Danno Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 (edited) Has anyone tried one of these vacuum-forming machines yet? If so, how is it? New at Michaels. ? Edited October 7, 2020 by Danno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 who what where Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted October 7, 2020 Author Share Posted October 7, 2020 New at Michaels. It's called a We R Memory Keepers® Mold Press™ Vacuform Machine, Item # 10648512. In store or online, $79.99 with free shipping. They also have a good-sized line of plastic sheets, etc. for it. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSNJim Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Here's what caught my eye: We R Memory Keepers® Mold Press™ Plastic Sheets, 40 Sheets Item # 10648516 Apparently a package of clear sheets 6.75" square. They are $40, but there is a 20% code on the web site. Might be worth a shot - I've got a homemade vacuum former, and I've got one sheet of Squadon Clear Thermoform left, and it's yellow. I don't have the Michael's vacuum former, but I'm going to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Interesting. Can styrene be vacuumformed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 I'll be checking that out. I can always use new glass for my vintage kits. Even if I have the originals, new thinner glass always looks better. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straightliner59 Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 50 minutes ago, NOBLNG said: Interesting. Can styrene be vacuumformed? Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 42 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said: I'll be checking that out. I can always use new glass for my vintage kits. Even if I have the originals, new thinner glass always looks better. Steve I'm with Steve on this. Some of the old kit "glass" is like looking through my bifocals! I'm interested in this little machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 It can be had for $67.95 plus $7.50 S & H from HERE Video showing how it works: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 Thanks, Joe. Looks like it might have value on a modeler's bench. I'm thinking windshields, windows, scoops, fender skirts, bumpers, hoods, bubble tops!, . . . ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Ha that's pretty cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 It won't be economical unless one vacuforms multiple parts simultaneously. The sheets ain't cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 True, but I think you can use other material besides their own brand. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 This DOES look cool!!! The reviews on the Michael’s site aren’t amazing, but you don’t know how much skill the average person leaving reviews on Michael’s website have at this stuff... I’d like to try one! If people can find a good use for those old Mattel machines I’m sure we’d find a use for this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Not bad little machine but the 5.5 x 5.5 x 2 area is a bit small.....good for windows but I made one this size for under $10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 It looks like it would be useful for making things like hoods and track style noses. Bodies are doable, if you don't mind multiple pieces, Styrene vacforms just fine, so there's nothing stopping you from getting a big sheet of that and cutting up your own squares, if you don't want to pay Michael's prices for materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 I guess the big advantage of this unit over any home made one is the ease of heating the material and getting it rapidly in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 I wonder if the plastic sheets (other than the clear ones) that are made to fit the unit are styrene, or (like the Mattel unit) are some other plastic that heats up at a lower temperature than styrene. You wouldn't use clear styrene in any case, but for parts other than windows you would want styrene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 For plastic I'd buy Evergreen or Plastruct.....the stuff sold with the machine is WAY to costly. Any thing Evergreen or Plastruct sells will work.....clear or white. I made over 300 window units for my resin kits I sold years ago on my home made machine. If this was around back then I may have bought one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul alflen Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Now we need a 50 percent off coupon from Michaels! A 40 or 20 percent off might work too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 I have an original Mattel Vac-u-form unit bought on eBay many years ago. There is / was a company making the perforated sheets. Mattel did try to bring back Vac-u-form in the 1980s, but with some modern safety restraints. Instead of a hot plate it had a 60 watt light bulb. The entire operation was inside the unit so little hands couldn’t get burnt. As such, the template of say the little race car slid into the side of it. That limited it to making the toys they gave you the template for, making it useless to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 15 minutes ago, Dave Van said: For plastic I'd buy Evergreen or Plastruct.....the stuff sold with the machine is WAY to costly. Any thing Evergreen or Plastruct sells will work.....clear or white. I made over 300 window units for my resin kits I sold years ago on my home made machine. If this was around back then I may have bought one. You can get sheet styrene on eBay. I bought a couple of odd size .020" sheets from one vendor, to cut into 5" x 5" pieces for my machine. It worked out to around 190 sheets for about $35. The guy had sold out of the particular size sheet I asked for, but forgot to pull the listing. He sent two sheets of other sizes, I ended up getting over 300 sheets for around ten cents each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabDriver Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 9 hours ago, paul alflen said: Now we need a 50 percent off coupon from Michaels! A 40 or 20 percent off might work too! https://www.michaels.com/coupons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 I'd bet that Michael's won't permit the use of 40% or 50% off coupons on this machine, similar to how they handle Cricut machines. Only 20% right now...I was hoping for 40% as there is a kit on the shelf that I want, but ain't paying $30 for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted October 9, 2020 Share Posted October 9, 2020 If they ever did 40% I'd bite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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