Usually I watch a how-to video like this and think this is beyond my skill set but after viewing your tutorial I have no doubt that I can build my own Injection Molding Machine. Very well explained, two thumbs up...
@@gertnel1602 I have used lower wattage bands in the past but they never seemed to have enough power or take too long. The 380W versions are not hard to find if you need them.
I just made an injection molder and it worked on the first try. I bought a puzzle piece mold for testing and made 2 parts. Thanks for a good set of instructions that were easy to follow. I did watch parts of the video a few times while building it to be sure I didn't make a mistake. Now I need to start making my own molds.
Wow, I've been trying to learn about injection molding. Not only I learned how injection molding works, I am now the proud owner of my own machine in the garage. Just finished putting it together. Can't wait till tomorrow to run a couple of projects
Been looking around for a manufacturer to make a bunch of parts for me at a price I’m not willing to pay. This is exactly the thing I need to make! Thank you sir
Just one question i have: what would you actually use it for? I would think most parts you could probably 3d print or cnc machine since you need to have cnc anyways for the molds. I get the handles shown since you could produce many of them cheaply with high strenght, but then again you can simply buy such parts
@@avivharari1362 ah interresting. Im pretty sure that wont work unless maybe with duplex and thats a lot of material. Silicone will flex and legos are actually really really precise
@@D3nn1s I see your point Im thinking about making one for making duplicates of my wax models for lost wax casting. but I see your point as to why use one of these when you could use the CNC machines that people are using to make the molds haha
This is such a great design. The minimal use of custom parts is brilliant. I love how the nozzle is removable for easy cleaning. I built a desktop injection molding machine a while back and the barrel/nozzle was a single piece and it was very difficult to completely purge it to change plastic. I ordered the stainless steel parts right after watching this video and I'm looking forward to putting it together. Great job all around with this and thank you for sharing it!
As a Process Technician in the injection molding industry i find this very cool. It's a great addition to any garage molder. It'd be cool to be able to add a reciprocating screw with a makeshift check ring to help with mixing different colors and help with heating the material.
@Jenny clark Hello Jenny. If you browse through my channel you can see how I use a 3018 Pro hobby CNC machine to make my aluminum molds. I am currently looking into using SLA 3D printed molds as well.
@@BusterBeagle3D Great video- definitely interested in the SLA resin mold aspect, I have some parts that I normally 3d print but they would be a lot better off injection molded
@Jenny clark You can contact a local business to get the Moulds / Dies C&Ced out for you. Or you can make them out of arts and crafts resin as well, to an extent.(not ideal but will be cheaper and workable)
@Jenny clark Lazer cutting or CNC Machining, Product development services, There should be dedicated centers where Makers and Students can capy a little fee to be able to use their equipment
Top, Great idea, I've been thinking about this machine for 10 years, I considered using a drill holder, but using 2, it solves all the problems. valew brother you are the best. In my country, this machine is sold for R $ 8,000.00 at around USD 1472.40
Great video, being a CNC machine shop here. I have made parts for a lot of injection molding machines for customers. Might be interesting to make this just to play with it. Thank You for sharing!
Dude... That is BRILLIANT!!! Many years ago I'd purchased the book and parts to make a Gingery injection molding machine. Never did make that machine because I didn't feel like machining all the steel components. Even though I've substituted resin 3D printing for injection molding, I've always wanted to have that in my hobby manufacturing "toolbox", but shied away from doing so with a small commercial bench top machine, due to the extreme cost of one. This is just what I needed!!! Thanks for sharing such an innovative way to produce your own injection molding machine...
@@BusterBeagle3D Looking forward to the Stainless steel parts being back in stock. Also... The Temp sensor you spec'd is out of stock. There are two others that Amazon recommends that look to be similar. One is for 400 degrees, the other for 800. Any preference? Thanks again!
@@WHJeffB Seems like every time I link to a temp sensor wire it goes out of stock ;) You just need a K type sensor with a M6 thread. The 400 degrees would be more than enough and the wires that are 1 meter long are long enough to. They have come with every Rex C-100 PID controller that I have bought. You should easily be able to buy a kit that comes with the PID, SSR, and Temp Sensor wire.
Sir, I in love with your video and your machine. I've seen lots of videos of desktop injection machines, but none as well explained as yours. My pleasure. Thank you thank you thank you!
This is a very nice build. I may just need to attempt this myself. One thing I would caution you on is the solder type heat shrink connectors are not a great choice for this application. The connections to the heater elements in particular should be mechanical connectors of some sort - preferably heat resistant. Solder is fine for low temperature, low current applications, but it could melt from the higher current and temperature it is exposed to here.
And the type of wire connecting to heating elements is often a type that doesn't accept solder. Note that most similar heaters on eBay or Amazon come with screw-clamp connectors or other mechanically fastened connectors.
I haven't really looked to much into the ceramics since the mica bands have worked great and are pretty cheap. Maybe something to look into in the future.
@@BusterBeagle3D yah, majority all injection machine also use mica bands for the heater. Is cheap than ceramic or induction heater. Great job bro. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 I like your project.
I would live a follow-up video of you making more complex parts so we can see the limits of the machine. Things like thin walls, larger dimension pieces, complex geometry parts. I think that is where this machine will really shine. For example: automotive electrical connector housings with tight tolerances, brackets with 90 degree angles and webbing, glass filed materials, large sweeping thin-walled part like an optical mouse shell. Can't wait to see more videos on this!
I think a lot of cable connectors are molded around the cable itself, i.e. they don't come off or have any pretense of reuse. Also a lot of them are coming out of patent, and I can see mechanics buying a set of molds for their particular car brand. A pipe joint or some other waterproof tube would also be great, a lot of applications there. At some point it's your ability to make high-tech molds that becomes the limiting factor, not the hot glue gun.
This was my question exactly, and the whole reason I was reading through the comments lol. Looking at the other videos, the most complex design I saw was the coin that had small text, and it looked like it did that fine with high quality.
Ryan, i ordered your custom stainless steel pieces a couple days ago and just received them today so, im still in the process of building this injector. i will start on the electrical tomorrow, but i just wanted to take a minute to say… thank you. so far everything is going perfectly and i want you to know that i really do appreciate what your doing, graciously sharing your knowledge.. i can not thank you enough.. im so happy right now.. best $135 ive spent in awhile.. thank you again Ryan.. your a good person.. God bless ☺️👍
Just got that pid/ssr kit 50% off xD couldn't resist! I've been wanting to start this build for years! You've done a great job refining this since last I saw it. Thank you for the step by step. I hope your efforts have paid off well!
Dude, you are the absolute king of detailed tutorials!!! I don’t even want to build one of these but was totally captivated and entertained! Keep it up! Great video!!!
Absolutely killer work here! Not sure I even need an injection molding machine, but I'm pretty sure this is going on my "to make" list for the near future!
@@cannaroe1213 I can have him make them, easy enough. Or outsource it after initial prototyping. However the bigger issue is the size, I'd need to build one with a far, far bigger capacity to make anything of use. Which as with all things, will drive the cost up quite a bit.
Ok, weird that it took me so long to find this channel, even tho i was actively searching for inspiration for my own Injection molding machine. In the end i build something that was a bit more expensive (about 300) and looked a lot more post apocalyptic, if you want to see the ghetto version of what you build, check out my build series :)
Seems like I released this video around the same time you did so I can see why you didn't see it. Your build seems fine and even if it's Apocalyptic as long as it works it's great!
I'm doing manual injection from 27 years. Your machine is very nice, easy for position of the mold. My problem is mold making of organic figures like animals, letters, etc. But my diy cnc can do it, I 'm testing.
i have run many an extruder/injection molder, and this is a push molder at best. i cant believe someone has not made a scaled down version of a big boy with a screw, the concepts are simple, heat and pressure
I ran a carousel injection mold machine at k & n in my early 20s. I was thinking about this. I wonder if you could make one out of like a coffee machine or something.
Have you learned anything more about PET plastic recycling? I have seen where people have made small scale bottle shredders and the plastic is turned into fine shards. The melting point for PET is 270-280 C so i wonder if it is possible to upgrade the controller to melt at higher temps if it doesn't already? If possible, there is a lot of material just laying around outside (unfortunately) that can possibly be repurposed at home.
@@anthonybevers6066 PET loses some of it's properties when re-melted, it probably can't be used for the same purpose, like a soda bottle, but nothing stops it from doing an other function, a more thick part, like an end cap, handle or something. If this guy th-cam.com/video/L3TxCJKbMEY/w-d-xo.html can simply cut a thin strip and put it thought a slightly modified 3d printer, I don't see why one couldn't push into a mold, since 3d printing needs a much more precise and consistent feeding and injection is much more brute force and forgiving.
@@Spartacusse well, honestly all plastics lose properties, maybe just one more so than the others. That should be fine if you consider that in your process/design and if you're fine with it for your item. Industrially, from what I've heard to maintain high quality no more than 5% of input should be recycled material (usually coming from the factory itself, for example from cutted off extruded pathways in multi-item moulds).
Excellent video, clean build. Love the concept of using off the shelf components for the build. If I were to build one in would be with the intention of molding disc golf discs. This would require a larger volume of plastic. Not sure off the top of my head how much more.. best guess is triple the volume. Ideas? Thanks for the great content! Keep it up!
Thank you! I'll keep trying to put out content as much as time allows me to ;) Yeah right now this machine is really limited to parts smaller then the golf discs. I guess the concept could work the same way if you design a longer chamber with more heaters and a larger frame. It's definitely something I will look into depending on the interest I get in the machine. Thanks again!
larger parts will require a larger chamber size, and it will require more injection pressure and mold clamping pressure. Something like this baby machine is fine with just a couple C clamps and a drill press, but you may need to go to something based around a vice and an arbor press to cope with the forces involved. Also, if you're planning to do any sort of volume, you will want to find a place local to you that can build you a mold out of steel. Steel is more dimensionally stable with temperature, and it will allow for the clamping pressures that you need. In addition to that, while you're having a mold built, you should also consider incorporating some cooling channels in your mold halves so that you can quickly cool parts and maintain some sort of stable mold temperature. Once you're done with all that, you'll have most of the features that a commercial machine would have.
I got your order and it will go out first thing in the morning! I do agree that the chamber was the hardest part. I went through many, MANY, iterations of it. I even started by trying to make it solely out of available parts and cobbling it together but that never worked. I went through about 8 manufactured design prototypes before it was dialed in. I would love to see your version once you done with it. Thanks again.
I've found exact same press on amazon UK, will build this machine to get some experience then probably build my own fully automated desktop size one for less than $3k (equvalent machines go for $8-20k)
Thanks! This is plastic injection molding in it simplest form and can be way much more involved but this is a great way for those interested in dipping their toes in it.
Between your videos, Crafsman, and JohnSL, we're really spoiled for injection molding content right now. I appreciate the amount of attention given to the PID temperature controller setup; I have an Emco 999 benchtop machine that I've been wanting to modify with digital controls and it shouldn't be too difficult to adapt this arrangement to my machine.
If you look closely at the molds there are very slight groves coming off of there where the air can escape the molds. It would still be needed even with these smaller molds.
Just watched a video on how most plastics aren't being recycled. This is great; hope to make one and a fuel maker someday soon. Thanks. Liked and subscribed.
I may make a few full kits in the future but I keep pretty busy now with all different types of projects. Not to mention the cheapest way to make one would be to DIY. If I made the whole thing it would be quite it bit more expensive.
@@BusterBeagle3D If you do decide to send these to someone not fully comfortable with line voltages, please make sure the ground connection is actually up to spec.
@@Validole Thanks. I know that there is some concern that there might be some coating or paint on the frame the might prevent a good ground connection but I assure you that I have checked the continuity of the connection with a multimeter and the ground functions correctly. If I was to sell fully assembled machines I would go once step further and really make sure that connection in uncoated and secure.
If every 'TH-cam DIY how to tutorial creator hobbyist' had such a paper template like you have , it would change its teaching's a lot! it would explain everything so much easier! very wise and good what you did there with the electrical wire's length in 1:1 ratio and all explained. Very informative and this made the video 100% more better! Now im just imagining a manual, something like a "LEGO manual" or that its explained in the same way, this would make it so much more fun,easier and better that even a kid could get along with it, something like a "LEGO manual" would revolutionize the hobbyist or DIY field, a machine kit or any other type of DIY kit made for creator's by creators, instead of these boring corporative manual's no one is reading because it look's like a term's of use note or a test exame made by a public school system. You're like a teacher that the school system misses. Im convinced and subscribed! Can you also teach how to make those plastic pellets? Maybe with a blender where you need to put plastic trash in it where you just could trash unwanted object's to recycle them into something new you could design ♻️ ♾ .
This is incredible! I've never done injection molding before, and this makes it very accessible :) Big question though: If you want to mold something that has a greater volume than a single shot, is it possible to do multiple shots to fill the mold without creating significant defects or weaknesses in the molded object?
I don't believe it is possible to inject twice into a mold with any type of machine. You can inject twice if you are over molding a current piece but not if you are just trying to fill the same cavity.
@@Michel-7.7.7 I haven't heard of anything like that. If you need a much larger volume I know there are some other builds on things like the precious plastic website but it may require a little more work to get a machine set up.
@@BusterBeagle3D thx for your quick Response and for sharing your knowledge. Awesome tutorial, x magnitudes better than the guys at the other end of the Bell curve, like one guy without even a screwdriver, who 'converted' an ATX Power supply into a 'bench top Power supply', by using a pocket knife to open the case and cut wires.
The sad part when you are not in the US and this does not become $200 USD or less. Oh well, gotta source the materials! Great video Ryan, appreciate it.
Yeah, even the prices of many of the parts have gone up in the US as well. If you search around enough for parts you should still be able to make the machine for far less then other options out there. Thanks for watching.
Nice will try that one day. Just one thing a heat insulation sleeve (silicon fibre glass) between heating chamber and the holder would speed up heating. This would of course require the holder to be bored a bit but I think it would be worth it.
I agree that would help. There is actually a tiny bit of space between the holder and the chamber before you clamp it down and on some versions I did add a few layers of high heat insulating tape to create a little separation but obviously not as good as a real insulator.
Also in any manufactured machine NEMA Code requires a separate ground point. This ground point does not perform any other mechanical function(s) as they can loosen thus loosing ground. A drilled and tapped hole for a screw or a self-tapping screw could be used. Further I would use an eyelet terminal so that in the even the screw loosens the ground wire will not fall off. A second ground wire needs to be run to the lower bracket holding the injection nozzle and heater assembly with the same installation of the ground as the upper assembly. Great video.
Hello, I come from Germany and work with plastic. I recommend that you hold the pressure for about 10 seconds after the injection, which is called holding pressure on injection molding machines. Otherwise I am very surprised at the result!
Neat project. It seems the wires of the top heat band are being pinched by the mount. Perhaps a couple of grinded notches in the mount that would allow room for the 2 wires coming out of the top heat band.
Wow I was looking for a low cost injection molding machine just like this one - but yeah - the cost of them are so much higher than an advanced 3D printer! Great video - I think i will try to make this one!
I used an old " electric cooker ". And connect the circuit to heat chamber works well and can melt the plastic easily. But my machine is mainly manual and need to manually check temperature using digital thermometer. Not a fancy machine but dirt cheap cost me like 10$ . I am Philippines.
Came to the comments to say this as well. That ground connection needs a star washer to bite into the powder-coated case, the spade terminal should be a ring terminal so it can't be pulled out accidentally, and it should be properly sized for the bolt it's going on. Also worth pointing out that when you reverse the forked terminals so they don't scrape on the case, you're also defeating the purpose of a forked terminal, which is that it can be inserted without removing the screw. Might as well use ring terminals all around and be completely secure.
You should make a heeat staking press with interchangeble dies they are very expensive and its almost the same principle as yours,Ill buy it from you,Thanks Raoul!!
Great tutorial. Has a genuine Mr. Rodgers feel that should resonate positive with GenX. In the spirit of iron sharpens iron there was one thing that you might improve on. You use the word actually, maybe to excess. Otherwise this was an extremely well organized tutorial and i enjoyed the way you did it. Now i want to see how you make your molds. I also want to figure out how to use a forcing screw with a hopper to pull larger volumes.
I suppose that you could build out this idea even further with some sort of automated pellet dispenser if you wanted to speed up processing. It's a great project, thanks for sharing and furthering desktop manufacturing!
Thanks for this! Been trying to figure out how I could justify an LNS 150A. This machine looks like it will do the job. Those heater bands are hard to get hold of right now; you're out and so is every other source. Ended up buying a 5 pack on ebay, shipping from Hong Kong.
I know what you mean. Hopefully they are all gone because people are busy building the machines! I actually have 30 on order that should be arriving tomorrow so I will at least have some in stock. Thanks again for your order!
@zachary eaton: Can you post the link to the eBay item? Unfortunately I can't find a suitable alternative of these heat bands in Germany that fits to the bores in the chamber. I have already ordered Chamber and Plunge via Etsy. :)
Fikir çok güzel. Kalıbın daha kolay sıkıştırılması ve daha düzenli bir hale getirilmesi ile çok daha profesyonel ve hızlı bir makine elde edilebilir. Elinize, emeğinize sağlık.
Just finished assembling mine, but have some troubleshooting to do. I think I’m going to redo the ground wire like Steve Spence suggested below, using a grounding screw and connecting it also to the lower frame. Also, the drill press frames seem to have changed design a bit since you made this video. I had to do a fair amount of modification to mine for various fitment issues. Nothing a little dremel work couldn’t handle, but thought I’d note it. Also, the frame pieces are coated in paint, which seems to be burning off when I turn it on, so I’m going to have to disassemble the heating element, remove the paint on that lower frame, and reassemble it. The paint also caused some problems early in assembly where it jammed up the lowering action, making me need to repair the main rod with some filing. The temperature doesn’t want to stop increasing either, but I suspect that’s just a simple temp sensor swap. Issues aside, I’m quite pleased with the ease of assembly and the fact that I didn’t burn my house down turning it on. XD I can’t wait to actually try using it on a mold after I get these problems fixed.
Also the heating element clamps are too small to properly close around the heating elements. Well, to be clear, the bolts on the clamps are too short. Longer bolts would fix it, but in the mean time I had to use some steel zip ties to secure the clamps, which isn’t a great solution.
Glad you got it all together! I am aware of some slight changes between different companies that make the drill press stands which is why I have that image on Thingiverse pointing the to proper PID enclosure for your frame. It seems like you have it handled anyway so you should be good. Also do check out the Update video for this machine. I go over some things having to do with the MK2 machine but I also go over some setup for your PID in that video which may help with the overshooting temps so give it a quick watch. Also feel free to join the Buster Beagle 3D Facebook group or just reach out if you ever run into any issues. www.youtube.com/watch? v=1GWBhMkB2vM
@@doublezero7850 If you use some Vice grips to close the clamps they should just fit but it isn't easy to do. Just to make it easier for everyone going forward I just bought a few boxes of M6x45 socket head bolts that I'll start including with orders just to make it easier. I get them next week if you need any and are still having issues.
Also just realized that the updates to the PID enclosure I had added on Thingiverse didn't stick so I just added them back again. It had updated in the MK2 version but not the original for some reason.
I have not build this yet, but some suggestions: rather than using solder joints, it is much better to use crimp connections. Solder in the heatshrink is low temperature solder! Also, you link to an "international" band heater of only 120W at 220V. This seems way too low (240W instead of 760W total). It is not even necessary to use an international version as it is perfectly ok to wire the 110V band heaters in series for 220V (actually 230V here in Europe). Steve Spence already mentioned that the ground connection needs improvement. I found the exact drill press on AliExpress that ships from France (search for "Universal Bench Clamp Drill Press Stand Workbench"). Thanks! This is an interesting build.
You are correct. You could just hook it up in series but both will be more then enough power to heat up the chambers. I also have changed the ground connection to a different part of a bare metal frame for the MKII version of the machine that I will be releasing a video on very shortly. Thanks again for watching!
As someone that retired from a plastics molding plant end of 2019 after 27 years I find this very interesting. Not anything like the machines I worked with, nor anywhere near the cost, but I’m tempted to give this a go. The biggest problem and cost would be getting the molds made. I haven’t looked yet but do you have any vids on that?
I have some videos on how I use a 3018 Pro CNC machine to make molds out of Aluminum Blocks. I am currently testing using resin printers to create the molds as well. I will make a new video with the findings on that as soon as I am able to investigate it further.
Fabricating the mechanical press apparatus would be possible using a trailer jack and a cordless drill to activate the plunger. I might try it that way.
This is the best organized, detailed, most clearly articulated how-to video I've seen on youtube. Kudos to you, sir. And many thanks for the selfless mindshare. A couple of questions, if I may. For those without the means to manufacture either the 3d printed parts, or the actual molds themselves, what services would you recommend?
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A friend of mine that passed away several years ago. He worked in plastic injection molding. This would have put a smile on his face.
Sorry about your friend but I'm glad you think he would have liked this!
En todo caso seria una carcajada viendo esta estafa
@@serigfor1848 por que dices que es una estafa?
Usually I watch a how-to video like this and think this is beyond my skill set but after viewing your tutorial I have no doubt that I can build my own Injection Molding Machine. Very well explained, two thumbs up...
Thank you! Glad you liked it.
Yep this feel like it's easier and cheaper than getting into 3d printing. I wonder why nobody has a full kit out by now?
Before this video I had no idea how these machines work. Now I know how to build one! Amazing stuff!
Thanks for watching!
@@BusterBeagle3D Hi will a 160w 35x35 band heater work?
@@gertnel1602 I have used lower wattage bands in the past but they never seemed to have enough power or take too long. The 380W versions are not hard to find if you need them.
This is actually the best actual video of an actual injection molding machine actually built of actual off the shelf actual parts.
I actually see what you actually did there……actually.
I just made an injection molder and it worked on the first try. I bought a puzzle piece mold for testing and made 2 parts. Thanks for a good set of instructions that were easy to follow. I did watch parts of the video a few times while building it to be sure I didn't make a mistake. Now I need to start making my own molds.
Awesome! Glad to hear it worked out for you. Thanks for sharing!
took a while to source the parts ,BUT works like a charm ! thanks for the guide :D
Glad it worked for you and I'm happy you put one together!
Wow, I've been trying to learn about injection molding. Not only I learned how injection molding works, I am now the proud owner of my own machine in the garage. Just finished putting it together. Can't wait till tomorrow to run a couple of projects
How did it go?
@@Snkr_suds he's dead
@@KobraVR 😆
RIP
James Franigan will be missed by many. After his tragic accident with his homemade injection molder killed him in his garage...
Been looking around for a manufacturer to make a bunch of parts for me at a price I’m not willing to pay. This is exactly the thing I need to make! Thank you sir
This is one of the best instructional videos I've seen.
I was just about to make one of my own due to the high cost of a manufactured one. You saved me a whole lot of time. Thanks!
You are welcome!
Just one question i have: what would you actually use it for?
I would think most parts you could probably 3d print or cnc machine since you need to have cnc anyways for the molds. I get the handles shown since you could produce many of them cheaply with high strenght, but then again you can simply buy such parts
@@D3nn1s legos with the kids. And i intend to use silicone molds so no need for aluminium ones
@@avivharari1362 ah interresting. Im pretty sure that wont work unless maybe with duplex and thats a lot of material. Silicone will flex and legos are actually really really precise
@@D3nn1s I see your point Im thinking about making one for making duplicates of my wax models for lost wax casting. but I see your point as to why use one of these when you could use the CNC machines that people are using to make the molds haha
This is such a great design. The minimal use of custom parts is brilliant. I love how the nozzle is removable for easy cleaning. I built a desktop injection molding machine a while back and the barrel/nozzle was a single piece and it was very difficult to completely purge it to change plastic.
I ordered the stainless steel parts right after watching this video and I'm looking forward to putting it together. Great job all around with this and thank you for sharing it!
Thank you for the kind words and for the order! It's on it's way to you!
As a Process Technician in the injection molding industry i find this very cool. It's a great addition to any garage molder. It'd be cool to be able to add a reciprocating screw with a makeshift check ring to help with mixing different colors and help with heating the material.
This is a great tutorial - I'm about half way through and still very engaged and excited about the possibilities of making and using one.
Thank you!
@Jenny clark Hello Jenny. If you browse through my channel you can see how I use a 3018 Pro hobby CNC machine to make my aluminum molds. I am currently looking into using SLA 3D printed molds as well.
@@BusterBeagle3D Great video- definitely interested in the SLA resin mold aspect, I have some parts that I normally 3d print but they would be a lot better off injection molded
@Jenny clark You can contact a local business to get the Moulds / Dies C&Ced out for you. Or you can make them out of arts and crafts resin as well, to an extent.(not ideal but will be cheaper and workable)
@Jenny clark Lazer cutting or CNC Machining, Product development services, There should be dedicated centers where Makers and Students can capy a little fee to be able to use their equipment
Very rare to see brilliant engineer and teacher in one person. Easy to understand have not seen more brilliant tutorial.
Thank you very much! I appreciate it.
This is by far the best tutorial I've ever seen on TH-cam. so simple and well explained!
Thank you Ethan!
Top, Great idea, I've been thinking about this machine for 10 years, I considered using a drill holder, but using 2, it solves all the problems. valew brother you are the best. In my country, this machine is sold for R $ 8,000.00 at around USD 1472.40
Great video, being a CNC machine shop here. I have made parts for a lot of injection molding machines for customers. Might be interesting to make this just to play with it. Thank You for sharing!
Would you be able to machine an aluminum split mold of a particular design out of a block that is about 3" X 2" X 5"?. Fairly simple design.
@@kevinhornbuckle would take obviously more than 6 month to answer, plus around 8 years to make it.
Dude... That is BRILLIANT!!! Many years ago I'd purchased the book and parts to make a Gingery injection molding machine. Never did make that machine because I didn't feel like machining all the steel components. Even though I've substituted resin 3D printing for injection molding, I've always wanted to have that in my hobby manufacturing "toolbox", but shied away from doing so with a small commercial bench top machine, due to the extreme cost of one. This is just what I needed!!! Thanks for sharing such an innovative way to produce your own injection molding machine...
You are welcome! Thanks for watching.
@@BusterBeagle3D Looking forward to the Stainless steel parts being back in stock. Also... The Temp sensor you spec'd is out of stock. There are two others that Amazon recommends that look to be similar. One is for 400 degrees, the other for 800. Any preference? Thanks again!
@@WHJeffB Seems like every time I link to a temp sensor wire it goes out of stock ;) You just need a K type sensor with a M6 thread. The 400 degrees would be more than enough and the wires that are 1 meter long are long enough to. They have come with every Rex C-100 PID controller that I have bought. You should easily be able to buy a kit that comes with the PID, SSR, and Temp Sensor wire.
You are a talented engineer. I am impressed with your design and use of off the shelf parts.
Thank you very much!
Sir, I in love with your video and your machine. I've seen lots of videos of desktop injection machines, but none as well explained as yours. My pleasure. Thank you thank you thank you!
Thank you for watching!
This is a very nice build. I may just need to attempt this myself. One thing I would caution you on is the solder type heat shrink connectors are not a great choice for this application. The connections to the heater elements in particular should be mechanical connectors of some sort - preferably heat resistant. Solder is fine for low temperature, low current applications, but it could melt from the higher current and temperature it is exposed to here.
And the type of wire connecting to heating elements is often a type that doesn't accept solder. Note that most similar heaters on eBay or Amazon come with screw-clamp connectors or other mechanically fastened connectors.
Good point. In fact the low melt solder has to be a bismuth tin mix.
What kind of wire is proper?
This is great idea 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻. Why don't you use ceramic heater? I think that more stable and not too hot for the body of nozzle.
I haven't really looked to much into the ceramics since the mica bands have worked great and are pretty cheap. Maybe something to look into in the future.
@@BusterBeagle3D yah, majority all injection machine also use mica bands for the heater. Is cheap than ceramic or induction heater. Great job bro. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 I like your project.
I would live a follow-up video of you making more complex parts so we can see the limits of the machine. Things like thin walls, larger dimension pieces, complex geometry parts. I think that is where this machine will really shine. For example: automotive electrical connector housings with tight tolerances, brackets with 90 degree angles and webbing, glass filed materials, large sweeping thin-walled part like an optical mouse shell. Can't wait to see more videos on this!
I think a lot of cable connectors are molded around the cable itself, i.e. they don't come off or have any pretense of reuse. Also a lot of them are coming out of patent, and I can see mechanics buying a set of molds for their particular car brand. A pipe joint or some other waterproof tube would also be great, a lot of applications there. At some point it's your ability to make high-tech molds that becomes the limiting factor, not the hot glue gun.
This was my question exactly, and the whole reason I was reading through the comments lol. Looking at the other videos, the most complex design I saw was the coin that had small text, and it looked like it did that fine with high quality.
I also forgot to mention that your video is very WELL done and easy to understand ,even for a neophyte like myself! Thank you.
Thank you!
Good tutorial - but you should put the max temperature and then REX100 in the learn mode >AT< so it will regulate and hold exactly the temperature
Ryan, i ordered your custom stainless steel pieces a couple days ago and just received them today so, im still in the process of building this injector. i will start on the electrical tomorrow, but i just wanted to take a minute to say… thank you. so far everything is going perfectly and i want you to know that i really do appreciate what your doing, graciously sharing your knowledge.. i can not thank you enough.. im so happy right now.. best $135 ive spent in awhile.. thank you again Ryan.. your a good person.. God bless ☺️👍
Thank you Mike and I'm glad everything is going well. Don't hesitate to reach out if you hit any issues along the way.
Just got that pid/ssr kit 50% off xD couldn't resist! I've been wanting to start this build for years! You've done a great job refining this since last I saw it. Thank you for the step by step. I hope your efforts have paid off well!
I am so happy I found this, I tried to do something similar with the same drill press about 2 years ago and never got it properly sorted.
Got my parts today, super excited to put this together.
Can't wait to see other people using the machine. Please let me know how it works for you!
sweet! Subscribed
greatest tutorial about mini injection that i saw in the youtube.
Thanks. Appreciate it!
Good job! Excellent way to repurpose pre-existing equipment, that really helps keep costs and build time down!
Dude, you are the absolute king of detailed tutorials!!! I don’t even want to build one of these but was totally captivated and entertained! Keep it up! Great video!!!
Hahaha. Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it even if you don't want to make one.
this is the best home build I have seen
Thank you very much! I have worked really hard at it for a long time and appreciate the compliment!
This is absolutely amazing! I didn’t think it could be done. The skill level of hobbyists is astounding. Bravo, Sir! You have yourself a subscriber!
Thank you and welcome to the channel!
Absolutely killer work here! Not sure I even need an injection molding machine, but I'm pretty sure this is going on my "to make" list for the near future!
I was considering a CNC Router, but since my buddy has one...I think you just made my day.
The two compliment each other - how were you going to make your molds? Out of wood?
@@cannaroe1213 I can have him make them, easy enough. Or outsource it after initial prototyping. However the bigger issue is the size, I'd need to build one with a far, far bigger capacity to make anything of use. Which as with all things, will drive the cost up quite a bit.
Ok, weird that it took me so long to find this channel, even tho i was actively searching for inspiration for my own Injection molding machine.
In the end i build something that was a bit more expensive (about 300) and looked a lot more post apocalyptic, if you want to see the ghetto version of what you build, check out my build series :)
Seems like I released this video around the same time you did so I can see why you didn't see it. Your build seems fine and even if it's Apocalyptic as long as it works it's great!
Nice job!
I'm doing manual injection from 27 years. Your machine is very nice, easy for position of the mold. My problem is mold making of organic figures like animals, letters, etc. But my diy cnc can do it, I 'm testing.
Aye youtube recommending me something useful for once!
Glad you find it useful!
@@BusterBeagle3D I have been trying to find a good diy injection molding build vid and honestly yours hits the head on the nail perfectly!
i have run many an extruder/injection molder, and this is a push molder at best. i cant believe someone has not made a scaled down version of a big boy with a screw, the concepts are simple, heat and pressure
I ran a carousel injection mold machine at k & n in my early 20s. I was thinking about this. I wonder if you could make one out of like a coffee machine or something.
Thanks for sharing this useful video but How can i get larger chamber and plunger for example for maximum shot 100 gram or 150 gram ?
So happy I found this build. I've already ordered all the parts needed for the stand and electricals. Can't wait to get started 😁
Glad you like it! Thanks for watching!
Would be nice to recicle plastics like PET bottles for instance..
Have you learned anything more about PET plastic recycling? I have seen where people have made small scale bottle shredders and the plastic is turned into fine shards. The melting point for PET is 270-280 C so i wonder if it is possible to upgrade the controller to melt at higher temps if it doesn't already? If possible, there is a lot of material just laying around outside (unfortunately) that can possibly be repurposed at home.
@@anthonybevers6066 PET loses some of it's properties when re-melted, it probably can't be used for the same purpose, like a soda bottle, but nothing stops it from doing an other function, a more thick part, like an end cap, handle or something. If this guy th-cam.com/video/L3TxCJKbMEY/w-d-xo.html can simply cut a thin strip and put it thought a slightly modified 3d printer, I don't see why one couldn't push into a mold, since 3d printing needs a much more precise and consistent feeding and injection is much more brute force and forgiving.
@@Spartacusse well, honestly all plastics lose properties, maybe just one more so than the others. That should be fine if you consider that in your process/design and if you're fine with it for your item. Industrially, from what I've heard to maintain high quality no more than 5% of input should be recycled material (usually coming from the factory itself, for example from cutted off extruded pathways in multi-item moulds).
@@elementiro Depends on the factory, and they can benefit from new additives, more control over the recycling process and the manufacturing, etc....
you could make buckles, fishing lures, decorative pens, buttons, key fobs, any number of a thousand small items that sell quick!
Great ideas. The problem is, how to get these moulds? Machine them?
Excellent video, clean build. Love the concept of using off the shelf components for the build. If I were to build one in would be with the intention of molding disc golf discs. This would require a larger volume of plastic. Not sure off the top of my head how much more.. best guess is triple the volume. Ideas? Thanks for the great content! Keep it up!
Thank you! I'll keep trying to put out content as much as time allows me to ;) Yeah right now this machine is really limited to parts smaller then the golf discs. I guess the concept could work the same way if you design a longer chamber with more heaters and a larger frame. It's definitely something I will look into depending on the interest I get in the machine. Thanks again!
larger parts will require a larger chamber size, and it will require more injection pressure and mold clamping pressure. Something like this baby machine is fine with just a couple C clamps and a drill press, but you may need to go to something based around a vice and an arbor press to cope with the forces involved. Also, if you're planning to do any sort of volume, you will want to find a place local to you that can build you a mold out of steel. Steel is more dimensionally stable with temperature, and it will allow for the clamping pressures that you need. In addition to that, while you're having a mold built, you should also consider incorporating some cooling channels in your mold halves so that you can quickly cool parts and maintain some sort of stable mold temperature.
Once you're done with all that, you'll have most of the features that a commercial machine would have.
Oh my! I regret throwing that cheap drill press contraption. Now I will have to buy 2!
I have no idea what I'd make with this but I still want it
Learning about those solder and seal connectors is enough to make this video worth it. Honestly great video !
They are pretty awesome.
Holy Smoke Batman! That's unbelievable! I'm building one!
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
OMG wonderful, never saw this coming, so simple... On my bucket list... but think I will be dead before I can make it, so many wonderful things...
Nice work! I started a molder like this but burned out when I got to making the chamber/nozzle. Just ordered your parts to finish it up.
I got your order and it will go out first thing in the morning! I do agree that the chamber was the hardest part. I went through many, MANY, iterations of it. I even started by trying to make it solely out of available parts and cobbling it together but that never worked. I went through about 8 manufactured design prototypes before it was dialed in. I would love to see your version once you done with it. Thanks again.
This is incredible. I had no idea that this was accessible at this price point. Chapeau!
Thanks!
This is awsome. Ill be adding this to my project list. I sell 3d printed parts and some parts are in need of injection molding
Same... it looks like a good way to recycle failed prints, too.
I've found exact same press on amazon UK, will build this machine to get some experience then probably build my own fully automated desktop size one for less than $3k (equvalent machines go for $8-20k)
Haven't build one yet, but it's definitely on the to-do list. Very nice instructions, thank you.
You're my hero.
I always wanted to make one and you made it easy like butter.
Thank you sir
Thank you!
Really interesting! =) I always thought molding plastic is way more complicated.
Thanks! This is plastic injection molding in it simplest form and can be way much more involved but this is a great way for those interested in dipping their toes in it.
It is.
Between your videos, Crafsman, and JohnSL, we're really spoiled for injection molding content right now. I appreciate the amount of attention given to the PID temperature controller setup; I have an Emco 999 benchtop machine that I've been wanting to modify with digital controls and it shouldn't be too difficult to adapt this arrangement to my machine.
Glad I could be of some service. Thanks for watching!
I had no idea I needed one of these. Thanks
Glad I could help you realize that you do :)
This is really an outstanding video, and I watched the whole thing in one shot. Thank you for being impeccable.
Thank you! I appreciate it.
Is an hole for the air to escape not needed when injecting plastic into the mould?
If you look closely at the molds there are very slight groves coming off of there where the air can escape the molds. It would still be needed even with these smaller molds.
Just watched a video on how most plastics aren't being recycled. This is great; hope to make one and a fuel maker someday soon. Thanks. Liked and subscribed.
You should go into production with this.
I may make a few full kits in the future but I keep pretty busy now with all different types of projects. Not to mention the cheapest way to make one would be to DIY. If I made the whole thing it would be quite it bit more expensive.
@@BusterBeagle3D If you do decide to send these to someone not fully comfortable with line voltages, please make sure the ground connection is actually up to spec.
@@Validole Thanks. I know that there is some concern that there might be some coating or paint on the frame the might prevent a good ground connection but I assure you that I have checked the continuity of the connection with a multimeter and the ground functions correctly. If I was to sell fully assembled machines I would go once step further and really make sure that connection in uncoated and secure.
If every 'TH-cam DIY how to tutorial creator hobbyist' had such a paper template like you have , it would change its teaching's a lot! it would explain everything so much easier! very wise and good what you did there with the electrical wire's length in 1:1 ratio and all explained. Very informative and this made the video 100% more better!
Now im just imagining a manual, something like a "LEGO manual" or that its explained in the same way, this would make it so much more fun,easier and better that even a kid could get along with it, something like a "LEGO manual" would revolutionize the hobbyist or DIY field, a machine kit or any other type of DIY kit made for creator's by creators, instead of these boring corporative manual's no one is reading because it look's like a term's of use note or a test exame made by a public school system.
You're like a teacher that the school system misses.
Im convinced and subscribed!
Can you also teach how to make those plastic pellets? Maybe with a blender where you need to put plastic trash in it where you just could trash unwanted object's to recycle them into something new you could design ♻️ ♾ .
Thank you. I appreciate it! Looks like you also found my video on plastic recycling already. Welcome to the channel.
This is incredible! I've never done injection molding before, and this makes it very accessible :)
Big question though: If you want to mold something that has a greater volume than a single shot, is it possible to do multiple shots to fill the mold without creating significant defects or weaknesses in the molded object?
I don't believe it is possible to inject twice into a mold with any type of machine. You can inject twice if you are over molding a current piece but not if you are just trying to fill the same cavity.
@@BusterBeagle3D maybe heating the aluminium also to around 250°C somehow??
@@Michel-7.7.7 I haven't heard of anything like that. If you need a much larger volume I know there are some other builds on things like the precious plastic website but it may require a little more work to get a machine set up.
@@BusterBeagle3D thx for your quick Response and for sharing your knowledge. Awesome tutorial, x magnitudes better than the guys at the other end of the Bell curve, like one guy without even a screwdriver, who 'converted' an ATX Power supply into a 'bench top Power supply', by using a pocket knife to open the case and cut wires.
The sad part when you are not in the US and this does not become $200 USD or less. Oh well, gotta source the materials! Great video Ryan, appreciate it.
Yeah, even the prices of many of the parts have gone up in the US as well. If you search around enough for parts you should still be able to make the machine for far less then other options out there. Thanks for watching.
This is a PERFECT video, thank you so much.
Thank you Oscar!
Nice will try that one day. Just one thing a heat insulation sleeve (silicon fibre glass) between heating chamber and the holder would speed up heating.
This would of course require the holder to be bored a bit but I think it would be worth it.
I agree that would help. There is actually a tiny bit of space between the holder and the chamber before you clamp it down and on some versions I did add a few layers of high heat insulating tape to create a little separation but obviously not as good as a real insulator.
Liked this video
I was skeptical at first but then wow, this is amazing. Thanks for sharing
You are welcome. Thanks for watching!
being a coated metal, I seriously doubt that ground is actually grounding. drill a threaded hole into the case, and use a ground bolt.
Also since plastic is in the stack, the ground can loosen with creep.
Also in any manufactured machine NEMA Code requires a separate ground point. This ground point does not perform any other mechanical function(s) as they can loosen thus loosing ground. A drilled and tapped hole for a screw or a self-tapping screw could be used. Further I would use an eyelet terminal so that in the even the screw loosens the ground wire will not fall off. A second ground wire needs to be run to the lower bracket holding the injection nozzle and heater assembly with the same installation of the ground as the upper assembly. Great video.
Hello, I come from Germany and work with plastic. I recommend that you hold the pressure for about 10 seconds after the injection, which is called holding pressure on injection molding machines. Otherwise I am very surprised at the result!
Thanks! Yeah since the video I have been holding pressure on the molds for longer between pulls and the results have been better.
Amazing innovation. Thank you
Noob question here but can you use a machine like this for latex rubber (especially natural latex rubber)
Gorgeous build and great explanations btw
cool build
Got this on my make list! That heat up time was agonizing, so trying to look into ways to speed it up some!
Honestly it heated up way fast other times. I'm not sure why it took so long that time I was filming.
Where can I find the sheet to make the wire lengths. Love this.
You can find all of the files here. www.thingiverse.com/thing:4658991/files
@@BusterBeagle3D I ordered parts tonight from your site. I cannot wait.
@@rott1976 Thank you! All of my orders from today are packaged and ready to be dropped off at the post office tomorrow morning. Thanks for your order!
Neat project. It seems the wires of the top heat band are being pinched by the mount. Perhaps a couple of grinded notches in the mount that would allow room for the 2 wires coming out of the top heat band.
This looks great! Ill have to put one together.
Wow I was looking for a low cost injection molding machine just like this one - but yeah - the cost of them are so much higher than an advanced 3D printer! Great video - I think i will try to make this one!
Subscribed!
Welcome!
I used an old " electric cooker ".
And connect the circuit to heat chamber works well and can melt the plastic easily.
But my machine is mainly manual and need to manually check temperature using digital thermometer.
Not a fancy machine but dirt cheap cost me like 10$ . I am Philippines.
Need to scrape the paint off the heater bore and behind the nut. This not a very good ground path as shown
Came to the comments to say this as well. That ground connection needs a star washer to bite into the powder-coated case, the spade terminal should be a ring terminal so it can't be pulled out accidentally, and it should be properly sized for the bolt it's going on. Also worth pointing out that when you reverse the forked terminals so they don't scrape on the case, you're also defeating the purpose of a forked terminal, which is that it can be inserted without removing the screw. Might as well use ring terminals all around and be completely secure.
Awesome, love this project, simplicity, utility an overall elegance in the solution.
Thank you very much!
Beautiful !!cheers from Toronto Canada!!
You should make a heeat staking press with interchangeble dies they are very expensive and its almost the same principle as yours,Ill buy it from you,Thanks Raoul!!
Great tutorial. Has a genuine Mr. Rodgers feel that should resonate positive with GenX. In the spirit of iron sharpens iron there was one thing that you might improve on. You use the word actually, maybe to excess. Otherwise this was an extremely well organized tutorial and i enjoyed the way you did it. Now i want to see how you make your molds. I also want to figure out how to use a forcing screw with a hopper to pull larger volumes.
I suppose that you could build out this idea even further with some sort of automated pellet dispenser if you wanted to speed up processing. It's a great project, thanks for sharing and furthering desktop manufacturing!
Thank you for showing how easy it is
Thanks for this! Been trying to figure out how I could justify an LNS 150A. This machine looks like it will do the job. Those heater bands are hard to get hold of right now; you're out and so is every other source. Ended up buying a 5 pack on ebay, shipping from Hong Kong.
I know what you mean. Hopefully they are all gone because people are busy building the machines! I actually have 30 on order that should be arriving tomorrow so I will at least have some in stock. Thanks again for your order!
@zachary eaton: Can you post the link to the eBay item? Unfortunately I can't find a suitable alternative of these heat bands in Germany that fits to the bores in the chamber. I have already ordered Chamber and Plunge via Etsy. :)
@@madrew233 They're McMaster part #3594K123, kinda spendy on McMaster though, $73 each.
Fikir çok güzel. Kalıbın daha kolay sıkıştırılması ve daha düzenli bir hale getirilmesi ile çok daha profesyonel ve hızlı bir makine elde edilebilir. Elinize, emeğinize sağlık.
One would understand everything if he found people who explain like you thanks for sharing!
Great content great channel definitely subscribing!
Just finished assembling mine, but have some troubleshooting to do. I think I’m going to redo the ground wire like Steve Spence suggested below, using a grounding screw and connecting it also to the lower frame.
Also, the drill press frames seem to have changed design a bit since you made this video. I had to do a fair amount of modification to mine for various fitment issues. Nothing a little dremel work couldn’t handle, but thought I’d note it.
Also, the frame pieces are coated in paint, which seems to be burning off when I turn it on, so I’m going to have to disassemble the heating element, remove the paint on that lower frame, and reassemble it. The paint also caused some problems early in assembly where it jammed up the lowering action, making me need to repair the main rod with some filing. The temperature doesn’t want to stop increasing either, but I suspect that’s just a simple temp sensor swap.
Issues aside, I’m quite pleased with the ease of assembly and the fact that I didn’t burn my house down turning it on. XD I can’t wait to actually try using it on a mold after I get these problems fixed.
Also the heating element clamps are too small to properly close around the heating elements. Well, to be clear, the bolts on the clamps are too short. Longer bolts would fix it, but in the mean time I had to use some steel zip ties to secure the clamps, which isn’t a great solution.
Glad you got it all together! I am aware of some slight changes between different companies that make the drill press stands which is why I have that image on Thingiverse pointing the to proper PID enclosure for your frame. It seems like you have it handled anyway so you should be good. Also do check out the Update video for this machine. I go over some things having to do with the MK2 machine but I also go over some setup for your PID in that video which may help with the overshooting temps so give it a quick watch. Also feel free to join the Buster Beagle 3D Facebook group or just reach out if you ever run into any issues. www.youtube.com/watch?
v=1GWBhMkB2vM
@@doublezero7850 If you use some Vice grips to close the clamps they should just fit but it isn't easy to do. Just to make it easier for everyone going forward I just bought a few boxes of M6x45 socket head bolts that I'll start including with orders just to make it easier. I get them next week if you need any and are still having issues.
Also just realized that the updates to the PID enclosure I had added on Thingiverse didn't stick so I just added them back again. It had updated in the MK2 version but not the original for some reason.
Now I know what to do with all the "Unbreakable" comb molds I found in Leominster, Mass.
Great video! I work for a PMI company and I was wondering where you can acquire molds for this machine. Very cool concept.
Remarkable design and resourceful engineering and instructions.
Thank you!
I have not build this yet, but some suggestions: rather than using solder joints, it is much better to use crimp connections. Solder in the heatshrink is low temperature solder! Also, you link to an "international" band heater of only 120W at 220V. This seems way too low (240W instead of 760W total). It is not even necessary to use an international version as it is perfectly ok to wire the 110V band heaters in series for 220V (actually 230V here in Europe). Steve Spence already mentioned that the ground connection needs improvement. I found the exact drill press on AliExpress that ships from France (search for "Universal Bench Clamp Drill Press Stand Workbench"). Thanks! This is an interesting build.
You are correct. You could just hook it up in series but both will be more then enough power to heat up the chambers. I also have changed the ground connection to a different part of a bare metal frame for the MKII version of the machine that I will be releasing a video on very shortly. Thanks again for watching!
This is awesome. I wonder if this could be a good method for recycling pla or abs from 3d prints
As someone that retired from a plastics molding plant end of 2019 after 27 years I find this very interesting. Not anything like the machines I worked with, nor anywhere near the cost, but I’m tempted to give this a go. The biggest problem and cost would be getting the molds made. I haven’t looked yet but do you have any vids on that?
I have some videos on how I use a 3018 Pro CNC machine to make molds out of Aluminum Blocks. I am currently testing using resin printers to create the molds as well. I will make a new video with the findings on that as soon as I am able to investigate it further.
Fabricating the mechanical press apparatus would be possible using a trailer jack and a cordless drill to activate the plunger. I might try it that way.
This is the best organized, detailed, most clearly articulated how-to video I've seen on youtube. Kudos to you, sir. And many thanks for the selfless mindshare. A couple of questions, if I may. For those without the means to manufacture either the 3d printed parts, or the actual molds themselves, what services would you recommend?
1. 3D printing service. 2. Use a generic, re-usable blank aluminium mold and fill with casting resin.