Vacuum Coupling for Nova

[Ricc Havens]

I don't have the money to buy or build a dedicated vac system for my old Nova 3000. Teknatool use to make a rotary vac adapter that would use a shop vac. Does anyone have plans on how to make one or want to sell their's?

Thanks
Ricc Havens
Elkhart, IN

[Sid Matheny]

I have one and can get the dimensions for you if you want to try making one. A bearing, steel tubing and a setscrew is about all you need. I have no idea why they don't make them anymore. They work great.

Sid

[Keith Westfall]

Yes please!! That would be great to see...

klw

[Ralph Lindberg]

I have one I no longer use. I could not get my shop-vac to draw a hard enough vacuum to make me happy.

So I bought an A/C evacuation pump from Harbor Freight, a 3/8 NTP continuous thread (lamp center) pipe and modified the vacuum chuck. Later I added a gauge and found I am drawing about 25 inches (assuming the wood is not too porous, if so, less)

[Sid Matheny]

OK this is the dimensions on my adapter. The bearing seems to be a standard 6004 sealed bearing. Mine has a steel sleeve but I see no reason you could not use aluminum so you could turn it using wood turning tools. The screw on mine is metric but it just goesin a hole you drill in your vac hose so 5/16-18 thread should be easier to find. I'll add some pics to show how it works. Also mine has a couple of extra holes that I don't use so I didn't add them to the print.

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af350/Sidro59/NovaVacAdpt.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af350/Sidro59/100_2576.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af350/Sidro59/100_2577.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af350/Sidro59/100_2578.jpg

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af350/Sidro59/100_2580.jpg

Sid

[Bob Hamilton]

Hi, Sid:
At least one of those extra holes should be used for a bypass air flow hole to avoid deadheading the vac. I know it seems counterintuitive to introduce a deliberate leak, and I did not when I first started using mine, but I can honestly say I did not notice any difference in the "grip" after I did bore the bypass air hole in my vac hose. That was after the motor bushings wore out on my admittedly rather old and cheap Shop Vac. I think it is pretty hard on the vac motor to pull against a completely plugged hose and the small amount of air admitted by the 5/16" bypass air hole makes it much happier. That first vac I was using was about 15 years old before I started using it for vacuum chucking and it lasted for about 11 months before the bushings wore out, so it may just have been that its time had come, but if the bypass hole doesn't affect the grip and just _may_ extend the life of the vac then I think it is worth it. If you find you don't like it a bit of duct tape will plug it up again.

Take care
Bob

P.S.: Does the size of that bolt seem like overkill to you, too? :D

[Ricc Havens]

Sid, how did you attached yout steel sleeve to the bearing?

Thanks
Ricc

[Sid Matheny]

Bob I have the extra holes are covered in mine but you brought up a good point. The big bolt sure looks out of place!

Ricc the one I have came from WC before they stopped selling them. Mine looks like it is just pressed in but if I were using aluminum I would use epoxy to hold it in.

Sid