Down Draft Vacuum Sanding Table

This Project was designed out of need. About 1993 I was trying to find a niche in wood working a tried to make crafty items which I failed at terribly. I couldn’t follow plans and they never looked like the pictured item. But I needed something to hold the piece in place to sand without it running around the shop, and forever chasing it. I visited a friends company and he had vacuums that lifted material 20 ft. up and dropped it in a bid to feed the machines. So I thought about a vacuum table. So this was my big solution. I called him back to see where he bought the vacuum motors. They were from a company in Kent, Ohio not far away. I called talked to an engineer and he set me up with this vacuum at 150.00 bucks back then. It was a 15 amp 110v 650 cfm motor. So, I set out to make this table. The internet was not that great with info, couldn’t even find reference to a vacuum table. So, I used peg board and particle board, Had plenty of that in that shop. Made a 2 1/2” edge board with datos to receive the peg and particle boards, to make a 22” x 32” top, and installed some cross braces to prevent the top from sagging, had to vent braces so air flow could reach all the holes in the peg board. Cut the hole for the motor and mounted it. The test was more than I expected, it held even the smallest parts in place and sucked away the dust. I continued to make the bottom cabinet, was open at first, but when I used the table the shop turned into a dust bowl. So, I decided to use furnace filters on the sides and that solved the problem. The problem now is that I don’t do many projects that I use the table for any more, most are a little too big and cover the top, so the vacuum clamp action is only part I use it for from time to time. It has turned into a stain and varnish cabinet. But I thought I would share this project with you, it might be something someone out there can use. I’m thinking of selling it on e-bay and making a larger table.

-- Marty Ohio