DIY Injection moulding by JR Hartley.

[HankMcSpank]

Now there's a subject close to my heart :rofl:
Here's a useful link...
http://www.dms-diemould.co.uk/
I started making an injection moulder because I didn't have room for the real thing in the garage. Then I suddenly got space and bought an old 25 ton Arburg, haven't plumbed it in to the 3 phase yet.
The point being, I have most of a home brew, fully automatic injection moulder about 6 feet behind me. All hydraulic, opens closes, ejects, injects from a hot pot a la Travin, measures plastic in, heaters all wired up with a digital thermostat, plugs in to a paralell port for all the critical timings etc.
I don't really want to sell it, but I can be arsed to finish it. If you are interested I am sure we can come to some arrangement :naughty:

Thanks for the mould mft link - Have you had a quote from them for a mould?
Your injection mould - being 3 phase would be a problem (I'm low-fi here!)...I'm also envisagening an unfeasibly large contraption!?

I think your main issue might be making the mould. There are only two moulds for the one at school - both made by the teacher. He told me they were difficult and took a long time to make, especially since he used the surface grinder on the mating faces of the two parts. I guess it could be easier to CNC mill the mould, but still something to consider.

I guess most people aspire to a nicely finished mould (so no machine marks are visible on the end result) - but since these puppies will not be visible, I could probably accept a rough & ready one! I'm hearing that Aluminium loaded expoxy might be the route for the mould for my modest requirements.

R.E. Bobbin making.
Couldn't you just cut them out of a sheet and use a T-slot cutter to do the undercutting? That way you could machine the lot in one go.....and tessellate lots onto a sheet of plastic

That's a reasonable idea...I might ponder. It'd certainly make the beard a little bit shorter (more Rolf Harris than ZZ Top), but I'd still prefer unshaven (I'm talking beards here - right?). Also, a quick skeg on the net shows they might be a bit hard to find? (ok, so Argios probably isn't the best! -joke ok!). BTW that second link - he rocks, talk about understated....legend!

Which Commercial road ?.

C'mon, You know the one (psst: you never heard of tipping?)



PS Not related to injection moulding at all, *but* hot off the press tonight - another 'machine for the home', after much trashing of plastic & flaying of switches & sensors - a 'direct to copper clad board' inkjet printer :-)



Edit: Just seen your post...

funny you should mention a desktop stand alone plastic injection machine, i have the very same thing.

We need more details than that - a photo to prove it along with a scan of your driving license etc. Seriously...I need more details - I think I now need the opposite to viagra (flacidagra?)

[Robin Hewitt]

Thanks for the mould mft link - Have you had a quote from them for a mould? Your injection mould - being 3 phase would be a problem (I'm low-fi here!)...I'm also envisagening an unfeasibly large contraption!?

That's not a mould manufacturer, they sell the bits to make moulds.

See also http://www.pmseurope.com/

The Americans make moulds from what they call 7075 T6 alloy

But Alumec 89 is available in the UK in cut plate and is wear resistant to a greater depth.

I have a book telling how to make a really crummy lever operated press you could knock up in a couple of days. I can find it if you're interested.

[HankMcSpank]

That's proper hard core there Robin - I'm only after making a bobbin 50mm long! (the words crack, hammer & nut a bouncing around my head). A lovely looking machine though (every garage should have one)...but alas, everything I buy has to go into my workshop in the loft (this is London & not many have workshops!) - so anything/everything I buy has to go through a loft hatch!

Re the book ...thanks for the offer, but I'd probably buy something rather than make something - I don't trust myself to build a proper injection moulding machine - anthing over what my car foot pump produces (pressure wise) & I start trembling & having palputations.

[dazza]

That's not a mould manufacturer, they sell the bits to make moulds.

See also Home Page

The Americans make moulds from what they call 7075 T6 alloy

But Alumec 89 is available in the UK in cut plate and is wear resistant to a greater depth.

I have a book telling how to make a really crummy lever operated press you could knock up in a couple of days. I can find it if you're interested.

Some work gone into that robin,did you ever finish it? or did you move it on?ive been slowly gathering the parts to knock one up.

[Robin Hewitt]

Some work gone into that robin,did you ever finish it? or did you move it on?ive been slowly gathering the parts to knock one up.

Finish what? The home brew? Just gathering dust. You could have that really cheap but you'd have to collect it and I'd want to keep the pump

[Robin Hewitt]

I guess most people aspire to a nicely finished mould (so no machine marks are visible on the end result) - but since these puppies will not be visible, I could probably accept a rough & ready one! I'm hearing that Aluminium loaded expoxy might be the route for the mould for my modest requirements.

I think loaded epoxy may give you a couple of shots before flashing becomes a problem.

After machining the mould you get out your die grinding pencil and polish up the visible bits.

I do have a 4.25" diameter bar of 7075 T6, I could probably flog you a couple of slices off it if you have the means to cut it :naughty:

[i2i]

Thanks for the mould mft link - Have you had a quote from them for a mould?
Your injection mould - being 3 phase would be a problem (I'm low-fi here!)...I'm also envisagening an unfeasibly large contraption!?



I guess most people aspire to a nicely finished mould (so no machine marks are visible on the end result) - but since these puppies will not be visible, I could probably accept a rough & ready one! I'm hearing that Aluminium loaded expoxy might be the route for the mould for my modest requirements.



That's a reasonable idea...I might ponder. It'd certainly make the beard a little bit shorter (more Rolf Harris than ZZ Top), but I'd still prefer unshaven (I'm talking beards here - right?). Also, a quick skeg on the net shows they might be a bit hard to find? (ok, so Argios probably isn't the best! -joke ok!). BTW that second link - he rocks, talk about understated....legend!


C'mon, You know the one (psst: you never heard of tipping?)



PS Not related to injection moulding at all, *but* hot off the press tonight - another 'machine for the home', after much trashing of plastic & flaying of switches & sensors - a 'direct to copper clad board' inkjet printer :-)



Edit: Just seen your post...




We need more details than that - a photo to prove it along with a scan of your driving license etc. Seriously...I need more details - I think I now need the opposite to viagra (flacidagra?)

it's made by the small power machine tool co, and is an sp1.

[Jonathan]

That's a reasonable idea...I might ponder. It'd certainly make the beard a little bit shorter (more Rolf Harris than ZZ Top), but I'd still prefer unshaven (I'm talking beards here - right?). Also, a quick skeg on the net shows they might be a bit hard to find? (ok, so Argios probably isn't the best! -joke ok!). BTW that second link - he rocks, talk about understated....legend!

I've got 5 of them and I've never used them...so if you want one they're going cheap :P