We make our own body panels for a Lada

Summary

In this episode, the host introduces a vacuum forming machine, central to creating custom car parts. They announce new merchandise discounts, including hoodies, and demonstrate the machine's process of molding ABS plastic into panels. Challenges arise with power limitations and uneven plastic stretching, but the team successfully creates durable fenders. The video explores the cost-effectiveness of plastic parts versus metal, inviting viewers to share ideas for further applications.

Takeaways

• 🛍️ The video introduces new merchandise available on their website, including signature hoodies and other items like t-shirts, baseball caps, mugs, and document holders.
• 💰 A 25% discount is offered to the first 25 people who order the signature hoodies, with additional discounts on the entire product lineup.
• 🎁 With every order, a free sticker is included as a bonus.
• 🛠️ The main focus of the episode is a vacuum forming machine, which is used to mold plastic into various shapes for car parts like bumpers and fender flares.
• 🔨 The machine consists of a bench, frame, and uses a heating process with lamps to soften the plastic, followed by vacuum molding over a form or mold.
• ⚡️ The machine requires a significant amount of power, but the team finds a workaround by using a smaller configuration to accommodate the facility's power limitations.
• 🔧 The process involves placing a sheet of plastic onto the frame, heating it, and then molding it over a form while applying vacuum to achieve the desired shape.
• 🚗 The team attempts to replicate a car door panel and front fenders using the vacuum forming machine, experimenting with different materials and thicknesses of plastic.
• 🔄 They encounter challenges such as uneven plastic distribution and vacuum leaks, but manage to produce usable plastic panels despite these issues.
• 💡 The video highlights the cost-effectiveness of using plastic for car parts compared to metal, with significant savings on materials and production costs.
• 📈 The vacuum forming machine is a valuable tool for custom part production, especially for those with experience in the field, and the team invites viewers to share their ideas and suggestions.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the episode described in the transcript?

The main focus of the episode is the introduction and demonstration of a vacuum forming machine used for creating various plastic parts such as bumpers, fender flares, and other panels.

What kind of merchandise is being promoted in the video?

The merchandise being promoted includes signature hoodies, t-shirts, baseball caps, mugs, document holders, and stickers, all available with discounts on the website.

What special offer is made for the first 25 customers who order the signature hoodies?

The first 25 customers to order the signature hoodies are offered a 25% discount on their purchase.

What material is commonly used with the vacuum forming machine for creating plastic parts?

ABS plastic is commonly used with the vacuum forming machine for creating plastic parts due to its workability with this type of equipment.

What is the issue with the power requirements of the vacuum forming machine?

The vacuum forming machine requires 48 kilowatts of power, but the facility has a limitation of approximately 30 kilowatts, which restricts the use of all 48 lamps simultaneously.

How is the plastic sheet secured in place on the frame before the molding process begins?

The plastic sheet is secured in place on the frame using silicone seals that tightly press against the sheet, and it is pinched all around to lock it in place.

What is the purpose of the vacuum pump and reservoirs in the vacuum forming machine?

The vacuum pump and reservoirs are used to create a vacuum that sucks down the hot plastic and wraps it tightly around the mold on the tabletop, forming the desired shape.

What was the initial problem encountered when trying to mold a door panel?

The initial problem was that the vacuum leaked out, preventing the plastic from stretching out evenly and resulting in a puffy and half-baked appearance in some areas.

How did the team improve the molding process for the front fenders?

The team improved the molding process by honing their skills, using one mil thick ABS plastic and HDPE plastic, and ensuring a proper fit and vacuum application.

What is the advantage of using plastic panels over metal parts in certain applications?

Plastic panels are advantageous in applications like drift cars where aesthetics are less critical because they are cheaper to make, lighter, and can be easily replaced if damaged.

What was the cost of the vacuum forming machine mentioned in the transcript?

The vacuum forming machine cost a bit under 300,000 rubles, or approximately four thousand US dollars, including shipping.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Introduction to Vacuum Forming Machine and Merchandise Promotion

The script introduces a vacuum forming machine, which is the main focus of the episode. The host announces new merchandise available on their website, including signature hoodies, and offers a 25% discount for the first 25 customers. Other items like t-shirts, baseball caps, mugs, and document holders are also available with discounts. The host then provides a quick overview of the vacuum forming process, explaining the machine's components, including the bench made of thick plywood with a coating and slots for creating a vacuum effect. The process involves heating ABS plastic sheets and molding them over molds placed on the bench, using the machine's heat and vacuum to form the plastic into the desired shape.

05:02

🔧 Exploring the Vacuum Forming Machine's Operation and Challenges

This paragraph delves into the operation of the vacuum forming machine, discussing the power requirements and limitations due to the facility's power capacity. The host describes how to heat the plastic sheet by lifting the frame and switching on the necessary lamps, depending on the size of the plastic sheet. The process of creating a vacuum to mold the plastic is explained, including the use of a vacuum pump and accumulators. The host attempts to replicate a door panel, facing issues with uneven plastic stretching and vacuum leaks, which result in an imperfect mold. Despite the challenges, the host remains optimistic about the potential of the machine and the process.

10:02

🚗 Creating Plastic Panels for a Car Using the Vacuum Forming Technique

The host proceeds to create plastic panels for a car, starting with front fenders. They discuss the process of preparing the mold, using HDPE plastic as an alternative to ABS for better flexibility and less brittleness. The host compares the results of using one mil and two mil thick ABS plastic, noting the difference in rigidity and appearance. They successfully fit the plastic fenders onto a car, using rivets for attachment, and discuss the potential applications for such plastic panels, especially in situations where appearance is less critical, and the cost savings compared to metal parts.

15:02

💰 Conclusion on the Cost-Effectiveness and Future Applications of Vacuum Forming

In the final paragraph, the host wraps up the episode by discussing the cost-effectiveness of using the vacuum forming machine for creating car parts. They compare the cost of materials and electricity to the price of traditional metal parts, highlighting the significant savings possible with plastic parts. The host invites viewers to share their ideas and experiences with the machine and different types of plastic, expressing interest in exploring further applications. The cost of the machine is also mentioned, along with an invitation for viewers to subscribe to the channel for more content.

Keywords

💡Vacuum forming machine

A vacuum forming machine is a type of thermoforming process used to form plastic sheet over a mold by using vacuum pressure. In the video, it is the central piece of equipment that the host uses to create various plastic parts such as hoods and fenders for vehicles. The process is highlighted as a cost-effective way to manufacture custom parts.

💡Merchandise

Merchandise in this context refers to the branded items offered for sale by the speaker's website, such as hoodies, t-shirts, baseball caps, and mugs. The video mentions a promotional discount for early buyers of the hoodies, which is a marketing strategy to boost initial sales and create excitement among potential customers.

💡Discount

A discount is a reduction in the original price of a product or service. The video script mentions a 25% discount for the first 25 people ordering the signature hoodies, illustrating a sales tactic to incentivize quick purchases and create a sense of urgency.

💡ABS plastic

ABS plastic, short for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, is a type of thermoplastic polymer known for its strength, durability, and ease of molding. In the video, ABS is the material of choice for creating various car parts using the vacuum forming machine due to its workability at high temperatures.

💡Molding

Molding, in the context of the video, refers to the process of giving a plastic material a particular shape by applying heat and pressure. The host demonstrates this by heating a sheet of plastic and then applying vacuum pressure to conform it to the shape of a mold, such as a car door or fender.

💡Silicone seals

Silicone seals are used in the vacuum forming process to create a tight seal around the plastic sheet, ensuring that the vacuum effect can properly form the plastic. In the script, they are mentioned as part of the frame setup to secure the plastic sheet in place before the molding process begins.

💡Lamps

In the script, lamps refer to the heating elements used to heat the plastic sheet to a malleable state. There are 48 lamps mentioned, each producing one kilowatt of power, which is a significant energy requirement for the vacuum forming machine.

💡Vacuum pump

A vacuum pump is a device that removes air to create a vacuum. In the video, the vacuum pump is crucial for the vacuum forming process as it sucks the air out from under the heated plastic sheet, allowing it to conform tightly to the mold's shape.

💡Reservoirs

Reservoirs in this context are large containers that store the vacuum created by the pump. The script mentions two big reservoirs with a capacity of 100 liters each, which are used to accumulate vacuum for the process of pulling the plastic sheet tightly against the mold.

💡Rivets

Rivets are used in the video to secure the molded plastic fenders onto the car. They are a type of fastener that, once installed, holds two materials together permanently. The host mentions using about 10 rivets for each fender to ensure a tight fit.

💡HDPE plastic

HDPE, or High-Density Polyethylene, is another type of thermoplastic mentioned in the script as an alternative to ABS for molding. It is noted for being less brittle when cold, making it a potentially better material for certain applications, such as the fenders demonstrated in the video.

Highlights

Introduction of vacuum forming machine as the focus of the episode.

Announcement of new merchandise, including hoodies with a 25% discount for the first 25 orders.

Detailed description of the machine's components: bench, frame, and plywood coating.

Explanation of the vacuum effect created by slots milled out in the bench.

Discussion of the types of plastic used, such as ABS plastic, for molding body panels.

Demonstration of placing a plastic sheet into the frame and using silicone seals to secure it.

Challenges faced due to the machine's power requirements exceeding the facility's limits.

Use of only 15 lamps for smaller panels to manage power consumption.

Step-by-step guide on heating the plastic sheet and molding it onto the bench.

Introduction of vacuum reservoirs as vacuum accumulators for shaping plastic.

Experiment with a Volkswagen door as a mold and addressing vacuum leakage issues.

Comparison of different plastic thicknesses (1mm and 2mm) for making fenders.

Evaluation of the results: 1mm plastic for better appearance and 2mm for durability.

Cost-effectiveness of plastic panels compared to metal parts, highlighting significant savings.

Encouragement for viewers to suggest ideas for future projects and improvements.

Conclusion with the machine's cost and a call to action to subscribe to the channel.

Transcripts

foreign

hello everybody so that thing behind me

is called a vacuum forming machine and

it's going to be the center of focus in

this episode so have I got some good

news for you fellas some cool new merch

available on our website like for

example these sweet signature hoodies

and the good news doesn't end there

the first 25 people to order these

hoodies we'll be offering them a 25

discount and don't forget that there's a

bunch of other stuff that you can order

on our website t-shirts baseball caps

mugs document holders and we're offering

some generous discounts on the entire

lineup and on top of any order you make

we'll throw in one of these stickers on

the house don't miss your chance to get

some merch at discount prices hit the

link in the video description and grab

yourself something let me give you a

quick rundown on what we're dealing with

here the machine itself consists of a

bench a frame

and I'd say that the bench is the most

important element of all it's made out

of

some really thick plywood plus there's

some kind of coating that I don't know

the right name for some sort of paint I

guess

you've got a bunch of slots milled out

which are there to create the vacuum

effect

you'd often see all kinds of bumpers

fender flares and other panels now those

are made using ABS plastic

which is great to work with using this

type of equipment

I've got a piece

right here if you put some heat into it

you can mold it into any shape you want

that's what this machine is for now

allow me to show you what it's made of

and go through every stage of how it

works you and I still don't have a

complete understanding

the process of molding a body panel

starts with us placing a sheet of

plastic into the frame

we've got that right here and I have to

say it's pretty massive

but I suspect that'll make it all the

more reliable

here I've got my plastic sheet my blank

ETS we place it onto the frame and on

the frame we have silicone seals that

tightly press up against the sheet in

order to secure it in place

and so now

we've locked it in place

you pinch it all around

and so now

up top we've got a bunch of lamps

48 of them to be exactly

each putting out one kilowatt and that

actually creates uh

a few problems for us you see when we

bought this machine it didn't occur to

us that it needs so much power

unfortunately our facility has its

limitations

approximately 30 kilowatts is as much as

we can afford to use in here

but the machine needs 48. however there

is a way out you can see that this sheet

is pretty small 1 by 1.5 meters and so

we'll be using the smaller configuration

of the machine

uh for this instead of the full 48 we

can flip on just 15 lamps

if we want to make small sized panels in

order to heat the plastic we need to

lift the frame

then we switch on as many lamps as we

need if we were to place a two by two

meter sheet which is the limit of what

the frame is going to allow us

we'd have to switch on all 48.

but with a smaller sheet we only need

15. United lamp it takes a few minutes

for it to get up to the right

temperature

this machine is capable of shaping

plastic anywhere from one end all the

way up to eight millimeters thick

now as soon as the lamps put enough heat

into this sheet of plastic

we place anything we want onto the bench

for instance we can use a canister as a

mold and after that we drop the hot

plastic onto whatever is down here

right now this isn't going to work

because at the moment the machine is not

powered up and the plastic is cold that

said it's supposed to mold into the

shape of whatever is on the bench

mostly after that we need to release

the vacuum

and all of the air that used to be under

the sheet evacuates into dedicated

receivers

Ary leaving us with an exact copy of the

panel that we had placed on the machine

if we need to once the panel is on the

bench and is no longer hot we can eat in

some air

we connect an Air Supply to our machine

and the reason for doing that would be I

guess the point is to help separate

everything now let's have a look inside

the machine all of these Breakers are

there in order to let you set up the

circuitry in such a way that not all the

lamps shine but instead just those you

need you also got

the vacuum pump which is located in

plain sight

the pump itself is unable to quickly

create a vacuum but that's what those

two big reservoirs are for each with a

capacity of 100 liters essentially those

are vacuum accumulators

the vacuum builds up inside of them and

then that vacuum sucks down the hot

plastic and wraps it tightly around

whatever is on the tabletop it's

actually a very simple layout with one

artery routed to the reservoirs from the

vacuum pipe

and you've got a second one beating the

air for I don't know

separating the two pieces I think it

basically only consists of a single pipe

that's routed straight to the tabletop

[Music]

it didn't take too long for us to find a

panel to replicate in plastic here it is

a dwarf from a lot of wagon

the idea is to take this here door

and as to avoid it being damaged by the

vacuum

we'll stuff it with some of this used up

styrofoam

so we always stick these in and fill it

with some regular old construction foam

now I reckon that this should be enough

to keep the door from caving in under

all of that pressure but let's try this

out and see if I'm right

problem

[Music]

so the door is prepped I mean to say the

mold is ready is this going to work or

is it not let us know in the comments I

can't even start to imagine now long

story short we filled the inside of the

door with foam on the other side we've

filled any potential gaps with foam for

the sake of making the process a bit

easier and then we cut off all excess

foam at an angle of

over 90 degrees so that we have less

trouble separating the plastic from the

mold the door itself feels much sturdier

it no longer bends when you press on it

with your hand that's definitely a good

thing but now it's time to turn the

machine on look at how you start this

thing we flip the switch and it's on now

we need to engage the vacuum pump here

we've got a pressure gauge and the

switch for the pump

now it's on and the pressure is going

into negative values I think we need to

wait a couple of minutes for

example to create enough vacuum

we will be placing the plastic so that

the coarse part faces down we would

prefer the door to be smooth

that's the right way to go I reckon

otherwise if later we were to wrap or

paint it we'd either have to prep the

whole thing

or it would just be all rough and

unpleasant to the touch

now we drop the frame with the plastic

in the middle

and while raising the frame we place the

dorm

now we do have

a slight problem it sort of fits onto

this small

section but barely

okay now we flip on

the 15 lamps now according to the

information I found on the internet ABS

plastic becomes malleable at around 180

degrees Celsius so far when I touch it

yeah it doesn't seem any soft terms it's

only been like 30 seconds and you can

really feel that it's hot

after two and a half minutes the plastic

has become really soft it's now sagging

by about 20 centimeters

you can see some kind of steam or smoke

emanating from it

looks pretty sinister

the plastic is now very soft I guess I

need to flip on the vacuum pump I need

to do this the right way and quickly

the plastic is soft as can beam

lights off dropping the plastic and now

vacuum

I don't know exactly what that sound was

but I think it might have been glass

[Music]

I can tell that we were unable to make a

proper even and smooth door

first off I can already see a wrinkle in

there

I'm guessing there just wasn't enough

material to wrap around I mean there's

literally just an extra two centimeters

around the perimeter I guess the store

is going to require the extended table

so that we have a bit of wiggle room

okay now I think I can see the problems

we were dealing with

I'd of course prefer to do this

carefully without breaking anything even

if the glass did shatter I still think

we can save this mold of ours

I mean so far this is looking pretty

good

let's just extract it

together with the door

and immediately we see a few problems

this might have also prevented us from

stretching the plastic out evenly

as you can see we have a breach through

which the vacuum leaked out apparently

okay there we are

it looks pretty nice from the inside

on the outside it also ain't half bad

but this is definitely far from perfect

since we were unable to follow these

lines

as a result it looks a bit puffy and

Half Baked in this area

if the vacuum didn't leak out I think

this would have

turned out pretty good it was much

better than what we see here

[Music]

I was able to find a couple of front

fenders they're brand new and almost

even intact though they were dented a

few times while they were being

transported so we're going to convert

them into molds and given the space we

have on the bench which we've configured

to one by one and a half meters on these

it should be way easier to make a proper

panel out of plastic let's get to work

[Music]

thank you

and here we have the molds for the front

fenders this time it was a much simpler

job I mean we have honed our skills and

now we try making plastic copies

this time we'll be using one mil thick

ABS it really seemed to me like the two

mil was a bit much when we did the doors

so this time it'll be one mil and I've

prepared some hdp plastic

which can be heat molded and is much

better than ABS in that it doesn't get

as brittle when it's frozen

so it's a better material than ABS all

around

let's try using it to mold one Fender

and one millimeter ABS or the other one

and see what comes out of it

oh

HDPE plastic

foreign

[Music]

one mil ABS plastic

let's try this out

[Music]

it looks fantastic

we got the right shape but I can already

tell that plucking it up is going to

require quite some effort the plastic

has crushed the foam a bit I guess I

gave it too much vacuum

but overall the fender looks really good

[Music]

two mil ABS plastic

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

so we've made ourselves a couple of

fenders one of them using two mil ABS

plastic

for comparison here are a couple of one

mil thick fenders the difference in

rigidity is pretty amazing this one is

like a rag though I'm sure once we rivet

it it'll look much better

it very well might behave okay on a car

and not really be affected by the air

current we won't know for sure until we

try as for the two mil plastic weld that

makes for a properly durable panel that

you can safely install onto a car I

expect this to do its job really well

but if I'm being honest I prefer the

look

of this one mil panel in my opinion the

one mil panel looks way better than the

thicker two mil

now let's go ahead and fit this to a car

and see how that works out will these

fenders work if you were to use them on

a drift missile

drift Karcher

[Music]

what's wrong and here we are the panels

fit nicely

we used about 10 rivets for each fender

so they're on there pretty tight

at a glance you can barely even tell the

difference from a metal fender well if

that were to be cut and riveted just

like this if you were to find a way to

make an edge and secure it on the inside

well I'd say that until you touch it you

wouldn't even be able to tell the

difference with it following the shape

so closely

one more thing I'd like to point out in

the context of drift missiles and stuff

like that

when speaking of applications where you

don't necessarily need the car to look

good well these work pretty well in that

sort of situation now it's just a matter

of making molds off of all the panels so

that we can make anything we need

I still don't know how the plastic is

going to behave in freezing weather how

brittle it's going to become

but in any case such panels are way

cheaper to make than metal Parts even if

we're talking about something like a

fender if you were to take a 1.5 by 3

meter sheet of two millimeter ABS

plastic so you slash that in half and

you're looking at 800 rubles or about

ten dollars a piece

obviously if you buy a bunch of them

that'll lower the price even further

then there's the cost of electricity

let's call it a thousand rubles a single

front fender goes for like 1500

meanwhile a new rear fender for this

model will cost you ten thousand rubles

and you can't find them in stock at

least that's the current situation in

novaersk I'd say this is a pretty useful

device

if you have any sort of experience let

us know in the comments what we can make

or which sort of plastic is better

suited for the purpose hit us up we will

read through your ideas I'm sure you'll

send in some good ones that would be

worth us giving a try I'm sure a lot of

people might be curious as to how much

that machine costs well we got it at a

bit under 300 000 rubles or four

thousand dollars including shipping the

manufacturer is located over 1 000

kilometers away from us

I think we got a pretty good deal

considering this is the biggest machine

of this type that you can buy like I

mentioned earlier this machine is two by

two meters

and that's it for this episode

would you subscribe to the channel so

you don't miss our latest exciting

content I'll be waiting to see what

ideas you share in the comments thanks

in advance that'll be all see you later