My vacuum table and questions (pics)

[ed_lang]

I cut small items like boxes and plaques. I am not sure if a Fein vacuum will pull the amount of vacuum needed to hold my work so I went with what I had on hand. I also have a lathe and use a vacuum pump to hold bowls onto the lathe so I didn't have to buy anything to test this setup.
You can find pictures of my rig at http://kc4ylx.smugmug.com/gallery/883595/3
Look at the pictures of my corian spoilboard which is held to the ShopBot via 4 double back clamps. I then lay a 1/4" MDF mask over the spoilboard and turn on the vac. I cut down about .001 into the 1/4" MDF so I know where to put the gasket material. I then remove the mask and drill holes thru it so the vacuum can pass to the work. With this setup, I will have a mask for each project I run. I can pull 25 or so inches of H with my setup. My pump will pull 29" H max.

If you have any suggestions for a better setup, please let me know. I do not make large production runs of items but lots of smaller runs of many different parts. Also, if you think the Fein vacuum will hold my part shown which is an Arrow of Light award plaque for Cub Scouts measuring 6" high and 28" long, let me know.

I am always looking for a better way to hold projects to my ShopBot.


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[pfulghum]

What type of material are you cutting?
How porous is it?

What I have found is that my Fein vaccuum setup can hold securely about 30 sq. in of a melamine and about 40 sq in of Veeneer ply? It will NOT hold "real" wood...too porous.

I'm working on a website to show off my setup.

Can you take a picture of your "Lathe setup"? I want to do the exact same thing...Vacuum pump the Lathe bowl and vacuum/gasket some small part on ShopBot?

Which back to back clamps are you using?
Are you happy with them?

-- pat

[ed_lang]

I am happy to share any pictures of my shop. Look at www.kc4ylx.smugmug.com (http://www.kc4ylx.smugmug.com) and have fun. My lathe is a Oneway 2436.

I cut real wood. Cherry, Walnut and Poplar. Others when needed.

If you want more pictures of something just let me know and I'll take them and upload to smugmug.

[gus]

Ed,
I put a post here last nite but it would seem that this forum is Anti-Amature-Radio.

[mikejohn]

Some might suggest this forum is anti-humour

but not me of course!

[gerald_d]

You can give the most misleading and dangerous advice on this forum, but it is the humour that gets deleted.

[seana]

Ted,
You have no idea how long i looked at your post (the one that got deleted)trying to figure it out.
I thought it was email address, maybe a web address.
Now it makes sense.
I thought i had lost my mental midget mind.

Sean

[gus]

Darn good thing I did not post it in morse or they would have had to shut the whole website down. I never figured two amature radio callsigns would be a problem for anyone....wrong again.

We fear what we do not understand. Some just fear more and understand less.

[ed_lang]

Does anyone have any suggestions on a better way to hold my projects to the machine?

I feel the 1/4" hardboard (mdf) is taking too much time to paint both sides to seal it so I am going to try plexiglass next.

[Brady Watson]

Ed,
Komatex, Sintra, plexi etc all work very well.

-B