just ran across your video and so glad I did very informative and interesting thank you for sharing. I would love to see how well these would work with resin/clay, silicone etc. I've been looking for cheaper alternatives to make more of my own custom design molds for my business. Looking forward to an update on your progress.😊 I'm also curious to know if you're able to reheat and vacuum the plastic again and how many items you can fit on one sheet. Granted I know that number would vary based on the side of the objects being vacuumed.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thank you for watching I would be curious to see all that also!

[@heli-man-]

The way the Atari sign was made would be a good way of making personalised led signs you have pretty much everything you need just led strip and plug in supply.👍

[@dwwoodbuilds]

Nice video Chad! Again, you are clear, concise and focused. Great demonstrations of the product and different types of projects (the Atari sign is very cool!). So many possibilities with this type of machine, esp if one has a 3D printer (your use of the laser is a great example also, can see how a cnc router would also be very useful to make forms). Great job! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us! (also, please give up on your dream of being a picture hanger.. 😉😁)

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

David thank you so much for the encouragement. Yes I really love how well all the digital fab machines compliment the vacuum forming process. For real that poor sign couldn’t hang for more than 20 seconds lol

[@3DSage]

I 3d printed my own vacuum form! It's a lot of fun and I enjoyed your video!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s a perfect pairing! Thank you for watching.

[@mysaorsa]

Chad! I just stumbled across this video just now. It is spectacular. It was awesome to see you thinking through the business and process generation implications of acquiring this new "Toy". Very inspiring for the average hobbyist to find a way to turn passion into a small business!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JoseHernandez-kf2vu]

What about using it for tool box organizing. Setting up the tools you want in certain drawers and making customized tray inserts for your drawers them.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Absolutely, and with the clear plastics how cool would it be to back light those drawers like the briefcase from pulp fiction 🤔

[@bobschaffer5092]

I have a 3D software by Xara, and doing people's names in 3D is really cool, especially in a script font. Just wondering how you could incorporate a person's name into something like a poster, special card, or whatever else you could think of. I also have created over 6,000 unique graphic designs that possibly could be used in some way. Really enjoyed your video.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea!

[@pierdocks5412]

So pleasant to find you! Great info tech.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Glad you made it here! Hope you stick around.

[@pizzaman5169]

Now, don't go getting all big & bad over this. THIS... , is nothing new. In college, we built a rather large version & we could vacuum form a lot more than little bowls & watches and we used it to blow mold plastics Plexiglass, Uvex & PVC. Back then, the craze for conversion vans, all fixed up, was beginning & we made a lot of blowmolded roofs & windows. It took the auto industry about 15 years to catch up. We were doing vacuum forming & blow molding in 1970, so it's been a while. I made several light projects while in that class using both blow molding & vacuum forming. We could heat & use plastics up to 4 feet by 4 feet. We could make lenses in vary sizes for lighting effects. The Vac-u-form, was a toy invented by Eddy Goldfarb and released by Mattel in the 1960s around 1961 with the trademark filed on October 8, 1962. Based on the industrial process of vacuum forming, a rectangular piece of plastic was clamped in a holder and heated over a metal plate. So, it;s nothing new.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I am for sure late to the game on this process but I definitely can’t help but be inspired by it. I bet I could learn lots from someone like you with lots of experience with it. I hope you follow along and offer me guidance as I implement in more in the future.

[@JohnHansknecht]

If things get too busy in a business, you can raise prices to slow things down if you need a break. Finding the right balance is key. Now, back to watching this video and hope I don't get hooked into a new hobby.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Yes you are absolutely right and I have had good success with that in the past, it worked out to half the amount of jobs for the same amount of pay. I’ve recently landed some big clients that are recurring and prices don’t really seem to matter to them. With them alone my business stays busy enough I don’t have to take on singular clients at the moment, but any of that could change at the drop of the hat. Thank you for watching.

[@UncleJessy]

Fantastic video! I was just looking at getting my vacuum firmer up and running! Lots to learn

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thanks so much, big fan of your channel and what you’re doing over there. Can’t wait to see what you can do with yours.

[@ackackBarf]

Take a look at the Sabula Tech channel, has good range of related videos. Probably better than most any other source. Mainly focused on making rc bodies but the concepts are the same for about everything.

[@fredthegreg]

Put some LED's behind your atari sign and you just made a cool custom lighted sign! Would be awesome in a man cave, game room, college dorm. Endless possibilities

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Absolutely I definitely need to add the lights.

[@TheGrantAlexander]

A vacuum former was always on my list as a kid. I used to race r/c cars and the bodies are made via vaccuum forming (like the clip you showed)

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

It’s pretty incredible, I’ve got plans for it in future projects for sure.

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

I love seeing your enthusiasm over essentially the same machine as the Vac-U-Form I got for Christmas in the 1960s. 😂😂😂

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I just bought one off of eBay can’t wait to try it out

[@fcab123]

Vacuum forming is probably one of the most versatile and cost-effective processes!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

It’s pretty cool I love how well it pairs with 3D printing

[@Kirky64]

With that Atari sign, you could put a light behind it so the letters glow red but the opaque white wont let any light in so you could have a cool night light.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea I think that would look awesome.

[@SantaDragon]

6:15 Of cource, you can use it as wooden vase for plants.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea!

[@RomboutVersluijs]

Is Clos Ng done temporarily a good idea actually. Why not make a waiting list. Now you loose customers 100%, with a waiting list you probably get much lower percentage since folks a willing to wait

[@zzzingrol]

Mass produced drink lids and containers are made on continous thermoforming machines where the plastic is unrolled rather than in sheet form.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Interesting

[@antonioesquivel3709]

Best thing for a small business owner. May God keep blessing you man can't wait to get there. 🙌🏼

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thank you! Praying the same for you!

[@UltimatePerfection]

Vacuum former is a good way to quickly make packaging that fits your product. Or a mold to cast more artsy stuff into, like sculptures.

[@madmachanicest9955]

there are some parks that are hard to make with a 3d printer or print layers or printing directions. things like pins or hinges. You could use the vacuum former to shape and cast this parts.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea!

[@paolabueso]

Thank you for sharing examples of things that you and others are doing with this sort of machine. It’s very inspiring!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thank you for watching I am still incredibly new to vacuum forming and look forward to learning and seeing more of how people are using them.

[@anthonyclark2873]

You are a pro. The packaging will BE Professional.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Anthony thanks so much!

[@katiejo1095]

You are so funny! I had a vacuform machine in the 60s. I made little boats, flowers, and bug creatures.

[@coolzerow]

That’s why I enjoy a cnc you can create inlays for push throughs.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea!

[@richvideo01]

I use to create custom fit sports mouthguards with a vacuum forming machine back in the day.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

So cool

[@vetetocm]

Resin molds would be cool. But that thing is pricey. Is ihe plastic food safe?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Resin molds would be cool! Yes PETG is food safe.

[@vetetocm]

@@ChadsCustomCreations awesome. I work with UV resin.

[@rcdogmanduh4440]

My first vacuum form machine was in 1967, Mattel Work Shop!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thanks to all of you mentioning the Mattel I was actually able to track one of these down and purchase one. If you think people would be interested I’d love to do a video on it, I am sure it would trigger some great nostalgic memories.

[@thenerv37]

Yes, they use blanking dies to trim the extra material

[@JDAfrica]

The lid for boxes - would be cool to have a brand or message due 3D printed into it. Easy to do I reckon

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Great idea I could also have engraved the bottom of the box with the laser to achieve that also.

[@codyscoggins3489]

I wonder if this could be used to make negative molds for custom tool storage?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Definitely!

[@nomadautodidact]

You had my curiosity, now you have my attention.

[@noisysparrow17]

nice bro .i was wondering if you could make a half ball with is balace from all sides and the make a mold and fill it with water if it can be magnifying glass..

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Probably so

[@TradeGod]

Possiblites to be so creative 🔥🔥🔥 amazing video maybe pne the best youtube videos i ever seen

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That is too kind of you to say thank you so much 😊

[@psfilmsbob]

I feel like I'd want to use it to make really cool custom slipcovers for Blu-rays. Do they have a version of the plastic that you can print onto first with any sort of quality?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s a great idea!

[@brianwynn10]

I love machine like this,I always wanted to be a inventor growing up in a poor neighborhood I didn’t have a lot so I made a lot of kool things and my friends would come and play,I don’t think I have the time to learn how to work these machines but ima really thinking about getting a 3D printer

[@DavidRLentz-b7i]

Overall, very interesting, both the vacu-forming and all your other efforts (I cannot name them accurately). You also have a pleasant, engaging manner that helps in the business world. The trash bag thing at 1:57, no; that never would have occurred to me. My nerdness lies elsewhere. (Never mind.) I like to build, super-detail, accurise, correct, improve, modify, etc., polystyrene model kits, and to design and construct dioramas that display them in dramatic settings. (This entails several long stories, which must wait for another day.) One depicts two private passenger cars involved in a vehicular collision at an intersection, with serious structural deformation to one of the quarter panels, the hood, and possibly one of the front doors (each automobile would have a different quarter panel and door), which I infer would be a vacu-form project, to replicate the car body in a far thinner plastic that; upon cooling, one would press out of shape the portion involved, to manifest the “damage”. This may have complications, however, as the heat and the pressure may warp, deform, or possibly even melt the vehicle’s body, which I naturally would need to retain intact for assembling that portion of the kit undamaged. Perhaps casting a mold of the sedan’s and the coupe’s bodies in some sort of clay (or similar) that upon drying to hardness could serve in their place. I would use only the portion of the vacu-formed copy receiving damage for the diorama, leaving the remainder for another project that dramatises crumpling of the rear end. This diorama also would include two Ford pickup truck wreckers, two police cruisers, two ambulances, pædestrians and bystanders, etc., all attending to the crash; numerous other vehicles in the stalled traffic-one oddly familiar to you, with “Chads Custom Creations” on the side (as I never have seen it, you would have to build one); round 40 scale metres of streetscape as background, amongst numerous other details.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Wow sounds like you have an incredible eye for detail I would love to see all of this!

[@alexanderkutschera149]

Pretty sure you got a vacu-form because it was free. I’ve been to tons of shops with vacu-forms mostly they’re sitting in a corner collecting dust. The ones that get the most use are in shops that are specialized in working with plastic and acrylic. Set is time consuming. That’s why most of it’s applications are industrial. You can do most of the stuff you did with a blow dryer a shop vac and a piece of plywood drilled out with small holes and of course some practical ability.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Sure.

[@feltron]

I think the wood grain in the atari logo is a nice nod to the atari consoles since they had wood grain.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

You are absolutely right, heck I should have owned that when it happened 🤣

[@zachychann3222]

I’ve been wanting to get one of these to make custom headlights and different parts

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That would be epic!

[@frankiepezzolla]

Bro make a ceramic tile form from a Hexagon tile, they are a fortune and if people have a mold to make their own, it would be awesome. Even a mold for brick veneer, use the mold to pour concrete or dyed concrete to make their own tile and brick veneer

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Brilliant!!!

[@svsv9]

I need to get something like this to make some object replicas, Can I use this to make the "molding Master" where I will pour some cement acrylic?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s a great idea!

[@svsv9]

@@ChadsCustomCreations it's possible?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@svsv9 I believe so, if it does have trouble getting stuck in the mold you can also use a spray called mold release to help remove it.

[@svsv9]

@@ChadsCustomCreations Thanks

[@douglasfuqua7082]

That ATARI piece would be GREAT backlit by a rotating (red-green-blue ??) color wheel behind the logo, shining through opaque white vacuformed plastic characters. I dunno...giving it motion & character...as a wall dec or conversation piece...maybe as a WALL lamp, with the the lamp part shining UPWARD against the wall (like a "crown"), while the ATARI logo part changes colors, with the wheel, below. All kinds of possibilities. (Sorry for being 3 months late on this one...just found your channel). Enjoyed watching.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That’s a brilliant idea! No worries on being 3 months late thanks for joining the conversation.

[@douglasfuqua7082]

@@ChadsCustomCreations Yeah, I read many comments below about using LEDs, and though "motion" is possible/feasible with them, it would require a small circuit board, components ($$$), many wires or traces (more $$$), programming/testing etc., a low-wattage bulb behind the color wheel, and a brighter (variable?) bulb to splay light up the wall, is a LOT simpler and LOW tech/low cost design solution (my opinion)...and you can MAKE the color wheel and stick it on a cheap low-rpm motor. (This is the way "engineers" think). Thanks much for the very quick response. --- Doug (in Florida)

[@StEeF7-YT]

Please keep in mind that HDPE, LDPE, PET/PETE, PP, PC, Acrylic & Nylon are the only plastics that are safe to use for making food containers or molds of any kind.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Also add PETG these are the sheets that came with my machine.

[@thetruthexperiment]

Nope. No safety please. It’s basically an insult to anyone who does anything or has interests. If you would buy a machine like this you would know this.

[@alexkiteley2742]

why didnt you use the 10K laser cutter to just cut the acrylic for the lettering?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I wanted the look of the rounded edges and plastic sheen you get from vacuum forming.

[@IrwineDuncan]

Why not just vacuum form it upside-down, backwards, double height as a negative relief or knockout? If the negative is twice the height you do not have to do all the cutting? then spray it red? I am new to this stuff can someone explain? Most of the material is waisted anyway.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That would be a great way of doing it I think. I would love to see the results especially if it takes some steps out of the process.

[@southwestelectronics4902]

Best video on vacation forming !!!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Wow, thank you!

[@redbaron2448]

Do they make bigger ones, looking for 24"X24", and Amazon listing no longer there

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Not this particular company.

[@angellopezfuentes2092]

Donde se puede comprar soy de Barcelona me interesa hay posibilidades de adquirir alguna asi.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

See if you can still place an order from here www.vacucu3d.com/referral/chad20241101?ref=klkzwlad Or email [e-mail]

[@deaultusername]

I have one of those big lasers I really need to restore. The roof dumped a buch of water in the storage shed and the laser got corroded so its staring at me daily. Need money to get anywhere and its not exactly a great time for that to exist. The Vacuum former has always appealed to me, that big one with mold reinforcemnt or heavy plastic could do concrete forms. Vac a 2 part support shell for a silicone or alginate inner detail mold perhaps?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Those are great ideas with the concrete!

[@dogcreek-customs5168]

Have you tried 2 sheets at one time to give it a stiffer thicker mold?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I haven’t what a great idea!

[@peteryeoh6114]

Question: would it be possible to melt down the scraps, turn it into 3d printer filament and use it to make a new sheet for the machine ?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I believe this is possible with the right machine.

[@williamhavens4705]

Atari consoles were "wood" so having the grain in the lettering isn't that bad. Is there red plastic or plastic dye that would let you backlight that sign? I say there would be a decent market for neon like signs of all the console logos. Like PS has multi color or blue so separation can be easily done this way.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

You’re absolutely right, I guess we can call that a happy little accident. Yes there are different colors and dyes that can be used. Definitely a market I guess just gotta be careful with the copyright lawyers.

[@davidfranzkoch9789]

I like your curiosity! Cool how you just try out new things and instantly gain new ideas.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thank you David, I am glad that came across in the video, I really do love learning new skills like this especially when I get to ad it to my maker’s tool belt of tools.

[@misaelramirez550]

what about to make some two molds A and B from a 3 D part? Best regards!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Yes definitely!!!

[@daveyjones5702]

one of the things i would do is make inserts to organize the content of boxes. specifically for board games. with some of the thicker plastic you could make inserts for boxes to hold and protect delicate items for transport. display stands for... stuff you want to display. scale models, collectible items, etc. stands for hand tools, game controllers and other often used items. housings and coverings for hobby electronics projects. creating hollow bases upon which to build a diorama, so there's space to hide electronics, and things like those tunnel mountain things for model railroads. creating transparent parts for dioramas, like elaborate glass structures; greenhouses, geodesic domes etc. make the same shape twice. once out of opaque plastic and once out of transparent plastic. cut shapes out of the opaque one, stick that one on the inside of the transparent one and put a light behind it. sheets with 1" dimples in them to use as disposable paint pallets. sheets with indentations designed to hold small parts like screws and springs n stuff when taking apart a device. flat sheets with small dimples leaving thin raised edges between them. paint the edges on the front with flat black paint, and the dimples on the other side with translucent paints, to simulate stained glass. 'fencing' for projects involving the poring of transparent resin. containers for building a waterfall/pond diorama or home decoration.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Amazing thank you for this extensive list!

[@daveyjones5702]

@@ChadsCustomCreations lol one idea led to another and... i might end up buying one of these machines :P

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@daveyjones5702 if you do I would love to see all the things you’re able to come up with!

[@magfedacex]

Silly question here. If you had a nylon based object and incapsulated it in carbon fiber using your thermo vac. Would the strength of the object increase?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Yes

[@GiantNoise]

If anyone is interested, I have a MAYKU vacuum former that I’ve used 5 times and would love to sell…..just saying. Great video!

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Have you had any luck yet?

[@wavesofkatrina]

how thick of a sheet can you use? can you use plexiglass? 1/4) in. Clear Acrylic Sheet

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Says maximum thickness recommended is 1.5mm but also says up to 2mm with some materials. I would think 1/4" plexi glass would be too thick for this machine. 1/16th plexi it could probably do though.

[@He4vyD]

Why dont u use the acrylic cutouts to vacuform?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I needed to increase the thickness, the acrylic was only 1/4” the plywood was 3/4”

[@musonda.mlwelele5689]

Wow this is fantastic thanks more than the billions for this video🙌🏻🙏🏼👌🏼👍🏼👏you are great,greater and greatest 🇿🇲🤝🏼 continue with the same good job and videos.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Thank you so much 😀

[@const2499]

I clicked because of title and then the atari logo in it. Worked

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I do have to confess I knew that the Atari logo would definitely target my people 😉

[@BootlegHuman]

On the engraved pieces you should get some frosted plastic sheets and you can make some LED standees

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Oh that’s a great idea those would look amazing

[@BootlegHuman]

@@ChadsCustomCreations toyed with the idea myself but ive got no space for a vacuum former 😭

[@Spectre4490]

Maybe u can do a spherical mirrors with this plastic with silver paint in big ammount and then try to focus like 5-10 mirrors in one spot

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

That sounds like the beginnings of a death ray I love it!

[@roger40000]

amazing any idea where these can be purchased from amazon dont have them

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

www.amazon.com/VACUCU3D-A3-297mm%C3%97420mm-16-54x11-69in-Prototypes/dp/B08XWS914P?crid=2YB0VQ483H6U8&keywords=vacucu3d&qid=1669179329&sprefix=vacucu,aps,103&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.75663753-bdc2-4684-b908-24b2eaf37afa&linkCode=sl1&tag=chadddowdell-20&linkId=1cf1fe7d84b1f7cba6a9ee2700b1638c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

[@theboz1419]

I worked in Thermoforming for 20 years. I have used a similar vacuum former for prototyping. They can be a pain to work with

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

I bet you have so much experience and ideas on ways that vacuum forming can be used creatively.

[@jeffreyknee9789]

How much detail? I wonder if it could reproduce an old lithophane? They’re small and detailed.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

It sucked in the details of that wood grain so I image it properly could.

[@MrOner07]

awesome video boss... buy a pre colored red plastic for the atari logo... and put led strips behind it and light her up 🤩

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Yes, this is the way!

[@guyrobb2657]

I found your vacuum former video on KZbin. My dad used a vacuum former in his dental lab as part of making dentures

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Awesome! Yes my works with a dentist and they use a small one for making all kinds of dental related things.

[@patorilim266]

IDK? Inserts for tool boxes or lunch boxes. Car caddy/organizer for cleaning supplies.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Perfect ideas thank you.

[@mikintana]

Thank you so much for sharing this video, I've been searching for a better packaging solution for a long time now.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Happy to hear that!

[@robinhooper7702]

I am R&D-ing a new product I'd like to put to market. This Acucu-3D vacuum form machine would be ideal for a start up. But there's one question I have, to have my product work. I would need for the film material, and I had the subtitles turned on, PETG? is to have the film be able to have a water/air tight seal after the second layer of film is re-heated and again vacuum formed over the first/bottom film. Imagine making bubble wrap. Can this work with the Vacucu-3D machine?

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

Hmm I am not sure if I am understanding what you are asking but you can vacuum form with the protective plastic still on the PETG sheet, I tested it and it worked great just didn’t leave a as clear finish. Hardly noticeable though.

[@robinhooper7702]

@@ChadsCustomCreations Thanks for your reply Chad. Its basically two layers of PETG that would stick together. The first formed layer is formed much like the interior cavities of bubble wrap/packing material and the second layer sealing it all off. I looked up Vacucu-3D machine online and its not available, here in Canada and not available in the States either. Can you give me a source. Thanks.

[@ChadsCustomCreations]

@@robinhooper7702 I believe since this video has taken off on KZbin they don’t stay in stock for very long you can email [e-mail] and he can inform you of when the next delivery of units will make it to the states.