Hi everyone,
I am just getting into vacuum clamping and veneer pressing. I have built a good vacuum press and am now working on the actual vacuum clamps. Most of the ones I see are made from HDPE (High Density Polyethelene) or similar very expensive engineered plastics with closed cell foam tape as a gasket.
I’d be interested in hearing if anyone out there has tried lower cost materials for constructing these clamps and had good luck. I thought about MDF but thought that might not hold up.
I’d also be interested in hearing of any interesting vacuum clamp designs or applications.
Thanks for the help.
Replies
What size and type of clamps are you thinking of making?
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It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
I thought I would start with basic flat hold-down clamps (6" x 12") and then try right angle and other types. It really depends what I'm working on at the time.
I use uhmw for many clamps, for medium use (up to 600 times) I'll use plexiglas and lay a layer of silicone sealant over it and put a layer of waxed paper over the sealant and weight it down to get a nice flat surface.
You can get small pieces of uhmw from Lee Valley for bigger pieces I use McMaster Carr.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
For sheets of UHMW, AIN Plastics in Atlanta.
For extensive info on Vacuum clamping and kits to make clamps: http://www.joewoodworker.com
Only affiliation I have with these companies is I am a satisfied customer.
Greg
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Exo 35:30-35
3/4" in MDF works very well.
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