Introducing the Loafinator :)

Continuing the discussion from My first serious win with the Form1+:

I built this a while back from a couple of loaf pans, a makita palm sander and some 2-part expanding urethane foam, separating the foam chunks with saran wrap when casting. I drive it with a router speed control. Totally kicks ass and cleans the part completely in a couple minutes.

I do a quick rinse first in the static IPA container, then drop it in the loafinator, change up the vibes a bit for fun, and let it jiggle for a couple minutes. Then I take out the part, dry it off with my air compressor, and throw it in the UV box.

The base poured, saran over it, then hold the sander in place level until it kicks.

Front chunk poured.

Back chunk poured.

top chunks and sander removed from pan. the form got kinda hot and some saran wrap was really stuck to it.

Almost done in this pic. Now it’s been epoxied to a slab of baltic birch plywood with rubber feet, but I still have to clamp it to the workbench :smile:
I’ll try to post a video of it action next time I use it. It really screams!

-C

7 Likes

Cool… Love it :stuck_out_tongue:

@ChristopherBarr, the mad scientist is strong in you sir. I can’t wait to see a video of it in operation!

Any heating issues?
I mean, considering the vents are under the foam and all.

No, I bored holes to the intake vents before I finished it. The exhaust vents through the pad assembly, and that’s above the foam.

1 Like

Here’s the video of it running. I didn’t even turn it all the way up in the video…

-C

3 Likes

LOL, nice.
Should change the name to “sonic”, though :smile:

It was already cool when it began looking like a speed boat was in there with the part… Then you turned up the power some more and I couldn’t stop laughing. It’s awesome! (I love overkill.)
How did the part come out?

Got to make me one of these… even if its just for the grins :joy:

Seriously - it looks like it does a great job.

Heh, yeah it’s a bit over the top, but it was basically free. I had the sander forever, and can’t remember the last time I used it. It started with my wife saying she was throwing out the pans and asked me if I wanted them for anything (gears started grinding…) and I said “Sure!” (I can’t pass up free stuff). I found the little green perforated basket @ Ace for about 97cents, and it fit almost perfectly. I already had the foam from another project.

It completely cleans parts in about 2 minutes or less. Absolutely zero resin residue left. I dry it with the air hose, pop it right in the UV box, and it’s done. I highly recommend you all hack one together. It’s way worth the effort.

-C

HA! This somehow made to hackaday:

Did someone here post it? It’s weird, I browse hackaday almost every day, was just checking it out and bang! there was the Loafinator. Too funny.

-C

1 Like

It wasn’t me. But congrats on the fame!

Hi all,

My other hobby (obsession?) is brewing beer. It’s common for folks to make a DIY stir plate for yeast cultures. Basically you glue a rare earth magnet to a computer fan’s blade, then mount the fan in a plastic box. Put a stir bar in an Erlinmeyer flask and place on top of your fan assembly. Fire up the fan, and the liquid is stirred.

I think I will try this with my IPA bath…

dh