Roof switch pod

I learned to stick weld at age 10....then gas and mag...tig is same as gas.....first time I tried tig I was thrown out of the welders shop for showing them up

See how you go with the vac forming.......I'm making a full bodykit Saturday ......your part could accidentally fall onto the bed at the same time if you're near Leeds?

Though doing it yourself is more satisfying.

Keithy wrote: I learned to stick weld at age 10....then gas and mag...tig is same as gas.....first time I tried tig I was thrown out of the welders shop for showing them up

See how you go with the vac forming.......I'm making a full bodykit Saturday ......your part could accidentally fall onto the bed at the same time if you're near Leeds?

Though doing it yourself is more satisfying.

Very tempting! ive got to work sat morning however, so probs a not this time im afraid. Im near Carlisle so no that far.

I have however had enough time after work today to make a vac box...


and with the plastic ive ordered from ebay (above) im going to have a go on sunday (if plastic arrives). Heating the plastic will have to be in the [domestic] oven so ive ordered some spare plastic to allow for bo-boo's.

I was working in a school today that had a vac forming machine hanging around spare, but it was just too small for this, looked ideal otherwise. they just teach the kids cad/cam and CNC stuff these days (they also had gas mig and tig welders hanging around - ive told the caretaker to call me if they want some £ for them)

Schools and college's always have a clarke vac former knocking around......cad-cam is the future.....especially if you don't like working with wood!

remember to blank those rectangular holes.....hopefully it doesn't burst?

Plastic sheets arrived today

finished off the vac box and made a clamp frame for the plastic sheet.

clamped in a sheet and had a go (well 4 actually, 1st on the left)...



Fairly pleased with them as a test run and a couple of them would be ok if carpeted, but generally i havent got enough suck and have problems with the heating in the oven (is too big so has to sit on a funny angle meaning uneven heating. might be better under the grille than in the fan oven).

overall... learned a lot for £25 spend. will probably carpet one and use that. Further attempts would need a smaller sheet & moulding to fit oven properly and more suck from the vacuum (could i use two together or would they cancel each other out?)

Oh, and yes i did weld some plates over the large holes loosely, which allowed a bit of a dimple where the cutout will be

Now that is a fair attempt....with a successful outcome!

Congrats you have a useable part Riccy!!