Sheet dimensions

[CAPT4IN F4LC0N]

What is the abs sheet dimension required for vacuum forming a stormtrooper?

Plz don't ask of what materials are made the molds, or what type of armor it is, stick to the question please.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Really depends how big your vac from machine is, how many pieces you can fit in that area at one time, how thick the sheet is, how far it has to pull down, what thickness you require once formed, so many variants.

[CAPT4IN F4LC0N]

Well my vac machine can be as big as you want, now how many pieces I can fit I have no idea, the thickness is .080, how far it has to pull down no idea and I require the thickness needed for a stormtrooper armor. THATA answers you couldv answerd yourself

 

[walt[501st]]

lol   what?

[BDWC[TK]]

Snarky responses aside, your answer is simple as defined by the plates needed to pull:

The longest part, probably the ab plate will define your longest MINIMUM dimension

The widest part, probably the kidney, will define the widest dimensions ONLY if you are pulling longest and widest AT THE SAME TIME

And, the tallest part, requiring additional sheet width and sheet thickness as to not tear during the pull, is probably the helmet mask section.

 

So, depending on your mold buck vacuum plat offset heights, I would wage that the MINIMUM table dimensions, and thus sheet dimensions for .080"ABS, would be about 40" x 30"  just based on the ab plate and helmet mask (3ft sq might make it but would possibly cause webbing on pull along the mold's longest axis)

If you want to batch pull, you probably want to increase your size to about 4 ft. sq.

Of course to conserve material, the available sheet size plays into this, so if 4' x 8' is the sheet size, for example, then 4'x'4' vacuum table would be best.

 

I hope that fully answers your question, but your yet undefined process, plays into this heavily

[Locitus[Admin]]

I'm not sure we should be helping someone who's obviously just looking to recast armour.

[walt[501st]]

Lol.  Ya   Agreed

[jbenyo]

Not to stir the pot, but a re-caster of armor should be able to simply measure the thickness of said armor with a caliper. or am I just making this sound to simple?

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

On 10/30/2017 at 10:05 AM, Locitus said:

I'm not sure we should be helping someone who's obviously just looking to recast armour.

Agreed, especially with that attitude.