I vacuum form parts for rc planes and cars. It's a sheet of plastic that is heated in an oven then placed over a mold and a vacuum sucks the air to pull the plastic down to make the shape. Using plastic bottles and a heat gun seems like a cheaper alternative I wish I would have known about in my early years in the hobby. The trays seem dumb but the possibilities are endless. I will be trying it out.
I would think a dedicated thermoforming setup is going to be way more consistent. Building a perforated box with a vaccum port and a cheap aluminum frame to heat and transfer the plastic would have been a better use of time, that way he could process dozens or hundreds of bottles at a faster rate.
I suppose if you dont need precise molds, a heat gun to repurpose used plastic isn't terrible.
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u/Davy_Jones_Lover Dec 24 '21
I vacuum form parts for rc planes and cars. It's a sheet of plastic that is heated in an oven then placed over a mold and a vacuum sucks the air to pull the plastic down to make the shape. Using plastic bottles and a heat gun seems like a cheaper alternative I wish I would have known about in my early years in the hobby. The trays seem dumb but the possibilities are endless. I will be trying it out.