This was kind of a toss up between tools and scratch builders, cause this vacuum machine is a tool, but then you got to build yourself, after you purchase it, you buy the key elements from them, and they give you the plans to put it together.

Now this seemed like this would be a real nice machine for anybody interested in vacuum molding, cause it has the oven, and vacuum all in the same box, and they claim it to be way stronger then any vacuum cleaner.

Their address is
Http://www.build-stuff.com/1001plans.htm#1001%20Specifications%20and%20features

I figured this was good enough to share, cause it was a combined unit, with no more going in between oven to your vacuum machine, and worrying about getting plastic all over your oven, cause with this you can watch it all right in front of you, just flip it over when it's ready.

The only thing, even after the price, you still haft to put it together, but I figured just about everybody here in the scratch part can handle that, they claim about 3 weekends to finish it.
Kerry

Kerry,
For an even cheaper option, check out my article here at Armorama on making your own from household items.

Home-made Vacuum Forming Machine

Thanks Gino.... I knew someone would have a more affordable way.

I just found my old mattel Vaccuform Machine in a box that has been in storage since 1994 when I transferred to Spain! You just gotta wonder what the heck is being dragged around behind you all these years! The heating element works, but the suction pump is shot. Gotta modify it to take a vacuum hose.
Cheers!

Really what I was thinking was that 60 or 65 dollar heating part you can buy separate, so you can still use your vacuum cleaner cause that is where the price sky rockets is in the vacuum machine.

Now they claim it is way better then any vacuum cleaner on the market, but if everybody has been happy using a vacuum cleaner before, then they should still, the only thing they now can combine everything with that 60 or 65 dollar heating element, and no more going back and forth to the oven.

That seemed well worth the 60 some dollars to get rid of the oven. It's the vacuum machine that brings it up to over 300, just don't buy that part of it. They show separate parts for sale.
Kerry

Gino, man.
That's brilliant! It gives me so many ideas! I have access to a 15"X15" pizza oven that, with some thinking and some clever material gathering, I can make a small vacuum-forming station in my workshop.

Cuhail

I have one of the Mattell vacuform machines that I got about 15 years ago at a flea market for $20. Heating element is good, and the pump was so-so. I removed the pump contraption and attached a small 1 hp shop vac to it. Works like a champ for most stuff although the forming area of it is kind of small. I do have a buddy who has an industrial size model that will take 16"x16" sheets and can help me out when I need larger pieces formed. "Q"

To what I was thinking was the heating element cause I have a propane stove, and I figured a lot more people here did to, that or natural gas, and they aren't the best for heating plastic.

That pump is where the price goes up, I would just buy the heating element, and build a place to hook up a vacuum cleaner to the other side, cause I already got a couple different shop vacs around here, but I don't have the 300 dollars for the pump, but I could go $60.00 to get rid of my oven, that the thermostat don't work right anyway, and it has that dark glass you can't see anything through anyway.

You can just barely tell you got something in there, let alone tell when it is drooping.
Kerry