Vacuum Rig 1st Ride

Stuart Ablett

Member
Messages
15,917
Location
Tokyo Japan
Well, I finally got my vacuum rig together, I guess, needs a bit more tweaking, but as I got the oil for it, and a vacuum gauge, I wanted to see how much it would pull.....

vacuum_guage_test.JPG
Pulled it as far as the gauge went, and four hours later it had not moved a bit, so I guess my vacuum rig passes the test!:thumb:

vacuum_rig_test_run1.JPG
Now I hooked up the flat chuck, and had a go, it only pulled 0.05 on the gauge, some leaks here and there, but I could not pull that bowl off of there, and I tired!

vacuum_rig_test_run2.JPG
Nice to work on the bottom of the bowl with it completely exposed, easy as pie!

With the gauge and other sundries involved, I might have $250 into the whole rig, not bad, I think!

Cheers!
 
Stu,

Here's a little tidbit that I have learned over the years. Even if you don't use the tailstock when you first turn the tenon on the bottom of the bowl or whatever, bring the tail stock up and make a center mark, or indentation. Then when you place the bowl on the vacuum system, bring the tail stock with the center up and put it in the center indentation. This will help greatly with the alignment of the piece.
 
Looks great, Stu! I was wondering how it would turn out after you showed me your work in progress when I visited. Do you have a write up on how to construct one?

Cheers,
Gari
 
Good job, Stu. Glad to see it sucked. I gotta get me one of those, but first I need a lathe that can accommodate one, and before that I need the 220V power to drive the lathe. Once I get to that point though, I'll all over it.
 
Wow Stu, that is about as economical you can get! Do you have plans for a smaller drum type chuck? Then you can do natural edged pieces too. Of course, if you start turning more pieces with holes in them, you will need to grab the tape off the shelf!

Bill
 
Great Idea Stu.

When I have a hollow form with some voids, I wrap the form in stretch shipping film. Helps hold a vaccum.

bundling-stretch-wrap.gif
 
Well Bill, I've been looking for a vacuum pump for about as long as I've had a lathe, so it was a long time coming to get a good deal on a pump.

By drum chuck do you mean an MDF version of the things that Oneway sell........



or the ones you had for the Poolewood lahtes?


The Vacuumaster..?

yeah, I'll be making some of those up for sure!

I'm just waiting on my Titan chuck, as I can chuck up a large piece of wood in it, so I can drill and tap some holes in some wood to use as a base for said drum chuck, I have the Beal tap thing that matches my lathe.

I'm very sure the vacuum chuck is going to open up some new and easier ways of doing things.

Cheers!
 
Stu, both the Oneway chucks and the new style VacuuMaster are pretty much the same in shape and function, and of course, it is not hard to make one up out of MDF or wood. If you use MDF it is pretty easy, but seal it real well. That stuff is like a sponge when it comes to holding air in! :eek:

Bill
 
Stu that is a nice setup and the price is right too. Of course I am thinking of doing the same thing and have been watchlisting those vacuum pumps recently.
 
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