Some Questions About Vacuum Forming

[RageCreation]

While scrambling for ways to make a decent housing, I want to make sure I pick the best option.
That being said, 3D printing and 'frankencasing' a case from an unrelated product don't seem ideal.

How viable of an option is a homemade vacuum forming setup?

It would have to all take place in my workshop, so I'd buy a small oven off amazon which is advertised to reach 450° F (232° C)
Would this be enough to soften plastic thick enough for an enclosure?

That brings me to my next question. What thickness of plastic sheets is ideal? What would you say the minimum thickness is?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bush]

Well I wouldn't say buying an oven to vacform is more practical vs. frankencasing or 3D printing. It can work, but it you need plastic, a table, a STRONG shopvac, and frames to hold the plastic sheets.

I used to do this but the even larger hurdle was getting a clean seam at the bottom. I usually had to raise my mold up to create excess, then try and cut a flat line around it, which was never easy for me. If you manage to get two nice pieces with good cuts, you then have to find a way to attach them together, and good luck doing that cleanly. The best way is probably to attach tabs to one side and have them fit under the top piece, where they can be screwed in. I believe that's how zenloc does it.

Personally, I would buy cases from OKW or Polycase and just mount your own controls with drilled holes vs frankencasing.

 

[RageCreation]

My current vacuum should suffice, so that's not an issue. My main concern is temperature and plastic thickness.

Should the oven I described be able to soften a reasonably thick sheet of polystyrene?

Edit - I found some 2.5mm HIPS sheets for a good price. They sound like they'd work, but I'm not sure which type of plastic is generally considered good for a housing.

 

[bentomo]

I posted a guide for it a little while ago. It's in the stickies as well.

http://forums.modretro.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1952