I bought a vacuum pump at an auction. I don’t now yet if it will work for vacuum veneering.
But I have heard some good things about www.joewoodworker.com .
He has all the supplies you need, including plans. I think woodcraft is also selling a venturi valve for your air compressor. That valve turns you AC into a vacuum.
I’ve heard of guys making their own bags out of “tub liner”, glueing it together with PVC pipe glue. I don’t know what tub liner is, yet.
Replies
Carol Reed http://www.routerlady.com has a home-built plan for a vacumn press in her book.
Joe
An option for the actual 'bag' is a shower curtain. Search previous threads or ask me.
Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting
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Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
I've used a couple of vacuum systems. One at school. A student built project that worked pretty well. It had a reservoir and gauge attached to an old vacuum pump. It worked pretty well but was noisy.
Since leaving school I wanted to do some small projects, one being a bent lamination for a chair back. Some of the sites I looked at seem to sell, build your own kits where they supply the hardware and plans. This is ok but when you add everything up it still was going to cost me $250.00 bucks. This was more than I wanted to spend.
I found one company that sells a vacuum system using a wine pump as a vacuum generator. There are a number of links that actually sell the kit but I bought one from the manufacturer. I was sceptical about a hand pump working well enough as I had read a review about the kit that was less than favorable.
I have done 2 projects with the kit and it works as well as the school electric system I used. Mind you, my project is pretty small being a chair back. The guys who sold it have been great. I had a little problem with the sealing tape they provide to seal the open end of the bag but once I figured out how to open the stuff properly, it worked fine. The best thing about this thing is it takes up no shop space..there is no space for anything large in my shop... and it makes no noise while pressing my project.
Are you talking about a Vacuvin Wine Saver like this:
http://www.vacuvin.nl/special.jpgJanet
Vacuvin sells a white unit that looks not as fancy as the unit in your pic. The kit I bought came with a vacuum bag and hand pump included. I think Woodcraft magazine did an article about the kit in their first issue.
Lee Valley Tools has a system that comes with a hand pump, bag, "breather netting" and tape. I am considering buying it, mostly for veneering curved surfaces. If anyone has tried it I would like to hear your experience.
Gary
Is there a website where I can see the kit that you bought?
Janet
LV has it but the kit is manufactured by these guys. They teach kids skateboard deck making all over the place with the kits. Wish I had thought of the idea. Simplified a vacuum bag pump down to something even a kid can use. (most of the time they are smarter than me anyway) There's an area called Ragged Edge. Looks not as professional as the rest of the site but shows a bunch of kids making laminated decks.
http://www.roarockit.com/rc_wood.php
Like I say...the only problem I had with my kit was figuring out how to open the tape stuff they use. No problem now. I think the electric guys might be getting nervous of this thing. Guess its a bit different market though.
Garnet
Actually, I'm not even thinking of woodworking applications: I think a vacuum gadget could be useful in the kitchen. For example, if you want to marinate some steaks in a hurry, or remove air bubbles from custard before it goes into the oven. I already have the Vacuvin; just have to figure a way to attach it to a plastic bag.Janet
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