How to Vacuum Hold to a Router Template? Without Weatherstripping

[Nick Sorenson]

I have a few uses in my shop for vacuum fixturing. The main thing that I'm getting hung up on is the use of weatherstripping. I CAN'T use Weatherstripping on one particular jig because the piece has to be absolutely flat to the jig.

Is there a way to get a good vacuum seal from the jig to the piece without weatherstripping?

I build electric guitars. I'm looking to use vacuum in some router templates as well as a sander similar to this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_TrjG2gTq4&feature=channel) (fingerboard Radius). This is where it's critical that the piece is dead flat to the template. I'm curious if there's a way to get a good vacuum seal without weatherstripping between the piece and the holder.
thanks!
Nick

[Jamie Buxton]

Use the weatherstripping only for the air seal. Let the vacuum suck the workpiece tight to some solid part of the fixture, so you know exactly where the workpiece is. Arrange the weatherstripping so that it will be compressed enough to seal well, but not so much that it attempts to support the workpiece away from the fixture.

[pat warner]

You can get the vacuum to work without seals.
But the work and the templet have to be flat, flat.
I do this with judicious but not lengthy hand sanding on a surface plate. In most cases, once in contact, you cannot even pull (straight up) unvacked parts apart!

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Route a channel in the jig to accept the gasket. Let the gasket material stick up about 1/32-1/16", and it will compress into the channel and still seal very well. That's how it's done for CNC vacuum fixtures. Check out www.allstaradhesives.com for different gasket materials.

[Brice Burrell]

Nick, I don't if this is helpful or not but you can pull a vacuum through a MDF template.