I was already subscribed because your electric bike had caught my attention at some point. Please consider making a playlist of all of your injection molding vids. It is quite a process.
Ahhh,. the electric bike. It's getting pretty chilly commuting on it at the moment. Hats, gloves and "long johns" (does that translate? Tight fitting inner trousers). Too much informaion?! The injector playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLEFr39dH1zRJzFYA3DKcCzbZ0xnkuTjgr.html
Thank you Chris I really appreciate your video. I myself am a hobbyist and I am not interested in breaking the bank, like most people watching this video. Can you give us a list of where you bought the components for your machine? Thanks and great video!
Glad you like the video A Alp. The machine featured here is long-sold, and I don't have the time to try to find where I got the components, but they are all over EBay, so I expect you can find them. Good luck.
need any advice, 37 years as injection moulding setter, ive moulded everything on 50 tonne machines up to 300 tonne.....milton keynes area, all plastics ive moulded over the years
+Nigel Mapes Nigel, if I understand you correctly, you are offerin advice from your wealth of experience in injection moulding, in which case- many thanks - a kind and generous offer. If I have misunderstood you, please explain further.
You have made a good machine. Thanks for this video. Like to know the clearance between punch and barrel. One small question, can a small gear motor be attached for the piston movement to avoid the manual force? Can thus be a advance machine? Can you make one such? Regards.
Hello Anil and thanks for your enquiry but I don't provide technical information like barrel clearance to deter reverse engineering. Yes, you could use a geared motor to drive the piston - or you could use a pneumatic system. I am considering such developments for the future but don't have any concrete plans yet.
Hello Chris have to say great video and very inspiring. Up until a week ago was completely new plastic molding. Having done some research and being a UK resident myself, I can completely relate to the frustrations you had of trying to source a bench-top plastic molding injection machine. I too feel the only option is to try and build one. I certainly don’t have the in depth knowledge you have but am will to try and give it a go. Think I had found some of the components you used on ebay. Would be interested to know where you sourced the stainless steel (303) barrel and nozzle from? I get the impression you’ve sold the machine in this video? Would be interesting in purchasing if still available. Although the semi-automatic unit you mentioned sounds very interesting if you’ve built and selling that one? Keep up the good work
Hello Gary, and thanks for your comments. Yes, we sold the machine so I no longer have it. I can't recall where I bought the metal for the barrel except that it was on EBay. If you search for "stanless steel bar offcut" you may find a supplier. Good luck & have fun.
Sorry Keiran, we sold it so I can't refer to it, but the power switch routes mains power to the controller. The controller accepts input from the thermo-couple temperature sensor and it sends on/off signals to the heating elements via the SSR. Of course, for safety, the entire metal frame of the machine is earthed back to the mains plug.
Chris Wesley Thats fine you have given me a good enough idea of how it was done. Could I also ask how much it sold for in the end? Thank you for replying to me.
Chris Wesley Actually I was curious as to wether I would get my money back once the project is completed. I don't have the space to keep this project once its complete. I sell most of my projects after I've built them and played around a little to allow me to pay for and have space for the next. Thanks again for the information you've provided. :)
Kieran O'Mahony Oh I see. I think we sold our for around £400 which does cover the cost of the components, even when you take out the fees from EBay and PayPal. The thing is the time it took to get it to the point of usabiity - this on eis the third prototype - so it's not a way to get rich quick, but it certainly was fun and for someone with your modus operandi, I think it would make a great project which you'd be able to see on to get your cash back. Good luck - I'd love to see what you come up with.
No shit! Hahaha. That's generally true, but it's more complicated than that. If you make the chamber wider, then the injection pressure goes down and the temperature gradient radially becomes significant. If you make the chamber longer, then you need more heater bands. And in either case, injecting more plastic with a hand-operated device means the injection TIME is longer, which risks the melt solidifying. Never-the-less, I now have a 2 cubic inch machine in test.
gordon Hurley- The heater are name as "Band Heater" use for hand operated injection moulding machine.. -D.K.Malick (engineering in Plastics technology) whatsapp-9748231047
No Rick, you didn't say "please" :o) But seriously, I don't know exactly what components you're using, and I don't know what your skill level is, but if you need to ask, then I'm thinking you shouldn't really be working with mains electricity. Anyway, read the controller manual. It contains diagrams showing how to use it. If yours didn't come with a diagram, find one online.
8001maya - Firstly, your part's volume would need to be within the capacity of the machine. Secondly, the thinner and longer the plastic runs, the harder the part is to make. Industrial machines use forces of 100s of tonnes to inject plastic - this device is hand operated. You can extend the limits of the machine by pre-heating the mold, but I do not know if your part could be made. It would be an interesting experiment though. Perhaps I'll make a video of it.
Chris Wesley - thanks Chris , the wall thickness is 2mm , we have to imagine it as if we are making a PVC pipe closed at 1 end and threads at other end...preheating a mould will work , just use 2 ss pipes of diff dia 36mm 32mm , to make a crude mould ...
8001maya - so you would need to calculate the volume of the part. You'd need to consider how to extract the part without damaging it. It might be a 2, 3 or more part mold, for example. Mold making as something of an art form and people pay thousands of dollars to experts to make their molds for them. After that, of course, they can make many many parts very fast and cheaply - which is why injection molding dominates this kind of fabrication.
Chris Wesley , I designed mold with 7 parts for threads and extraction, what I meant in earlier message was to test if we can make the 150mm long torch without making a costly mold by using ready made pipes , though it can't be extracted
OK Rick, Good luck in finding a mold maker. If we start providing this service, I'll post a video about it, so if you're not subscribed, that might be a good option for you. Chris
Hi David, and thanks for pointing this out to us. $595 is about what ours costs, but the capacity ("two gold tees") is tiny! I guess if you want a very cheap way in, then this might be it, but even Pitsco suggest this is a demonstration rather than a production device. Still - shows what can be done.
@@chriswesley594 Can you break down that cost of $595 please Chris?? I'm finding it very hard to believe there is anymore than 100 quid in that (and that's being generous) let alone nearly 600 lol From what I can see there, 20 for the temperature controller and relay, 10 odd for the heater bands, and about 15 to 20 for the steel from any good fabrication workshop.. Besides the time making it, is there anything I'm missing here? And by the way, those first few machines you showed, who ever priced those are clearly smoking something strong lol
Ian, You are substantially right in that the cost of raw materials does not explain the price. However, the machining time and other factors do. See this video: th-cam.com/video/uGkiVapSRxo/w-d-xo.html. Making the barrel is a time consuming and exacting task and frankly - I've buggered a few up. It's on the limit of what my equipment can do. Making the piston to the correct fit is also challenging and time-consuming. Just cutting the funnel piece from stock is a big deal as I don't have an automatic saw now (the one in that video is not available any more), as is machining it to be a close fit on the barrel and then tapering it. I've also gone through a lot of misery to get to this point, and customers are paying for that to some extent. And when my brother moved away from where I live, I lost access to his lathe and his milling machine and had to buy my own lathe along with all the tools which make that lathe useful. Honestly, that's none of your business. If you don't like the price, then don't buy the machine. But I'm OK with telling you - because I've thought ialong similar lines to you in the past. But it's like moaning about the £1.80 price of a cup of tea, knowing that the tea bag cost maybe 4 pence. But you're ignoring rent, rates, equipment costs, staffing, loan servicing, heating, lighting, and so on which were what it took to put that cup of tea on that table in the warm. And all the personal energy, risk and inspiration it took to make the cafe exist in the first place. People start businesses because they hope to make good money - not because they'd like to continue to grind along for minimum wage - except saddle a lot more risk and effort. Oh - and have no sick leave and no pension at the end of a life of self-employment. So - yeah - all of that. Oh, and the hassle of shipping stuff worldwide. One machine was smashed in Ireland. Another got completely lost on its way to America. It's all expensive and time-consuming to deal with. If you can assemble all the parts and machine the stainless steel and so on - then go for it - and even offer your own for sale. And there's another factor - pricing on a "cost plus" basis is only one pricing strategy, and not the only one I used here. The only comparable machine available commercially is far FAR more expensive. I'm pricing far more fairly in my view, but - yes - I'm also factoring market forces into my price point. If you DID manufacture your own unit and offer it for sale at substantially less than me, then I'd probably stop selling mine because, in my mind, it's not a great way to get rich..
I was already subscribed because your electric bike had caught my attention at some point. Please consider making a playlist of all of your injection molding vids. It is quite a process.
Ahhh,. the electric bike. It's getting pretty chilly commuting on it at the moment. Hats, gloves and "long johns" (does that translate? Tight fitting inner trousers). Too much informaion?!
The injector playlist is here: th-cam.com/play/PLEFr39dH1zRJzFYA3DKcCzbZ0xnkuTjgr.html
The last video in the list is private. FYI
Good Lord, that won't do much for its popularity will it? Thank for the heads-up. I've made it public now.
Great job building a successful one in a short amount of time.
Thanks
Thank you Chris I really appreciate your video. I myself am a hobbyist and I am not interested in breaking the bank, like most people watching this video. Can you give us a list of where you bought the components for your machine? Thanks and great video!
Glad you like the video A Alp. The machine featured here is long-sold, and I don't have the time to try to find where I got the components, but they are all over EBay, so I expect you can find them. Good luck.
Great work man. I'm on my first one right now.
need any advice, 37 years as injection moulding setter, ive moulded everything on 50 tonne machines up to 300 tonne.....milton keynes area, all plastics ive moulded over the years
+Nigel Mapes Nigel, if I understand you correctly, you are offerin advice from your wealth of experience in injection moulding, in which case- many thanks - a kind and generous offer. If I have misunderstood you, please explain further.
You have made a good machine. Thanks for this video. Like to know the clearance between punch and barrel. One small question, can a small gear motor be attached for the piston movement to avoid the manual force? Can thus be a advance machine? Can you make one such? Regards.
Hello Anil and thanks for your enquiry but I don't provide technical information like barrel clearance to deter reverse engineering.
Yes, you could use a geared motor to drive the piston - or you could use a pneumatic system. I am considering such developments for the future but don't have any concrete plans yet.
thanks for the video, good machine build and nicely illustrated demo. Gonna build one of these at some point. Gerald
+backyardcnc Thanks for your feedback and good luck with your build.
c' est des grandes lignes en PET
salutation
Désolé mais je ne parle pas français
Will you guys be releasing instructions on how to build this machine?
I will release a video on how we make these machines, but it will not be instructional.
Chris Wesley thank you
Hello Chris have to say great video and very inspiring.
Up until a week ago was completely new plastic molding. Having done some research and being a UK resident myself, I can completely relate to the frustrations you had of trying to source a bench-top plastic molding injection machine.
I too feel the only option is to try and build one. I certainly don’t have the in depth knowledge you have but am will to try and give it a go. Think I had found some of the components you used on ebay. Would be interested to know where you sourced the stainless steel (303) barrel and nozzle from?
I get the impression you’ve sold the machine in this video? Would be interesting in purchasing if still available. Although the semi-automatic unit you mentioned sounds very interesting if you’ve built and selling that one? Keep up the good work
Hello Gary, and thanks for your comments. Yes, we sold the machine so I no longer have it. I can't recall where I bought the metal for the barrel except that it was on EBay. If you search for "stanless steel bar offcut" you may find a supplier.
Good luck & have fun.
Is it possible for you to show us your wiring setup inside that black case you've used to house it?
Sorry Keiran, we sold it so I can't refer to it, but the power switch routes mains power to the controller. The controller accepts input from the thermo-couple temperature sensor and it sends on/off signals to the heating elements via the SSR. Of course, for safety, the entire metal frame of the machine is earthed back to the mains plug.
Chris Wesley
Thats fine you have given me a good enough idea of how it was done. Could I also ask how much it sold for in the end? Thank you for replying to me.
Kieran O'Mahony
You're welcome. I'm curious - why do you want to know how much we sold it for? You're beginning to sound like competition! :o)
Chris Wesley
Actually I was curious as to wether I would get my money back once the project is completed. I don't have the space to keep this project once its complete. I sell most of my projects after I've built them and played around a little to allow me to pay for and have space for the next. Thanks again for the information you've provided. :)
Kieran O'Mahony Oh I see. I think we sold our for around £400 which does cover the cost of the components, even when you take out the fees from EBay and PayPal. The thing is the time it took to get it to the point of usabiity - this on eis the third prototype - so it's not a way to get rich quick, but it certainly was fun and for someone with your modus operandi, I think it would make a great project which you'd be able to see on to get your cash back. Good luck - I'd love to see what you come up with.
if you have a bigger heating chamber ..will you be able to inject more plastic
???
No shit! Hahaha. That's generally true, but it's more complicated than that. If you make the chamber wider, then the injection pressure goes down and the temperature gradient radially becomes significant. If you make the chamber longer, then you need more heater bands. And in either case, injecting more plastic with a hand-operated device means the injection TIME is longer, which risks the melt solidifying. Never-the-less, I now have a 2 cubic inch machine in test.
+Chris Wesley can i get some advice on how to wire everything together ??
What are those things called that you're using as heaters?
What are those things called manners, Gordon?
gordon Hurley band heaters
gordon Hurley-
The heater are name as "Band Heater" use for hand operated injection moulding machine..
-D.K.Malick (engineering in Plastics technology) whatsapp-9748231047
Chris Wesley Manners?! On the Internet? Bwahahahahah :D :D :D
Good job
Thanks dekonfronst7
can i have some step by step advice on to how wire everything together ...port 6&7 is missing from the temperature controller ..its a Rex c100
No Rick, you didn't say "please" :o)
But seriously, I don't know exactly what components you're using, and I don't know what your skill level is, but if you need to ask, then I'm thinking you shouldn't really be working with mains electricity.
Anyway, read the controller manual. It contains diagrams showing how to use it. If yours didn't come with a diagram, find one online.
im an electronic security technician..... we use 12-24 v
what about the fumes ,is it safe?
Mohamed Furugan Yes, it's safe. The plastics we use do not generate toxic fumes at the temperatures we use.
whats the biggest mould can this use ??
Hi Claude. It was 1 cubic inch.
need value of 1977 Van Dornan 350 injection molding machine
can we make a torch 150mm length , dia 35mm to hold 2 D type batteries with this machine
8001maya - Firstly, your part's volume would need to be within the capacity of the machine. Secondly, the thinner and longer the plastic runs, the harder the part is to make. Industrial machines use forces of 100s of tonnes to inject plastic - this device is hand operated. You can extend the limits of the machine by pre-heating the mold, but I do not know if your part could be made. It would be an interesting experiment though. Perhaps I'll make a video of it.
Chris Wesley - thanks Chris , the wall thickness is 2mm , we have to imagine it as if we are making a PVC pipe closed at 1 end and threads at other end...preheating a mould will work , just use 2 ss pipes of diff dia 36mm 32mm , to make a crude mould ...
8001maya - so you would need to calculate the volume of the part. You'd need to consider how to extract the part without damaging it. It might be a 2, 3 or more part mold, for example. Mold making as something of an art form and people pay thousands of dollars to experts to make their molds for them. After that, of course, they can make many many parts very fast and cheaply - which is why injection molding dominates this kind of fabrication.
Chris Wesley , I designed mold with 7 parts for threads and extraction, what I meant in earlier message was to test if we can make the 150mm long torch without making a costly mold by using ready made pipes , though it can't be extracted
8001maya. Oh OK. Sounds like a fun project!
where can i get the electrical parts ???
Hello Rick.
EBay.
Hey, don't mention it.
Thank you ....what Is the name of the part that heats up the barrel ???
it's a heater band.
can I have a number or a link for the machine shop for the mold please
We don't use a machine shop.
Do you make your own molds ?? If yes please send me a number or link to contact u please
Sorry, we don't yet make them for other people Rick.
Chris Wesley thank u
OK Rick, Good luck in finding a mold maker. If we start providing this service, I'll post a video about it, so if you're not subscribed, that might be a good option for you.
Chris
Pitsco Injection Molding Machine for $595.
Hi David, and thanks for pointing this out to us. $595 is about what ours costs, but the capacity ("two gold tees") is tiny! I guess if you want a very cheap way in, then this might be it, but even Pitsco suggest this is a demonstration rather than a production device. Still - shows what can be done.
@@chriswesley594 Can you break down that cost of $595 please Chris?? I'm finding it very hard to believe there is anymore than 100 quid in that (and that's being generous) let alone nearly 600 lol From what I can see there, 20 for the temperature controller and relay, 10 odd for the heater bands, and about 15 to 20 for the steel from any good fabrication workshop.. Besides the time making it, is there anything I'm missing here? And by the way, those first few machines you showed, who ever priced those are clearly smoking something strong lol
Ian,
You are substantially right in that the cost of raw materials does not explain the price. However, the machining time and other factors do. See this video: th-cam.com/video/uGkiVapSRxo/w-d-xo.html. Making the barrel is a time consuming and exacting task and frankly - I've buggered a few up. It's on the limit of what my equipment can do. Making the piston to the correct fit is also challenging and time-consuming. Just cutting the funnel piece from stock is a big deal as I don't have an automatic saw now (the one in that video is not available any more), as is machining it to be a close fit on the barrel and then tapering it. I've also gone through a lot of misery to get to this point, and customers are paying for that to some extent. And when my brother moved away from where I live, I lost access to his lathe and his milling machine and had to buy my own lathe along with all the tools which make that lathe useful.
Honestly, that's none of your business. If you don't like the price, then don't buy the machine. But I'm OK with telling you - because I've thought ialong similar lines to you in the past.
But it's like moaning about the £1.80 price of a cup of tea, knowing that the tea bag cost maybe 4 pence. But you're ignoring rent, rates, equipment costs, staffing, loan servicing, heating, lighting, and so on which were what it took to put that cup of tea on that table in the warm. And all the personal energy, risk and inspiration it took to make the cafe exist in the first place.
People start businesses because they hope to make good money - not because they'd like to continue to grind along for minimum wage - except saddle a lot more risk and effort. Oh - and have no sick leave and no pension at the end of a life of self-employment.
So - yeah - all of that. Oh, and the hassle of shipping stuff worldwide. One machine was smashed in Ireland. Another got completely lost on its way to America. It's all expensive and time-consuming to deal with.
If you can assemble all the parts and machine the stainless steel and so on - then go for it - and even offer your own for sale.
And there's another factor - pricing on a "cost plus" basis is only one pricing strategy, and not the only one I used here. The only comparable machine available commercially is far FAR more expensive. I'm pricing far more fairly in my view, but - yes - I'm also factoring market forces into my price point.
If you DID manufacture your own unit and offer it for sale at substantially less than me, then I'd probably stop selling mine because, in my mind, it's not a great way to get rich..