How would you make a canopy mold?

[acerc]

I would like to know how to make a canopy mold/ plug. What works for you guys and materials used.

 

[Jetpainter]

I know Terry has done it and had it in one of his threads, but I'm not sure which one.

 

[acerc]

Maybe someone whom knows Terry can hook me up.

 

[HRRC Flyer]

Hey @Terryscustom ,
Can you help Ace out with his its Canopy?

Hey Ace, if you put the @ symbol in front of someone's username like I did above, it will send an alert to the user to read your post. Your "Alert Box" is on the top right hand side of the home page. It's a neat little option I haven't seen on the other sites.

 

[acerc]

Cool, that is my "Learn something" today. Thank you.

 

[Ohio AV8TOR]

Are you asking for fiberglass or vacuum forming? For vacuum forming it is better to pull over a plug not in a mold. I have made several and I like using REN board because it has no grain that shows through. I use PETG for the material

 

[acerc]

I need to make, a plug, to vacuum form a canopy. I have tried PETG, Acrylic, and Plexiglas. The first two sagged to much for my abilities, kept getting wrinkles in it. The plexi worked real well but I fear it may be to brittle in the long run. I am currently using a Plaster of Paris plug I poured from the original cracked canopy. I have been told that I need a lighter plug that I can affix to the vac table and place the table/mold over the glass on the oven to eliminate the wrinkles. I have read, researched, and had a few fellas try to tell me how. What I have read is mostly commercial, my set up is far short of that. And the few guys that told me a thing or two, well, I'll just say none of them worked out. I watched a tutorial on a plastic companies website which showed the inverted method and it seems that may be my best bet. But to be quite frank, I have no clue as to what I am actually doing.

 

[acerc]

What I need, and many others that try to learn how to vacuum form, is a down to earth basic tutorial. My oven is made of 1" insulated board 24"x30"and 24" deep with a heating element at the bottom, it seems to do well for heating the plastic quickly. My table is 24"x30" and 4" deep and I use a big shop vac for suction.
The first time I tried a pull the vac pulled the top in so bad I had to add a bunch of 1" dowels inside for support. The table works real well and the oven is sufficient. I need a good plug and to be shown or told how to use PETG would be great.

 

[acerc]

Here is the Plexi canopy and windscreen I pulled. Turned out great, especially after I bought the special drill bits. But it is brittle in a manner, had one corner crack during assembly, so I don't think it will last long.

 

[Ohio AV8TOR]

Ace PETG is actually easy to VF. What temp are you using to form, all you need is 300-320º. If it sagged to0 far you were to0 hot or left it under the heat too long. It is really when it jiggles when you flick it with you finger. Too much sag leaves crease lines. It should require some stretching down over your plug.