Injection Molding Machine - Can Make Paintballs?

[nodak651]

Saw this on craigslist - machine can apparently make paintballs lol. Would be pretty cool to play with if you had the money and time and knowledge.

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/tls/d/osseo-butler-injection-molding-machine/7405221502.html

[Toestr]

I think we need some Doc's Machine balls.

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[BrickHaus]

I sqw that too, but for 20k, you better get a contract with a local field.

Id get one if I could spit out law rockets with it, but not sure if you can injection mold that kind of foam.

[Lane]

Ever look into casting law rockets from polyurethane foam? You should be able to get casting materials with similar properties to nerf footballs and with either a 3D printed or machined mold you could probably produce your own pretty cheaply. Could also use an existing nerf football to make a mold. But with some foam sheet and tubing for the tail and a casted polyurethane front you could make some pretty neat law rockets.

[BrickHaus]

Yes sir. I have a mold stl file, and Ive tried failed at attempting to make consistant rockets the polyurethane foam is tough to get right.
Seems It sets up too fast if I mix up 2 rockets worth of it. Its temp dependant, humidity dependant, and the pigment messes with set up. im limited to single batches as of now, mix, pour, and clamp the mold.

Molds also take about 30 hours to print when they work.

After trying a few rockets, I have been pondering on how I can automate the mixing process to make this easy. But im down to one mold. I had 4. Wrecked 2 of them cuz i didnt use enough mold release, and one didnt have enough supports so the foam blew it apart, so Im back to trying to print a few, but I havent had time to dial my printer back in.

Long story short, the 2 part foam rockets are much harder to make than I expected.

[Lane]

I wonder if it would be possible to print the mold as a "vase" and have it be one time use. Single walled mold that you could pour polyurethane into, let it cure and then break away the mold to release the molded rocket. Single use mold but probably around $1 or so in filament.

[DocsMachine]

Saw this on craigslist - machine can apparently make paintballs lol.

-No, it can't.

It can make things like reballs, those "glass breaking" balls and other solid spheres, but not paint balls.

Those little Butlers were not, as I understand it, well-regarded, and the company is out of business (or was bought out and absorbed, I don't know for sure.)

I'd love to have a little desktop injection molder, but not one of those, and definitely not at that price.

Doc.