Vacuum pump for chuck?

[Sparky Paessler]

I've been thinking about getting a vacuum pump and making some vacuum chucks for my lathe. My question is what size vacuum pump would you guy's recommend for a lathe vacuum chuck? My lathe is a Jet 1236.

Thanks

[David Brown]

Hi, go for a 1/4 Hp Minimum, prefer 1/3 hp Gast vane style pump ck e bay

[Jim Becker]

Sparky, I picked up a Gast pump...essentially the identical unit that the woodturning stores and OneWay sell for big bucks...from a surplus outfit. It's a 1/3hp rotary vane unit and I paid about $175 for it. It was essentially brand new with a GE Medical Systems sticker on it. That said, you can often find similar used vacuum pumps on EBAY and at other sources for very reasonable cost. I have an article on my site about vacuum chuck systems if you might find it useful.

[Sparky Paessler]

Thanks Jim and David. 1/4 to 1/3 is what I though but wasn't sure. I have been look at some on Ebay. Will check out your site Jim.

[Jim Becker]

Sparky, just like in compressors, "horsepower" isn't the real measure of what you want for this application. You need a vacuum pump that can pull 25-29 hg of vacuum. That said, the 1/3-1/4hp rotary vane units are generally able to do that. Be sure you take note of required input voltage, too...a respectable number of the surplus pumps require 240v which isn't a problem if you can deliver it, but if not, you want to be sure that the pump you choose to buy will work on 120v. My appologies for forgetting to mention this in my original reply.