Replies

1. 
   BArnold | Jul 21, 2005 11:59pm | #1

   Chills,

   It should work just fine. Check mine here: http://bbarnold.com/images/shoppix/vacpress_1.jpg

   Apparently, it's normal for a very small amount of the oil from the pump to exit the exhaust. I stuffed some steel wool in the handle to keep it from misting things around the pump.

   While these pumps are rated for 'continuous duty', it's a good idea to install a switch in the system to turn it off and on to maintain a good vacuum level. If you haven't already, check the items available at: http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm

   Regards,

   Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting
   Mensa Member
   Click Here if you're interested in a good, inexpensive website host.

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   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

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2. 
   mudman | Jul 22, 2005 12:45am | #2

   I am familular with those pumps. They are used to evacuate the air from a cooling system before it is charged with Freon. I think that those pumps actually produce MUCH more vacume than a normal vacume press pump. However They are slow to remove the air and have no means of regulating the vacume. In the AC biz they are generally just turned on and left to run untill they won't suck any more. I don't know if they will evacuate the air fast enough from the bag to start clamping before the glue sets too much. However the pump states 3 cfm on it, that seems fast enough. Then I think that you will need to have some way to regulate the vacume. There must be vacume activated switches out there some where.

   You can buy the bags, hoses, check valves, and conectors from several online sources. If this pump works let us know! you may have found a great way to get a into vacume bagging cheep.

   Mike

   please excuse my spelling.
3. 
   Andrew | Jul 22, 2005 02:36am | #3

   It will work just fine, I bought a new 6 cfm pump for my vacuum veneering system and it works great. I just leave mine running continuously and it gets hot, but that shouldn't be a problem. They are designed to run for hours at a time. The only problem is the oil mist that they generate. In a closed space after an hour or two, there is a considerable amount of mist generated, so what I did was to attach a hose to the exhaust and run it outside. You can buy a special filter, but they are very pricey.

   As far as gadgets go, look into vacuum clamping jigs.  If you do epoxy inlays, look into making a vacuum degassing chamber to get all the air bubbles out. There are many uses for a vacuum pump, and I'm sure you're going to have a lot of fun with it.

   Before I forget, make sure you hook up a vacuum gauge in line with the pump if there isn't one there already. You should have anywhere from 18 to 22 Hg of mercury for vacuum veneering. Your pump is capable of pulling a high enough vacuum to boil water at room temperature, so be careful not to pull too high a vacuum, or your glue will literally start to boil when you try to veneer something.

    

   Andrew

4. 
   none | Jul 22, 2005 04:40am | #4

   Vacumm pump will work fine. Be sure to add a filter to the inlet side to prevent trash from entering pump and fouling reed valves. Whitman Controls sells vacumm switches that will cut your pump off and on. Most of their switches are much more than you need, but talk to their customer service dept and they can steer you in the right direction. If you add a reservore to your system then the pump won't have to run continiously. For a reservore you can use one of those portable air tanks ( about $20.00) or one of the old style 20# propane tanks. The propane tanks have a standard 3/4" NPT in them so fittings won't be a problem. In this area they are free at the dump. Grainger or Johnstone Supply will sell you a "filter/dryer that has threads to match hoses from pump. You can also use an in line fuel filter, but make sure you get a metal one, as the plastic ones may not stand the vacumm pressure. Misting of oil is normal. Buy a couple of quarts of vacumm pump oil. drain existing oil from unit and replace with fresh oil. On front of unit you will see a sight glass to check oil level. Vac. pumps aren't used to remove "Freon", but to boil moisture out of A/C systems. That is why they are run for such a long time. Many A/C shops dumpster old vac. pumps when they no longer can pull in micron range. A new unit is cheaper than a rebuild. The hose fitings are the same as 1/4" flare fitings- 7/16-20. Reid Tool carries an assortment of fittings in the 7/16-20 design. For a beginning bag get one of those "Space Bags from Wal-Mart.

5. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 22, 2005 06:30am | #5

   They dump oil mostly when their throuput is high (first start pumping).  Water, which is everywhere, sticks like glue and will be the last thing to start leaving your vac bag (more or less...)  The water will tend to condense within the oil, ESPECIALLY if the oil is cool.  Running the pump for extended periods will tend to prevent condensation and will help to get existing water out of the oil.

   When the oil gets a cloudy-white appearance, it should have already been changed ;-)  When left pumping for extended periods of time the oil will tend to "back stream" (leave the pump and head for your vacuum bag) so you might find oil within the vac hose, etc.  This is normal for this sort of pump; it is not appreciated by those who are interested in keeping their vacuum process clean, but for this sort of work it is not a problem.

   Some might suggest using a bleed valve in the vacuum line to limit the ultimate pressure and to help keep the oil hot.  I will minimize backstreaming but, unless an inert gas, it will introduce more moisture to the pump.  It's sort of a toss up - if mine I'd go without the bleed valve.

1. 
   chills1994 | Jul 27, 2005 05:09am | #6

   Thanks for all the responses everyone.  And Bill, especially for the link to the pic

   One of these days I'll get around to making the rest of what I think I need for a vacuum press.

   And that is just stuff I've gathered off of http://www.joewoodworker.com

   Like a reservoir and switch.

   For the handle on my pump which spits out oil, why couldn't I just get some hose, some hose clamps, and a mason jar, put all of that together to catch the oil?

   Chills