[Thudnutz]

A year ago, I ordered a "Mattel Vac-U-Form UPGRADE-KIT" from "Lo-Tech" www.vac-u-form.com
Last week I got around to installing it....'Wow, great IMPROVEMENT in VACUUM & HEAT DISTRIBUTION !
I got to thinking (Danger, Will Robinson!)...these machines haven't been manufactured since the late '60's, and are '40-years old....what if the HEATING ELEMENT "goes South"! ?? Where would one go for a replacement ?? ( Upon receipt of the upgrade kit, I E-mailed "Lo-Tech" and asked that question). They replied that they have some "old machines, and I 'maybe could order a "salvaged" heating element from them, but that "it probably would be "pretty expensive" !

I'm going to be trying to Vacuum-Form the intake faces from a MATCHBOX "Buccaneer S.2B (1/72nd), and "graft" them unto an AIRFIX 1/72nd "Buccaneer", in the near future.

So, my question to 'youse guys is: (for myself and other Mattel Vac-u-Form owners), is: Anyone here on ARC have a Mattel Vac unit - "burn-out" a heating element, and did you find a replacement heating element (possibly from another appliance such as a coffee-maker, etc ?? and what type appliance (Brand/Model #, etc, did you "rob it off of" ??

I don't want to use an "off-hand" method, such as using a "heat-gun", or "hook-it up" to another device and "over complicate the operation !

Otherwise, it looks like this 64-year old Curmudgeon...is going to have to go "In Search Of" a "doner" device to "rob" a heating element.....let's see now, where did I put that Soldering Iron....wait a minute, I never did finish that HEATHKIT Iron Lung Kit did I !

"THUDNUTZ" (Jerry Robinson) in Duluth, MN USA

[Murph]

I've had mine since the mid-70's, and I've never had a problem with the heating element; of course, it's not like it gets used every day.

Regards,
Murph

[JackMan]

Thudnutz, on Apr 10 2007, 12:22 AM, said:

So, my question to 'youse guys is: (for myself and other Mattel Vac-u-Form owners), is: Anyone here on ARC have a Mattel Vac unit - "burn-out" a heating element, and did you find a replacement heating element (possibly from another appliance such as a coffee-maker, etc ?? and what type appliance (Brand/Model #, etc, did you "rob it off of" ??

Hi Jerry,

after reading your post I became interested in this vacuforming machine & did a little 'net surfing. I came across this:

http://www.spookshow...rm/vacuform.htm

According to the above webpage, Mattel also used the Vac-U-Form heating plate for Mattel's Creepy Crawlers and other Thingmaker molds.

http://www.aaa-multi...com/stracha.htm
(scroll down for the Thingmaker & the Creepy Crawler set. Thing to note though, this page says the Creepy Crawler set is made by ToyMax in the 1990's...not by Mattel)


If your heater conks out, you might be able to pinch it off either of the above two machines....maybe the Thingmaker more than the Toymax machine.

HTH.

Edit:

Further research says ToyMax bought the rights to the Mattel Vac-u-form and made a safer version:

http://www.samstoybo...Vac-U-Form.html

So there may be some connection between the two. But I believe Toymax uses light bulbs whereas Mattel used a 110V heater.

This post has been edited by JackMan: 10 April 2007 - 05:08 PM

[Thudnutz]

Thanks MURPH and JACKMAN for the reply to my Mattel Vacuform question.

THUDNUTZ (Jerry Robinson) in Duluth, MN USA

[JackMan]

Just wondering:

Coming from a non-US country, I wonder if I can use the Mattel Vac-U-form using a step-down voltage converter? That is, using a 240-to-110V converter.

Anyone tried this?

TIA

[modelmax]

Thudnutz...

I bought such refurb. kit many months ago, and have yet to install it. I recall not having received any instructions with the kit. I then resorted to search the information posted on their site, but I found it to lack meaningful details. In the end, I ended up with more questions than answers, and I decided to put it off until I could get better directions. Being that you succeeded in istalling it properly, I would appreciate you sharing any complications or successes in installing the kit. You didn't happen to take any pictures as you went along, did you?

Please share.

Thanks,

Ernie A.

[Thudnutz]

Earnie A. (modelmax)

I do not have facilities to scan & transmit the details you need (I also didn't photograph my installing of the "Low Tech Upgrade"), but I do have the 1-page written instructions....and I printed the color photos from their website which helped me understand the written instructions better.
The Basicsl...you "drill a 1/4-Inch hole in the existing "small-vacuum hole" in the "Vacuum Chamber" - then take the supplied "Flapper Valve" (the "little" GREY "rubbery thingy", pointed/wedge-shape), run a bead from the supplied Silicone RTC Rubber packet, along the wide-end and seat it in the drilled-hole (pointy/Wedge-Shape facing down), to insure an "air-tight seal" to the surface of the Vacuum-Chamber.

I went a step further, the Vacuum Piston is connected to a bar linkage to the Pump Handle and is "rivited". I "ground away" the rivit-head and removed the rivit. I replaced the rivit with a Machine Screw & Lock Washer & Nut. With the piston removed, you have access to the underside of the Vacuum Chamber, and at this time can remove "metal dust" from the drilling and "re-grease" the piston and the "sleeve/tube" that it fits into. Also, you will have access to the area for future inspection & maintenance.

The replacement "Rubber Feet" are a "no-brainer"....

The Mattel "Black/Plastic/Perforated Molding Platform, is replaced with the "Lo-Tech" supplied replacement, a "metal perforated replacement. "Shoot-me" your "snail-mail address" and I'll send you a print-out with illustrations from the website (that helped me) Works great, much improvement !

"THUDNUTZ" (Jerry Robinson) in Duluth, MN USA
jerry555808@yahoo.com

[Thudnutz]

Earnie, I got your E-mail....I just finished copying & adding my own comments, to the documentation I'm sending you on the Vac-U-Form Upgrade....it will be going out in Wednesday, 18 April's "Snail Mail".

After you do your upgrade, E-Mail me your comments and "success story" - I'd appreciate it.

"THUDNUTZ" (Gerald T. "Jerry Robinson" in Duluth, MN USA

jerry555808@yahoo.com

[modelmax]

Jerry,
Just letting you know that I received your letter with the instructions. I found everything exremely helpful.
I really appreciate your time and effort in putting the instruction together.
Forever in your debt.

Ernie A.

[Thudnutz]

Earnie A. Thanks for the reply. The pleasure was mine. Happy Vac-Forming !

"THUDNUTZ (Jerry Robinson) Duluth, MN USA

[Impatient Pete]

All of this makes me wonder if we couldn't design and manufacture some kind of new age small vac former that wouldn't be cost prohibitive.

Pete

[Bizzaro]

Ok so I know this is an old thread, but I am on the hunt for information about the mattell Vacuformer toy.

I have a 3 inch metal coin I am wanting to make a form of and was wondering what the max size you can place on the vacuformer bed is before it causes issues. Thanx.

[Bonehammer73]

Bizzaro, on Mar 19 2009, 01:23 AM, said:

Ok so I know this is an old thread, but I am on the hunt for information about the mattell Vacuformer toy.

I have a 3 inch metal coin I am wanting to make a form of and was wondering what the max size you can place on the vacuformer bed is before it causes issues. Thanx.

It's about twice the area of a credit card.

Now my question - we could make this into a sort of chain thread! - is: when using my own plastic sheets, do I still need to drill holes all around the sides? I had problems with the vacuum. But I'm still at the start of the learning curve with this machine.

[Bizzaro]

Bonehammer73, on Mar 19 2009, 08:37 AM, said:

It's about twice the area of a credit card.

Now my question - we could make this into a sort of chain thread! - is: when using my own plastic sheets, do I still need to drill holes all around the sides? I had problems with the vacuum. But I'm still at the start of the learning curve with this machine.

In doing some research I found that the plastic sheets are 3x3 1/2.. so I gather...no. It sucks too. It seems all of the toy version put out are just a tad too small for what I need. Guess it's time to build my own.. wheeeee!!

I read somewhere that you do not NEED to drill the holes, but thatz all I remember.

[Murph]

Bonehammer73, on Mar 19 2009, 02:37 AM, said:

Now my question - we could make this into a sort of chain thread! - is: when using my own plastic sheets, do I still need to drill holes all around the sides? I had problems with the vacuum. But I'm still at the start of the learning curve with this machine.

I just let mine heat up for twenty minutes or so, and it gets hot enough that the "spikes" will dig into the plastic on their own and hold it in place. I've only used it though for clear plastic, never white styrene.

Bizzaro, on Mar 19 2009, 05:06 AM, said:

In doing some research I found that the plastic sheets are 3x3 1/2..

Measuring mine, the platform is 3 1/8 by 2 5/8 inches. The "effective" area is obviously smaller than that.

Regards,
Murph

[G_Marcat_Italy]

JackMan, on Apr 13 2007, 04:55 PM, said:

Coming from a non-US country, I wonder if I can use the Mattel Vac-U-form using a step-down voltage converter? That is, using a 240-to-110V converter.
Anyone tried this?

I live in Italy and I have a Mattell original Vac U Form machine. I use a 220 Volt to 110 Volt converter without problems.

The only thing by to hold in mind is of to purchase a voltage redeucer that support the WATT required from the machine you will connect to it.

The watt required for the Mattell VacUform machine are 80.

I use a 200 watt voltage reducer with the Mattell machine and this my voltage reducer did not produce heat so I think it is working correctly in the specified range.

[pbhawkin]

I use a mattel machine (bought off Ebay) and have also upgraded it the website as listed previously.
It works very well.
I live in Australia and had to buy a transformer to step the volts from our 240v down to the 110 the machine uses and no problem (just use a big enough transformer to handle the current (amps/watts whatever)).
I ALSO use the perforated sheets from the Ebay guy as per the link previously too!
The only issue I have with them is that the clear sheets are not available in different thicknesses such as 010 or 015 (they come as 020 only).
So using a male master the vacformed canopys WILL be a little larger than the original. This can be overcome by making a female mold but then there are issues of small raised dimples in the vacform where the airholes are in the female mold to allow the vacforming to work properly.

[JackMan]

Yeah, I got myself a step-down-transformer / power converter and used the Mattel machine with no problems. But the first time I powered the machine up, I made sure I had a fire extinguisher near me. I wasn't sure how a 40-something year old electrical toy was going to react to the power supply in a foreign country.

And now, after using the machine for so long, I have full respect for the Engineering & Quality Control of yesteryears. This thing is still going strong.

[mpompadour]

Hey, You guys want the ultimate vacuum form machine? I'm a dental technician and in the lab we use a machine called a dental vacuum form machine. Go to google and search "dental vacuum form machine". We use one everyday. It is very powerful and you can get all thickness and colors of sheets, plus clear. We use it to make night guards for our dentists patients. It has a metal platform to put your work and a place where you put the plastic sheet between the frame. Above is a powerful heating element. When the plastic heats up, you flip the switch, and all in one second the vacuum sucks down SUPER tight and the heating element swings to the side out of the way. These are the BEST machines, as the dental appliance HAS to fit perfectly in the patients mouth, thus a TIGHT TIGHT from. Hope you look into these, they are GREAT!.....................Laurie