Vacuum covers...

[Justwannano]

Has anybody tried using a vac-u-form to make pup covers?

I saw this one and thought it may work.

[jonson]

It's an mdf box with a lot of small holes in the top and a vacuum connector plus 2 square frames also mdf. You could make it for $20 dollars from scrap and spend the rest on high impact polystyrene or abs to do your forming with and still make you molding bucks as well. I did say I would do a tutorial but I have been super busy but it will come as soon as I can. Also 12x12 is wasted sheeting as with the pull required to do say a soapbar you would only get one on there and cut 80% away so better to go about 8x6 and that will do the job for you.. As iit says on that site ideal for model car bodies, but stick a strat cover in the middle of that and the rest is waste...

[Spence]

I make quite a few different covers with a home-brew vacuum former. It's not easy and it does take time but the results can be rewarding and cost effective.
The price of the plastic sheet is pennies but you have to factor in your time. That said, I can make my covers far faster than it would take to order and wait for someone else's covers. What's even better is that you can make sure your own covers fit the pickup, pole spacing and the guitar's rout.

[John_H]

I've been wanting to try this for a long time. What would be a good thickness of ABS for covers?

[Spence]

You need to go as thin as you can because you don't want that cover to have too much of an effect on the tone.
I use 1.5 and 2mm sheets of ABS and Styrene.

[jonson]

I'm still tied up a bit at the mo Spence ( a lot of people wanna do that to me.) part of which is running a pile of flatwork for you so can you stick up some pics of covers/ bucks and bits and see if these guys can get along the road. The only guys it will hurt will be allpratts/mojo etc and that can't be a bad thing as they don't seem to want to get their act together and if they did get it right they would want a high price for the extra of getting it correct.

[ReWind]

Also 12x12 is wasted sheeting as with the pull required to do say a soapbar you would only get one on there and cut 80% away...

This is an excellent point, and something I've experienced. What I don't know, however, is…

Would a stronger vacuum be a reasonable solution, pending the table/box could handle the pressure (braced extruded aluminum)?

I'd love to get 4 or 6 soapbars out of a sheet.

[jonson]

This is an excellent point, and something I've experienced. What I don't know, however, is…

Would a stronger vacuum be a reasonable solution, pending the table/box could handle the pressure (braced extruded aluminum)?

I'd love to get 4 or 6 soapbars out of a sheet.

Not a problem just depends on the size of your platten and the power of your vacuum plus heating.
Worth having a nose round this forum as a place where I learnt a lot.
www.TK560.com :: Index

[David Schwab]

Didn't we have a thread on vac-u-forming once? I remember some photos, either from Spence or Jonson, or both.


Bartolini used to vac-u-form their covers. Not sure if they do anymore. I think Dingwall did too.

[Bill M]

Jonson helper me out greatly when I was starting to vacuform. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

What I use is a dentists vacuformer that they use for making mouth guards and such. I bought mine used off ebay for $60. It has a 6" table and is all in one heater, vacuum pump and all. I just cut the styrene in to 6" squares, place it in the holder, put the buck on the table and wait for the styrene do get droopy, then slide it down on the buck and viola, easy. Now trimming up the parts is the tedious part.