Vacuum clamping under used in the small shop

i guess it’s a good idea bob,but that thing would never fit in my shop. i’ll just have to keep workin out.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

Roper, I figured you would be inspired and make one of your own.
Or maybe just a vacuum fence for your router or a small table to hold routed templates etc etc.

That’s a commercial example.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Lee Jesberger uses them all the time when veneering. To give him a straight edge and to cut cieces.

I’ve never brought the vacuum down to the shop floor. It currently is on the second floor with the veneer table. But I do have a second vacuum pump so i might hook it up.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Hi Guys

Yup;

You can’t beat ‘em!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

It’s funny you post this today, Bob. While waiting for some finish to dry today, I was monkeying around with the dust collector hose and a large dust fitting, to see how large a piece of 1/4” plywood it would pick up. Don’t really have any use for a vacuum lift, but there’s no such thing as sitting idle around here. And I have been digging up plans for making a home made vacuum press.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

I think what is going to please most of you is how little “vacuum” is necessary to lock down a project.
With a little foam and a few holes in some MDF your can have a rock solid sanding station for instance.

If you are plagued with moving large sheets by yourself you can make a simple vacuum attachment that will lock on to a sheet and them allow you to scoot it around your shop effortlessly.
The amazing thing is you can do this with the power of your household vacuum cleaner.!!!!

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I’m in the same boat as Roper. That won’t fit in my shop/garage either. Too bad because I bet I could pick up both cars and create some more valuable shop space.

On a serious note, great suggestion Bob. I would like a vacuum chuck for my lathe.

-- Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.

Trifern, here’s a mounting plate I have made for one of my old lathes;
.

I picked up a vacuum from a used printing press and made this adapter to hook the vacuum to the head stock of the lathe. There is a bearing riding inside a piece of PVC pipe and the copper fitting is glued into the beraring so the adapter dosen’t rotate.

Here’s what it looks like hooked up.

Here’s a bowl attached to one of the face plates.

Cheers
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Thanks Bob, do you have more detailed plans or a link I could go to?

-- Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.

Trifern, no plans . I just make stuff as I need it.
Here's one you can buy.
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

that is a really cool way to hold the bowl on the lathe. i might have to try that.

-- Roper - master of sawdust-

I was just thing about this subject the other day – I was considering the One-Way system, but unfortunately my spindle/shaft thingy does not have a screw end to connect the vacuum pipe to the lathe.

Now you have inspired me to re-think the coupling method. I did consider connecting the vacuum pump directly lathe and spinning the vacuum pump at 3000 RPM, but decided it would be too difficult to hit the stop switch at that speed – and I was too lazy to reduce the speed every time down to 500 RPM.

Serious question Bob. How is the copper pipe fitted/fixed to the spindle. If glued, then obviously a permanent fixing.

I am guessing that the black plate (with wing nuts) is the “BRAKE” to stop the outer bearing from spinning? or is to hold the whole assembly in place in lieu of glue?

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

Hi Tony:
The thing is really a simple design and I am going to improve it when I get a chance.
I used a short length or pcv pipe and trimmed it out on the end to receive a bearing.
I epoxied the copper tube into the bearing. The copper tube is slightly smaller than the hole in the spindle shaft so just sits inside of it.
I placed a large diameter “O” ring over the copper pipe to serve as a seal between the bearing and the rear surface of the spindle shaft.
It is pressed up tight with the wingnuts and a cross member to hold the chamber in place.
When the lathe is turning, the bearing and copper tube rotate in convert with the spindle and vaccum is present from the chamber attachment.

I think I could come up with a better set up but for now this works and costs nearly nothing.
Any changes would cost time and I am short of that right now. <g>

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I saw Lee’s vacuum system and built my own and it works great.

-- Billp

Hi All;

As Bob said, these vacuum systems can be adapted to many aspects of woodworking. Just a little thinking can inspire jigs to help hold, pull or push almost anything.

And it’s instant. No waiting at all. I can’t imagine trying to work without it any longer.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Lee, I believe that this is the least understood technology available to the wood shop.
It’s simple, quick, accurate. It requires only the simplest of contriols and the number of jigs seem endless using vacuum.
The largest problem in woodworking is holding cut pieces together. This technology solves about 80% of the worst situations.
It’s is the only practical method for the small shop for veneering.

I will try to do a series in the fall showing some of the applications I have used over the years.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner