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Flat-pack rotation molding machine

By Rain Noe - May 25, 2010

in Object Culture

This is simultaneously awesome, nutty, and a bit confusing: A UK-based company called Studio Myfirst has created a flat-pack DIY rotation molding machine called Myfirst RotoMoulder.

The awesome and nutty part is that they made it in the first place and are selling it for roughly US $322; the confusing part is that what you can actually do with it is poorly documented--it's not clear if you can only make the part using the mold they've included, or if you can insert your own molds, and if so, where or how you might make such a mold.

In any case, check out the vid, the first 12 seconds of which you can skip. And the rotation-molding goodness starts around 1:25.

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Jim

14 years ago

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Nice little unit, but $322 is a bit steep. The metal rods and bungies are set in a way to accommodate lots of different molds that the user would make; you can do about the same by rolling a mold in your own hands, but this would help to make more of an even coating inside. Still a nice clean design!
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Hank

14 years ago

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Yes it's Radiohead "Idioteque" from the album Kid A
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wes

14 years ago

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wow that is really amazing! this can be a very good tool for shoe soles etc. possibly in the future... is the song by radio head?
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jay

14 years ago

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It looks like the mold is vacuum formed. I guess it's aimed for people who need a cheap roto-molder and knows what they are doing. There are numerous ways to do a mold.
I don't see the nutty part in it, it's like thinking screwdrivers are nutty cause they don't explain where to get the screws. If you need it, you know how to use it, so maybe you don't need a roto-molder :)
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lyuhala

14 years ago

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As they mention themselves it is based on this DIY rotating molding machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkNkQRC0czc
and it sees as it's up to you to find out how to make the actual mold. But a vacuum wrapper thing (what's it called now?) seems as a reasonable start (as shown in the video). These are usually available at design schools.
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philippe

14 years ago

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looks to me like the mould is made out of two vacuum-formed shells with a nesting edge. would be pretty easy to make your own moulds. i imagine it also makes for a great educational tool.
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