Vacuum Table _Works Great...

[jdharger]

Finally completed my vacuum plenum ...Made from Starboard...will get it made in aluminum some year....this works for now...



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[Kyle Stapleton]

What can it hold, and what kind of vacuum?

[jdharger]

No vacuum yet...just hooked up shopvac for time being...with conventional board, you could hold whatever you wanted. It creates a lot of flow and once sucked down its not coming off very easy...looking to get pump here soon..

[andrewm]

Be mindful that HDPE expands and contracts quite a bit with the temperature. I do a lot of cutting with this material and had to put AC in my shop to maintain a constant temperature to get consistent dimensions in the material. I am interested to see how this works for you. The stuff is very strong and wear resistant but its also very slippery and responds to temperature.

[Ajcoholic]

Ive been using a plenum made from Starboard HD for almost three years (will be three years this summer). So far I have not noticed any issues and I have swing in temps from about 62 F in winter, to 80+ F in summer. Mine is 48" by 48" and bolted to my Shopbot's deck with 12 machine screws.

I just lay the MDF spoilboard on top - when the vacuum is on, there is absolutely NO way it can move on the Starboard plenum. WHen the vaccum is off, the neoprene gasket keeps it from sliding/moving. I dont fasten it down otherwise.

Just my experience.

[knight_toolworks]

Ive been using a plenum made from Starboard HD for almost three years (will be three years this summer). So far I have not noticed any issues and I have swing in temps from about 62 F in winter, to 80+ F in summer. Mine is 48" by 48" and bolted to my Shopbot's deck with 12 machine screws.

I just lay the MDF spoilboard on top - when the vacuum is on, there is absolutely NO way it can move on the Starboard plenum. WHen the vaccum is off, the neoprene gasket keeps it from sliding/moving. I dont fasten it down otherwise.

Just my experience.
How is the spoil board if you don't have the vacuum on? does it stay flat? I cut things that I cna't use a vacuum on and I need the sailboard to be flat at the time.

[Ajcoholic]

How is the spoil board if you don't have the vacuum on? does it stay flat? I cut things that I cna't use a vacuum on and I need the sailboard to be flat at the time.

The mdf spoilboard usually curls up a bit with the vacuum off.

If I'm cutting things I need bolted down, I take the whole starboard plenum off the aluminum deck and use the t slotted deck I made.

It takes me about 5 minutes to undo the machine screws and take off the spoilboard and plenum. I have plugs to cover the vacuum inlet holes cut into the deck.

[Ajcoholic]

But for 90% of things I machine these days I use the vacuum or jigs that hold the wood but the jigs themselves are held to the table with the vacuum.

I love my vacuum table!

[knight_toolworks]

The mdf spoilboard usually curls up a bit with the vacuum off.

If I'm cutting things I need bolted down, I take the whole starboard plenum off the aluminum deck and use the t slotted deck I made.

It takes me about 5 minutes to undo the machine screws and take off the spoilboard and plenum. I have plugs to cover the vacuum inlet holes cut into the deck.
thats what I thought. though i could throw on a piece if plywood and vacuum that down and nail to it. today's slow day cut couple pieces of walnut 2"thick 6" wide I nailed in place a lot of small pieces a lot of nails. then a small piece of aluminum I used some spray adhesive right onto the bed as was in a hurry then a piece of dibond that the vacuum alone held both for a quciky jobs. then a piece of acrylic that was big enough to vac down but the parts needed screwed down.