Vacuum formers are used to form plastic products that range from salad bowls to kayaks and canoes. They vary in size from a tabletop model to those that take up the space of a large three-car garage. They heat plastic sheets and lower them onto molds, which are negative images of the final products' designs and shapes. The plastic sheets vary in thickness, depending on the product's end use. A plastic sheet for a bowl may be 1/16 inch thick, while that for a canoe or kayak may be at least twice as thick.
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