vacuum chuck gasket?

[curtis rosche]

What do you guys use for your gasket on your vacuum chucks? i make one chuck that uses a bowl to tank rubber gasket for a toilet. i fit the edge of it over a 3inch pipe. it works, but it is hard to center and it doesnt make the best seal.
i saw you could buy the sheet of gasket stuff at one of the online wood working stores. is that the way to go with this?

[Jason Clark2]

I'm using a sheet of the thin craft foam (Foamies?) from Walmart. Something like $1.88 for a sheet. It used to be self adhesive, the stuff I purchased last month wasn't so I hit it with spray adhesive before gluing it to the PVC coupler I used.

Jason

[Steve Schlumpf]

Curtis - I use some of that real thin - closed cell - packing foam. The same stuff you get with UPS, FEDEX or post office deliveries. I do not glue it on the chuck - just cut a small x in the center to allow air to move, place it between the turning and the chuck when seating and you are done.

If you are having trouble centering your turning on the vac chuck - bring up your tailstock and place the center in the little indent left over from when you roughed out the piece. Place just enough pressure on it to hold it in place and then give the chuck a couple of spins by hand to make sure it is centered. THEN turn on your vac pump. Once you know the vacuum is holding it (20 hg or so reading on gauge) then back off your tailstock and finish your turning.

[curtis rosche]

so just regular foam makes enough of a seal?!?!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Curtis - it is not regular foam, it is thin closed cell foam. Air can not get sucked through it so it makes a great seal.

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Curtis, if you have a leather co. near you, I buy off the scrap bin at Tandy leather. Soft and smooth on one side and kinda rough on the other. rough side out. A hose clamp on the outside in lieu of masking tape. Got enough for about 4 chucks for less than 5 bucks. Get the light colored leather. Darker might rub off.Havent noticed any slippage yet. pm me and I could send you some if none close.Max

[Art Jordan]

Check Harbor Freight....black thin foam for lining a drawer...appx 1/8 inch thick..on sale for 2.50. got it Saturday...works great.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Check Harbor Freight....black thin foam for lining a drawer...appx 1/8 inch thick..on sale for 2.50. got it Saturday...works great.

Item 90982-1VGA price $1.87 for a 59 by 16 sheet, 9mil thick

BTW, old "mouse pads" work too

[Dick Strauss]

I wouldn't suggest using anything black or colored. A black rubber or nitrile o-ring will discolor most woods in my experiences. Mouse pads can also leave some colro behind. Next time I'll be using white foamies from walmart so I don't have to sand out the color rings by hand after all is said and done.

[mark buckley54]

Guys and gals

I am new to vacuum chucking. in fact got a 5cfm pump new on ebay for under 100.00.

got it yesterday, have all the hookups and tested it, it works fine.
now I made a circle out of baltic plywood and mounted it to a faceplate, so I could have a larger area for larger bowls, I had bought a kit and it came with a black rubber pad and I cut it to fit the circle, glued it to the wood, now I am thinking that I can use a different foan for less than perfect bowls.

need ideas about what to use that I can just lay on the rubber and that will seal, less than perfect bowls.

thanks
mark

[curtis rosche]

you can use the rubber gasket that goes between the bowl and tank on a toilet. i use one, it works really well. it is thick and flexible. also, you can use the soft foam padding that goes in the bottom of a tooldrawer. just put some spray adhesive on the back and attach to a plater shaped chuck peice

[Ken Glass]

Curtis,
You said are having trouble centering your piece on the Vacuum Chuck? You should leave the piece chucked up your lathe chuck and use your tail stock with a tailstock chuck adapter screwed into the lathe chuck to bring it up to your vacuum chuck, similar to the one shown in your own spindle size. That way it will be perfectly centered every time.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curtis I started using what Ken has displayed and have never had a problem since getting things centered properly. On my vacuum chuck I use a closed foam I got from CSUSA.

[curtis rosche]

just FYI. this is an old thread that Mark posted a reply in. i was simply replying to his post.