Making a vacuum forming table and casing for console systems!

By making a support for both case halves, then making screw posts inside system.

Will be finishing system soon, have a look at progress on BenHeck forum - last pages: http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?t=26417

 

That looks really good. Off to read some more on your site now.

 

Thanks! I am in the process at the moment of getting things installed into the system, the fun stage!

When the project is done, I will be uploading a better version on my website of the step-by-step guide I have been making on the BenHeck site; and offering my case kits for sale.

Will post here too when done.

 

That's a very heath robinson setup! Kudos on the ingenuity, though ;-)

Hmm, I'm a little surprised the oven works. You really need to keep that heating uniform. I guess as its fan assisted it should do. If you look at a pro vacuum former, you'll see the frame sits upright next to the heater which gives it that nice uniform heating.

As for the mould, I always used wood, MDF to be precise. You might try doing something similar. Basically, stick sheets of MDF together to the desired thickness, then cut and sand to shape. That'll last you ages ;-) And of course, you can have a nice base on it which assists with getting the thing out etc.

To everyone thinking about going out and making consoles with home vac forming gear - you WON'T get anything anywhere near the same. The material is smooth and making intricate shapes doesn't work (including screw holes). You really need to injection mould something like that, but that's expensive!

 

Well, the home oven with fan assist gives uniform heat on the plastic, must do, plastic sags symmetrically and vacuum seals uniformly.

Found making a mold with MDF to be hard work so stopped and used clay instead, results speak for themselves - excellent!

Of course injection molding is best, but a hobbyist doesn't have access to this without spending a lot of outlay; which is not realistic or practical. Making small runs making your own table and heating the plastic in a domestic oven is ideal for a hobbyist for low runs, and my process works.

 

Most certainly - I'm not knocking the method and it's an ingenious way of doing so on a budget. It just seems that people think they're going to produce top-notch replacement cases for consoles by vac-forming, which is far from the truth. You can't get those intricate little detailed parts, the mould has to be fairly simple.

That said, it produces some very useable results for things such as custom handhelds ;-)


MDF mould making is simple - especially if you can get access to a band saw for a few minutes. That's not necessary, though - a good vice and a coping saw would work for the rounded bits. You could even use a jigsaw if you're careful.