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Posted: 3/11/2011 7:03:24 PM EDT
You Folks may remember me kicking around the idea of building one of these machines.....not this style in particular.....but you get the idea of what it could do.
I'm going ahead on building one....for making custom gun case inserts......but there has to be a ton of uses for them. vacuum forming You could easily make storage bins.....gear cases.....grain mill hoppers......hood scoops......the possibilities are endless..... Give me some survival related ideas..... 
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Posted: 3/11/2011 8:47:27 PM EDT
[#1]
To tell you the truth: I've been thinking of a rooftop camper for a Suburban.
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Posted: 3/11/2011 8:48:34 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
To tell you the truth: I've been thinking of a rooftop camper for a Suburban. I'm not building one quite that big..... 
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Posted: 3/11/2011 8:48:47 PM EDT
[#3]
dbltp
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Posted: 3/11/2011 8:55:43 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted: Quoted: To tell you the truth: I've been thinking of a rooftop camper for a Suburban. I'm not building one quite that big..... Well we might work out a front faring. If I do it with sheet aluminum and a rivet gun, then it is very likely to appear as if somebody had dun got hisself a DC3 for his car. |
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Posted: 3/12/2011 6:42:24 PM EDT
[#5]
I have no experience or input but do recall seeing a lot of videos on youtube for this.
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Posted: 3/12/2011 7:33:42 PM EDT
[#6]
i cant think of anything but a custom fleshlight.
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Posted: 3/12/2011 7:34:08 PM EDT
[#7]
I did some inventory of my materials....I have just about everything to build it...aluminum for table top....frame material......vacuum tank....vacuum pump.....heater elements.....I just thought that you guys would have more ideas.....
The plate I asked for ideas about is just about full....probably will burn by the end of the month. |
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Posted: 3/12/2011 7:39:43 PM EDT
[#8]
if it helps....the table will be 2'-0" x 5'-0"......big enough for Pelicans 1750 to fit on comfortably......large rifle case.
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Posted: 3/12/2011 8:24:48 PM EDT
[#9]
plastic/stackable "case" for mason jars
separate the mason jars enough so that they dont touch, and pull a sheet into them, and make a "form fit" tub. wont fall apart when wet, easily nested storage without the jars, and should be easily stackable when they are full. If you got real crazy you could add foam or padding to the outside and have some rugged storage containers If nothin else, you could just make a "separator" that sits in the bottom of the current cardboard boxes, so that if it does get we, it doesnt totally collapse I would buy them |
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Posted: 3/12/2011 8:32:51 PM EDT
[#10]
Looks like a straight forward design...
Much smaller product than what you're talking abt but how about small battery holders? |
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Posted: 3/12/2011 8:33:53 PM EDT
[#11]
battery trays, single layer that fits perfectly inside a 30 call can, or 2 rows that lay flat in a fifty cal can. I store batts in ammo cans and if they were in fitted trays I could date them, and take them out a tray at a time, vice bust a big pack open and just dump them in the can (hard to track)
If you could divide a 5 gallon can into three sections, make three "tubes" that will fit in a bucket then you could fill each with separate items, and actully remove one of the sections without the itmes getting mixed up. Think mixed popcorn bucket, but with removable "pie slice" cylinders, store seperate types of grains and just pull out a cylinder to portion servings I would love to try this |
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Posted: 3/12/2011 8:34:23 PM EDT
[#12]
Quoted: I like the way you thinkLooks like a straight forward design... Much smaller product than what you're talking abt but how about small battery holders? |
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Posted: 3/13/2011 5:20:14 AM EDT
[#13]
That's more like it.....I never thought about the mason jar separators...my wife would dig that.....and the batt tray.....cool....
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Posted: 3/13/2011 5:51:28 AM EDT
[#14]
Sounds like you're looking for problems for your solution. If you're buying it for fun, that's good. If not, you might want to reconsider.
Do you have the equipment to build molds? What materials will you use to build them? I'm not sure about the tonnage of that machine (maybe it says, but I didn't see it) but can you build the tooling yourself that will hold up the pressures? How many of each part are you going to potentially make? Are buying pre-formed sheets of material or do you have the ability to extrude your own custom stuff? How familiar with the materials are you, as far as what will work for strength, heat or chemical resistance, flexibility of the product, etc. Anyway, I have two ideas I'll IM you. If it works out, I want one. :) |
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Posted: 3/13/2011 5:57:02 AM EDT
[#15]
Actually, two IMs. I just thought of something else.
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Posted: 3/13/2011 7:52:19 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Sounds like you're looking for problems for your solution. If you're buying it for fun, that's good. If not, you might want to reconsider.I'm building it....mostly for doing custom gun case inserts....but it can be used for so much more....I built one that will do 2ft x 2ft x .95 PVC Do you have the equipment to build molds? What materials will you use to build them? I'm not sure about the tonnage of that machine (maybe it says, but I didn't see it) but can you build the tooling yourself that will hold up the pressures? How many of each part are you going to potentially make?the mold are simple....we were making remote control car bodies and door panel speaker adapter plates.....the force on to the mold is only as great as the vacuum pump can generate....which really doesn't need that much...the biggest worry is heat....the plastic is hot when it hits the mold.....the gun molds that I would make....would be made from 1:1 ratio air softs....or the real thing...when making molds....you start out with thin plastic....much like a pop bottle....then remove piece from plastic....fill with plaster....and fill voids with modelers putty......you can lay the molds out in any configuration you want....2 pistols and a rifle....a rifle and a shotgun....etc.... Are buying pre-formed sheets of material or do you have the ability to extrude your own custom stuff? I would buy the sheets in which ever size I needed for the job.....colors are un-limited How familiar with the materials are you, as far as what will work for strength, heat or chemical resistance, flexibility of the product, etc. I'm fairly familiar with a lot of the plastics that are capable of being "thermo-formed"....and the specs don't change until you go critical on the temperature....but by that time you have already flubbed the job.....ask me how I know.
Anyway, I have two ideas I'll IM you. If it works out, I want one. :) Got your IMs....thanks....the machine I'm building will probably be able to do at least 3/16" plastic.....I'll have to check how much heat I'm generating evenly....to see if it will be capable of 1/4". When doing this....you have to watch for "webbing" and "thinning". I was thinking that I could form a funnel system for filling mylars......you could even make custom shapes for bagging....that would stack easy and securely....like legos...just bigger. The specs for each plastic is on most the suppliers web sites.....and until you get into some of your "brand" names like Kydex......the cost is the least of it. BTW....most of our molds were made from Styrofoam and Bondo......or a mix of other pieces.......for small stuff....wood and generic legos......then playdough.....as long as you get a basic shape....pull plastic over it.....then you can then form plaster....then carve....I like sculpting....
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Posted: 3/13/2011 8:47:12 PM EDT
[#17]
The mason jar holder is a pretty neat idea, as is the bucket divider thing. That said, maybe another version of an ammo can organizer. Instead of the kind that nestle on top of one another, use the bucket divider concept previously noted and make say 2-3 inserts that you can put side by side in your cans. Some people store their ammo loose in cans and maybe some sort of divider would allow them to store more than one type of cartridge.
What about creating some type of mold for casting say 3 dimensional molds of maybe torso and head combos that you can use for pouring ballistic gelatin or other media into? I've never worked with pouring ballistic gelatin and such, but often see episodes of Mythbusters and the like where they pour molds for 3D targets and such. |
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Posted: 3/14/2011 2:49:38 AM EDT
[#18]
Quoted:
The mason jar holder is a pretty neat idea, as is the bucket divider thing. That said, maybe another version of an ammo can organizer. Instead of the kind that nestle on top of one another, use the bucket divider concept previously noted and make say 2-3 inserts that you can put side by side in your cans. Some people store their ammo loose in cans and maybe some sort of divider would allow them to store more than one type of cartridge. What about creating some type of mold for casting say 3 dimensional molds of maybe torso and head combos that you can use for pouring ballistic gelatin or other media into? I've never worked with pouring ballistic gelatin and such, but often see episodes of Mythbusters and the like where they pour molds for 3D targets and such. it's what they used to make their molds......easy to make the molds.....the gel is expensive though.... I've cast a shoulders up mold from plaster before.... 3D targets would be easy.... |
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Posted: 3/14/2011 7:09:45 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The mason jar holder is a pretty neat idea, as is the bucket divider thing. That said, maybe another version of an ammo can organizer. Instead of the kind that nestle on top of one another, use the bucket divider concept previously noted and make say 2-3 inserts that you can put side by side in your cans. Some people store their ammo loose in cans and maybe some sort of divider would allow them to store more than one type of cartridge. What about creating some type of mold for casting say 3 dimensional molds of maybe torso and head combos that you can use for pouring ballistic gelatin or other media into? I've never worked with pouring ballistic gelatin and such, but often see episodes of Mythbusters and the like where they pour molds for 3D targets and such. it's what they used to make their molds......easy to make the molds.....the gel is expensive though.... I've cast a shoulders up mold from plaster before.... 3D targets would be easy.... Depending on how big you'd want to go, you could make 3D targets of torso's, head's, etc. for shooting/training classes...shoot...no shoot, that type of thing. Make a few in different colors, shapes, sizes and what not for target ID training. Other 3D targets could be of the hunting variety...squirrels, rabbits, etc. You might also be able to make custom molds to act as drawer or shelf inserts to hold or organize items/gear in a manner that you like. Perhaps a custom made drawer or basket insert of sorts for the everyday carry items that you take with you. |
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Posted: 3/14/2011 9:27:33 PM EDT
[#20]
Totes... A friend of mine works for a plastics company that does custom forming, They make a crap ton of 5 gallon size rectangle bins for butchers and such to throw the waste parts into. He hooked us up with some, we used em for cleaning fish, a 5 gallon bucket for bones etc. and the bins filled with some cold water for the meat. I also have a really good idea... But I'm not posting it here. I'll PM ya and see what you think. Might be quite marketable.
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Posted: 3/15/2011 2:44:48 AM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The mason jar holder is a pretty neat idea, as is the bucket divider thing. That said, maybe another version of an ammo can organizer. Instead of the kind that nestle on top of one another, use the bucket divider concept previously noted and make say 2-3 inserts that you can put side by side in your cans. Some people store their ammo loose in cans and maybe some sort of divider would allow them to store more than one type of cartridge. What about creating some type of mold for casting say 3 dimensional molds of maybe torso and head combos that you can use for pouring ballistic gelatin or other media into? I've never worked with pouring ballistic gelatin and such, but often see episodes of Mythbusters and the like where they pour molds for 3D targets and such. it's what they used to make their molds......easy to make the molds.....the gel is expensive though.... I've cast a shoulders up mold from plaster before.... 3D targets would be easy.... Depending on how big you'd want to go, you could make 3D targets of torso's, head's, etc. for shooting/training classes...shoot...no shoot, that type of thing. Make a few in different colors, shapes, sizes and what not for target ID training. Other 3D targets could be of the hunting variety...squirrels, rabbits, etc. You might also be able to make custom molds to act as drawer or shelf inserts to hold or organize items/gear in a manner that you like. Perhaps a custom made drawer or basket insert of sorts for the everyday carry items that you take with you. Drawer or shelf organizers would be pretty much the same as the case inserts. I guess the biggest draw back would be from if the customer was across country....and I didn't have one of the pieces they wanted formed.....if they could trace the shape and give me an depth it needed to be.....then I could cut it from foam...and form over the foam. The 3D targets would be fun.....I'd have to find a plastic that would take a few hits.....maybe fill them with A-B foam. |
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Posted: 3/15/2011 5:21:00 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
To tell you the truth: I've been thinking of a rooftop camper for a Suburban. interesting! Would love to see this (we have a suburban too....haha) I'm guessing a lot of fiberglass over structure? Hope you make a new thread about it once you get going... |
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Posted: 3/15/2011 5:39:02 AM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Quoted:
To tell you the truth: I've been thinking of a rooftop camper for a Suburban. interesting! Would love to see this (we have a suburban too....haha) I'm guessing a lot of fiberglass over structure? Hope you make a new thread about it once you get going... You wouldn't have to fiberglass it......look up thermoformed hot tubs on you tube.....1/4" acrylic.....strong stuff.....but a whole lot bigger than I'm making....I have a Suburban too.....
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Posted: 3/15/2011 5:44:59 AM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
plastic/stackable "case" for mason jars separate the mason jars enough so that they dont touch, and pull a sheet into them, and make a "form fit" tub. wont fall apart when wet, easily nested storage without the jars, and should be easily stackable when they are full. If you got real crazy you could add foam or padding to the outside and have some rugged storage containers If nothin else, you could just make a "separator" that sits in the bottom of the current cardboard boxes, so that if it does get we, it doesnt totally collapse I would buy them I'm digging this and know quite a few others who would as well. I also like the five-gallon bucket divider idea. |
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Posted: 3/15/2011 5:48:12 AM EDT
[#25]
Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: To tell you the truth: I've been thinking of a rooftop camper for a Suburban. interesting! Would love to see this (we have a suburban too....haha) I'm guessing a lot of fiberglass over structure? Hope you make a new thread about it once you get going... You wouldn't have to fiberglass it......look up thermoformed hot tubs on you tube.....1/4" acrylic.....strong stuff.....but a whole lot bugger than I'm making....I have a Suburban too..... Do we need to form a SF-SOG(Suburban Owners Group)  A bout a camper....I was thinking of a dry place to sleep in that could be kept cool. |
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Posted: 3/15/2011 2:58:37 PM EDT
[#26]
Quoted:
Do we need to form a SF-SOG(Suburban Owners Group)
A bout a camper....I was thinking of a dry place to sleep in that could be kept cool. isn't that called a Suburban.....
another idea....hard shell NVG cases.... |
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Posted: 4/11/2011 10:45:17 AM EDT
[#27]
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Posted: 4/11/2011 11:05:08 AM EDT
[#28]
I got a few ideas:
Pistol Cases Rifle Cases Holsters Incredibly Firm Breast Implants Battery Boxes Shelf Organizers Drawer Organizers Re-Usable Pizza Boxes Drink Ware Plates Ammo Box Organizers Gerbil Habitrails Traffic Cones (Possibly the same mold as the Breast Implants) Cool Hats & Helmets for Halloween Hub Caps Fishing Tackle Boxes Parts Bins Obviously some suggestions are serious and some are not......you be the judge! |
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Posted: 4/11/2011 3:50:51 PM EDT
[#29]
One thing you could consider is specific tool drawer inserts for specific tools. Some of the .mil contractors do that. You could also have a tray with vacuum formed outlines for your bolt carrier group, LPK, stock/barrel wrenches, armorer's tool, etc.
Be aware that a lot of those vacuum formers have heating units that require 220V. Some, like this one use two 110V lines. (I have one of these at work but haven't set it up yet - waiting on electrical to run second 20A line.) There is a lot of experimentation with these to get the level of expansion/stretch around the form, the amount/time of heat, etc. It's not as easy as dump plastic sheets in, cool parts come out....
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Posted: 4/11/2011 4:04:58 PM EDT
[#30]
Quoted:
One thing you could consider is specific tool drawer inserts for specific tools. Some of the .mil contractors do that. You could also have a tray with vacuum formed outlines for your bolt carrier group, LPK, stock/barrel wrenches, armorer's tool, etc. Be aware that a lot of those vacuum formers have heating units that require 220V. Some, like this one use two 110V lines. (I have one of these at work but haven't set it up yet - waiting on electrical to run second 20A line.) There is a lot of experimentation with these to get the level of expansion/stretch around the form, the amount/time of heat, etc. It's not as easy as dump plastic sheets in, cool parts come out.... I've used one before....I'm building one....for rifle and pistol case inserts.....just looking for other ideas...
Tool box drawer inserts are a high priority... |
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Posted: 4/11/2011 4:29:44 PM EDT
[#31]
I've always wished I had a easy to clean frame or form with hooks or clips at the top that the plastic bags from the grocery store would set up in to keep my food, cans and milk jugs from rolling all over the back of the truck.
Sure, there is the tie the bags closed method, the hang them on the bed tie downs and the set them in a bunch of milk crates. There is even the cardboard box method, but they all just leave me wanting a better way to get the groceries home. I long for the days of the old grocery sack that would would stand up on its own in the cart and the truck... 
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Posted: 4/11/2011 4:33:43 PM EDT
[#32]
How about square food buckets for food storage. It would make food storage more efficient. Fiji bottled water did this to help reduce their transportation costs per case and made their bottles square.
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Posted: 4/11/2011 4:59:01 PM EDT
[#33]
Quoted: That's more like it.....I never thought about the mason jar separators...my wife would dig that.....and the batt tray.....cool.... Do this. If there is anything like it on the market, I haven't seen it. |
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Posted: 5/3/2011 8:28:21 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted:
Quoted:
That's more like it.....I never thought about the mason jar separators...my wife would dig that.....and the batt tray.....cool.... Do this. If there is anything like it on the market, I haven't seen it. Battery wallet, using somewhat symmetrical halves. |
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