Does anyone know the optimum temperature for clear styrene or acrylic sheets for use in vacuform machines, other than just waiting for it to sag?
Some vac u-form machines have a temp indicator built in.Those machines will cost a bunch.
Is it just an indicator like a light, or does it actually show temp in degrees?
Some machines have temp indicators and some have adjustable light indicators.It will take a while to find a machine like the ones I mention.Its also best to wait for the clear plastic to melt up because that is the true sight temp on when to pull for the forming process.My machine is an old Boch german made in the late 80’s that I had converted to U.S. Specks while I was stationed in Germany flying F-4’s.
Not sure Don. I have an old one that a Dentist office gave me when they bought a brand new one. I know that when I used it, it got hot enough to just barley melt the edges of a plastic carb that I was trying to replicate. So just out of curiosity do you think it would melt white metal?
Reason for the question originally is that I am planning on building a new machine, a bit larger than my Mattel. I see good buys lately on those infrared optical temperature gauges, and thought maybe I could use one of those to measure the temperature as I heat the plastic. I plan to heat it with a hair dryer or monocoat heat gun. But I need to know the temperature I am looking for.
Don,
I have Doug Walsh’s book on vacuum forming and these are the FORMING TEMPERATURES he gives for various plastic materials.
- ABS styrene 300-350 deg F
- PVC 255-355 deg F
- Polycarbonate 350-400 deg F
- PET-G 260-300 deg F
- CAB 265-320 deg F
Hope this helps.
That would mean mine probably gets around 325 Degrees. Its a professional one that’s a bit old but I’d assume most machines would be around the same temp. Now does anyone know if that’s hot enough to melt white metal?
I think ‘white metal’ is a zinc alloy similar to ‘Babbit’ and the melting temp is, IIRC, over 400 deg F. so vac forming over it should be OK.There are lots of alloys called ‘white metal’ so you might want to google what you have to be sure. A link:
Wow, yes! Thanks. And I am chagrined for not remembering that was in the book- which I have on my shelf 
It is my impression that the term “white metal” is not a definite alloy, but a generic term for several alloys, which have different melting points. Some are even less than boiling water, up to around 400F. Micro Mark sells some of these alloys and gives melting points in their flyers.
Thank you Bick & Don I appreciate the advice. I probably will avoid that and just use Rubber molds instead.
Best of Luck w/ your project there Don!