Showerthought: blew $180 on a vacuum former I used twice before realizing a heat gun and a bucket of sand does the same job

Ben Barnes · 2026-09-22T18:20:06.851689+00:00

Last spring I dropped $180 on a small vacuum former for making Mandalorian chest plates and shoulder pads. Used it for exactly two pulls, then it sat in the garage for four months because the plastic kept webbing and the frame was too small for anything bigger than a hand plate. A buddy at a local build meet in Boise showed me his setup, which is just a heat gun, a 5 gallon bucket packed with play sand, and a sheet of MDF with holes drilled in it. My $12 heat gun plus $8 of sand got smoother pulls on 3mm sintra than the machine ever did. If you are just starting out don't buy the machine until you actually need repeat pulls on a big piece. What is your cheap workaround for getting EVA foam or styrene to hold a curve without building a whole rig?

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Showerthought: blew $180 on a vacuum former I used twice before realizing a heat gun and a bucket of sand does the same job | DIY Cosplay Props - Guest Forum