About Vacuum Forming

[Dwight]

There have been a few threads in the past little while about molding and forming.

I started out doing the thumbs, fingers, dowels, etc, . . . made me tired.

Went to a press, . . . worked great, . . . got scared that some day I would crunch someone's plastic fantastic shooter upper.

Researched vacuum forming, . . . with a little help from a carpenter / cabinet / window / door maker buddy.

This is the system I now use, . . . just thought I would share.

It starts out with the 3 basic tools needed: a vacuum pump, . . . a bag, . . . and a way to seal the bag.

The pump came from Harbor Freight, . . . $100 more or less, . . . it is the cheaper of the two they sell.

The bag is a piece of clear vinyl from JoAnns, . . . doubled over, . . . 2 inches of the edges stuck together with Weldwood.

The seal is two pieces of PVC plastic, . . . 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch, . . . cut the groove in the 3/4 with a table saw and a lot of care.

[Dwight]

To use the vacuum bag, . . . cut out your pattern (vac 6 picture)

Prepare your firearm properly, in this case I had to make sure the sight channel would be made, by taping a dowel onto the top of the revolver. Don't forget to do this !!!

WET the leather, . . . like REALLY wet, . . . almost sopping, sloppy wet, . . . wrap it around the firearm in it's general final position. You do not have to be perfect with this part, . . . but the better you are, . . . the better the end product. I'll usually lay it down and thumb in a couple places to help keep it from moving.

[Dwight]

Next slip the gun & holster into the bag, . . . seal the bag, . . . turn on the pump.

It only takes a few seconds usually. I'll also turn the pump on & off, . . . on & off, . . . carefully re-positioning anything that needs to be moved, . . . and allowing the bag to re-position itself. I usually hit it at least 3 times, . . . and sometimes even do a little thumb action to assist.

If you look real close, you will see a small cutting board under the holster, . . . I use that if I want the back to be pretty flat. If you don't use it, . . . it'll form the back to the weapon real close too.

The last picture is just to note that I was using 8 oz leather for this holster.

And of course, vac 11 picture is of the finished product. My customer was very well pleased, . . . his wife was estatic.

Anyway, . . . that's how I do it, . . . hope some of you can benefit from this.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Jeff L]

Nice tutorial Dwight...Thanks for sharing... That came out beautiful. How did you stitch that?

[hestes]

Thank you!! That was very helpful!

[Dwight]

Nice tutorial Dwight...Thanks for sharing... That came out beautiful. How did you stitch that?

Tippmann Boss, . . . 346 thread top and bottom.

May God bless,

Dwight

[olds cool]

Great posts Dwight. I think I missed what you are using for the nipple on the bag.

[Dwight]

The nipple comes from

http://www.veneersupplies.com/products/Valve-Stem-Assembly.html

If I remember correctly, . . . about $15.

You can see it in a couple of the pictures, . . . round, shiney thing, left side of the bag.

May God bless,

Dwight

[malabar]

Dwight,

I'm currently using a vacuum-sealer to to do the same job, but I'm looking for something that has a bit more "oomph." Have been pondering doing the press. Since you've tried both methods, how do you compare the degree of detail you get with each?

thanks for the guidance

tk

[Dwight]

Hands down on the vacuum forming for detail.

First holster I did with it was a Rhodesian pattern for a 1911, . . . 7/8 oz leather if I remember correctly.

Formed everything, . . . pulled it out of the bag, . . . gently slipped model out, . . . let it dry.

Had to force the model in the next day, . . . then I thought I was going to have to get a scalpel to get my model out.

Vacuum forming is seriously better in my estimation, . . .

May God bless,

Dwight