Method of forming articles of manufacture of various shapes including undercuts therein with generic tool

A method of forming an article of manufacture including a skeletal structural framework therein comprising the steps of:

• providing a tool;
• removably positioning at least one consumable form adjacent to the tool;
• providing a settable material from which to mold a finished part;
• molding the material on the tool including on the form so as to encapsulate the form within the material to thereby form a skeletal structural framework therein;
• allowing the molded material to set to form the finished part;
• and
• separating the tool from the finished part and the encapsulated form.

A method of forming articles of manufacture of various configurations utilizing a single generic tool comprising the steps of:

• providing a single generic tool;
• removably positioning at least one consumable form adjacent to the tool;
• providing settable material from which to mold a finished part;
• molding the material on the tool including on the form so as to encapsulate the form within the molded material to thereby define a specific configuration for the finished part;
• allowing the molded material to set to form the finished part;
• separating the tool from the finished part and the encapsulated form;
• and
• repeating the above steps with differently shaped forms removably affixed to the single generic tool in different locations to produce a plurality of finished parts of varying configurations with the single generic tool.

A method of vacuum molding a plastic casket comprising the steps of:

• providing a rectangular tool generally in the size of a casket;
• removably positioning consumable forms around the periphery of the tool adjacent to the tool;
• providing a plastic blank from which to mold the plastic casket;
• heating the plastic blank to soften the blank;
• vacuum molding the plastic blank on the tool including on the forms so as to encapsulate the forms within the molded blank;
• allowing the molded blank to set to form the casket;
• and
• separating the tool from the casket and the encapsulated forms.

A method of vacuum molding a plastic casket comprising the steps of:

• providing a rectangular tool having side, end and bottom walls and generally in the size of a casket;
• removably positioning consumable forms adjacent to the tool around the periphery of the tool;
• providing a plastic sheet from which to mold the plastic casket;
• supporting the sheet in a rectangular frame;
• applying heat to the sheet to soften the sheet;
• moving the frame over the tool so as to move the sheet adjacent the tool side, end and bottom walls;
• applying vacuum between the sheet and tool so as to vacuum mold the sheet on the tool including on the forms so as to encapsulate the forms within the molded sheet;
• allowing the molded sheet to set to form the casket;
• and
• removing the casket with encapsulated forms from tool.