2 Fein Turbo 3 vac for vacuum table

[matney_models]

Will this work? This what I have and I can still lift the wood. I taped the sides,cover what is not used and still can lift it.

[ken_rychlik]

yes it will work. Mine ran all day and nothing moved out of place on me.

You either have to many leaks or to dense of a spoil board.

Up spiral bits will lift your material more than other bits do also.

Did you surface both side of the spoil board?
Are you using ultra light mdf for the spoil board?
Is it glued down to the plenum?
Is it caulked around the edges?
How high of an altitude are you in?
Are you using the turbo 3 models?

Kenneth

[matney_models]

Did you surface both side of the spoil board?
YES
Are you using ultra light mdf for the spoil board?
YES
Is it glued down to the plenum?
I have 3/4" ply first Epoxied to 3/4"MDF to as the plenum.

Is it caulked around the edges?
No not yet
How high of an altitude are you in?
About 640ft.
Are you using the turbo 3 models?
Yes 2 of them

[knight_toolworks]

seal the edges with yellow glue it works well and does it in one coat.
but the vacs don't have a lot of hold down power. they work better at side pressure. thin material will want to lift up.

[myxpykalix]

i have used silicone caulking around the edges because it hardens into a rubbery seal around the edges. Without sealing the edges nothing will stay put.
Also crawl under your table with the vacs running and take some matches or insecne stiks and take the smoke from a match by your connections to the table to check for leaks. You need to caulk all those connections also.

[bleeth]

"I can still lift the wood"

You will always be able to lift a full sheet by grabbing a corner no matter how well sealed you are but you should not be able to slide the sheet sideways without great force. Also check for board cup. Your vac will not always be able to pull a bowed board down but if you have the option it will do better if the bow is up in the center of the board and not up at the edges.

[ken_rychlik]

I think you just need some fine tuning.

Dave is right about "lifting the wood"

As long as it doesn't slide around while cutting is all we care about.

KR

[toych]

Kevin, I am running 1 turbo 3 without too many issues, I used closed cell foam to divide my four zones, it will hold down all but the most cupped plywood. Nothing a well placed screw can't fix. I do have stay away from up spiral bits with this set up.

I plan on adding the second vac soon, I'm sure it will make a big difference.

Try the expandable foam hold down by Joe Crumley on cupped lumber, it works excellent.

[pappybaynes]

Kevin,
before I switched to 4 "Lighthouse" vac motors, I used a Fein II with absolutely no problem with holddown...make sure your plenum is well sealed and that the edges of it AND the spoilboard are sealed, (I used a wrap of duct tape). The last thing would be the surface of the piece you are milling - is it perfectly flat???
Dick

[larry_r]

Kevin,

I agree with the advise everyone has given thus far. I always test my vacuum by trying to push the board, not lift it. As previously stated,down spirals will work best for low vacuums like the Fein.

Larry

[matney_models]

I still have little or no vacuum. I did all the test with incense smoke and found no leaks. Even took the smoke over the MDF and no smoke does not even go into it.
This what the Air camber under the spoil bored looks like

[ken_rychlik]

Where are the holes to hook up the vacs?

Is this your top spoil board or the plenum?

You should have holes all the way through where your circles are and then a lightweight mdf spoil board on top.

Kenneth

[Brady Watson]

Where are the holes to hook up the vacs?

Is this your top spoil board or the plenum?

You should have holes all the way through where your circles are and then a lightweight mdf spoil board on top.

Kenneth

X2

You only have 1/2 a system there...What you have is a vacuum distribution grid. Unplug/cut the holes where the vacuum will hook up. You can clearly see where these holes need to be.

Now you need a sheet of Trupan Ultralight or MDF Ultralight. Vacuum will suck thru the entire face of this 'Bleeder board'.

-B