been printing for a while now, but am just starting to get interested in vacuum forming. The initial materials are cheap and easy, can use a home vacuum hardware bought parts and an oven. I have been brainstorming on different ways I can combine 3d printing and the vacuum forming. Need input on this new idea: using leftover PLA to make a PLA sheet for vacuum forming. the plastic sheets for vacuum forming aren't very cheap compared to the same amount of plastic you'd use in filament form. I have a tone of old parts, bad parts etc. sitting in a drawer. I'm thinking of trying to make a sheet of PLA from them, maybe on a cookie sheet in the oven. I think that can be achieved, not sure how well such a sheet would be used for vacuum forming afterwards though. https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92363#msg-92363 Sun, 13 Sep 2026 14:07:39 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92376#msg-92376 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92376#msg-92376
My idea above is in a diferent direction of thought however, using scrap PLA to make my own PLA sheets for vacuum forming over patterns]]> Anthong Redbeard General Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:41:04 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92371#msg-92371 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92371#msg-92371
Is that the general idea?]]> Buback General Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:19:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92363#msg-92363 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,92363,92363#msg-92363
I have been brainstorming on different ways I can combine 3d printing and the vacuum forming. Need input on this new idea:

using leftover PLA to make a PLA sheet for vacuum forming.

the plastic sheets for vacuum forming aren't very cheap compared to the same amount of plastic you'd use in filament form. I have a tone of old parts, bad parts etc. sitting in a drawer. I'm thinking of trying to make a sheet of PLA from them, maybe on a cookie sheet in the oven. I think that can be achieved, not sure how well such a sheet would be used for vacuum forming afterwards though.]]> Anthong Redbeard General Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:32:08 -0400