How much vacuum can a wood chuck chuck?

[Josh Bowman]

Well, I finally got all the parts together today for my vacuum chuck. (That's right John K., I'm tinkering again!) I found a great salvage guy on EBay that sold me the Gast 523 pump and gave me the idea to look for a rotating union on EBay. A friend took some scrap aluminum bar and turned me a new hand wheel to fit the chuck and my Jet. The rest was stuff I got at Lowe's and the Surplus Center. The fit up went well and the vacuum via the adapted hand wheel is acceptable. I have another chuck/bearing that I bought off of EBay for $40 and it will pull 26" vacuum, I guessing that if I silicone the hand wheel to the Jet, the vacuum will improve, since that is just a tight fit with no O-ring like the rotating union has. Now I just have to figure out how to mount/store the thing. I think I'm going to adapt an old tool box, where the only things that come out is the hose and cord.

[Josh Bowman]

FYI this is what the other chuck looks like that does NOT have to have a rotataing union. It's all inclusive, just plug a 3/8" hose to the pipe, the chuck can be ordered with different threads for your lathe. Just search vacuum chucks on the bay and you'll find this one. He took $40, but might go a little lower.http://www.harrisonspecialties.com/AuctionPhotos/VacChuck1-350.jpg

[John Keeton]

Josh, the tinkerer!!!:D Lookin' good, there, Josh. That should really raise the enjoyment level for you.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Josh - congrats on getting your vac system up and running! You are going to love using it!

[David Woodruff]

A thought. If the hand wheel is not going to be a permanant fixture buy vacuum grease and use instead of silicone. Will work just as well and cleans up nicely. Vacuum grease can be obtained from MSC Industrial. In fact I urge turners not familiar with MSC to take a look. Order by 3:00pm and receive next day. No order too small. The 3" thick 10lb. catalog is packed full of information.

[Josh Bowman]

I've pretty much finished my vacuum chuck. I also added a few hundred pounds of ballast under the Jet. That give me the shelf I needed for the pump. I don't know how often I'll use it, but in my shop, anything on the floor is in the way. I think I'll cover the end of the pumps "box" with some screen to keep the chips out. The last pictures shows how the vacuum tube runs.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Josh congrats on getting your vac chuck working. Looks good.