Any Vacuum Clamping users?

[Glenn de Souza]

Hi,
I've been interested in vacuum clamping for some time. The applications I envision would mostly be surface clamping workpieces for routing, maybe sanding. I'm also interested in vacuum clamping for veneering at some point.

Lee Valley has an inexpensive platform rig that would work for the first couple of applications. Infinity Tools and JoeWoodworker sell the venturi valve and other parts for a compressor driven home brew system that might be capable of doing all functions.

Then there is the option of higher grade systems that come with their own dedicated pump.

Anybody been down this road and have any experience to share?

Thanks,
Glenn

[Mike Dowell]

Glenn, I've got the build it yourself compressor driven rig from Joe woodworker. I don't vacuum clamp, but I vacuum.veneer and I can tell you the first time you vacuum veneer, you're going to ask yourself how you ever did it any other way. I've veneered entire dining tables as well as pieces that were just small drawer fronts. It's a bit of money up front, but it's one time money.

[Larry Copas]

Shown is a simple pattern to cut out signs with an overarm router. I used vacuum tape from Joe Woodworker on this one but have used other materials. Small pieces are harder to hold securely so I sometimes use sandpaper to keep the work from slipping.

My vacuum system is all shop built using a Gast pump. I can also bag and have several vacuum chucks for the wood lathe. Once you get started down the vacuum path it becomes slippery and leads to other projects.

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[Andrew J. Coholic]

I do use vacuum pucks to hold work at times. On some things (like when I need to rout or sand all sides of a piece, or use my portable edge bander on an oddly shaped shelf)it is very handy.

I have an automatic vacuum pump, and several pucks, sold by Vacuum Pressing Systems.

https://www.vacupress.com/

The pump comes with a foot switch to bleed off the vacuum to bleed off the vacuum to let the material free. Its a neat system you just push in 1/4" hose to how many pucks you want to use. And connect to the vac pump and foot switch. The pump runs continuously but is quiet and dosent draw much power.

I also have "D" shaped gasketing material and can make up custom pucks if I need to, with my CNC router. Ive made custom hold downs for special shapes from MDF and sealed it with several coats of lacquer to be air tight. Or you can use scraps of Starboard or similar plastic product (I use the same material in 3/4" for the large vacuum hold down table on my CNC.

The pump is also used for vacuum bagging/clamping. It has a setting for cut off at a certain vacuum pressure setting. Or run it continuously for the hold downs.

[Bruce Wrenn]

For vac pump, visit local HVAC place and see if they have an "old" vacuum pump. Most pull in the 4-6 CFM range. You will need an inlet filter, AKA a fuel filter for car. When they no longer pull in the micron range, they are trashed. Rebuild costs as much as a new pump, plus you don't have down time. These things are designed to run for days at the time with no damage. If you are looking to go venturi route, check out AirVac Engineering's AVR093H (airvacpumps.com). It's the standard most commercial systems are built upon. I have done clamps, routing templates and push plates using vacuum system, but haven't done any bagging.

[Chris Padilla]

I have the Joe WW'er stuff with the foot-pedal (went all out ). I really like it a lot.

[Mike Heidrick]

I use a FPZ regenerative blower DIY vacuum pump setup that is plumbed 2" NPT but I vacuum clamp through LDF and cut through with my CNC router. You are not cutting through anything on a little setup.