put together a Vacuum Pump

[Jim Ketron]

Here Is an addition to the 3520 lathe. I got the pump off e-bay it was used in the medical feild. The motor is 220v 1/4 HP and the pump is a Gast. I used the E-Z adapter and all the fittings are brass and used reinforced tubing. I mounted the pump to the wall at the end of the lathe thats where I do most of my finishing work on Bowls and Platters I can keep a close eye on the gauge. I used Thick rubber 3/8" x 6" behind the plate to help with viberations. on the test run I could draw 23 HG on the gauge.
This should make finishing a little easier than using a compression chuck or taking the jaws off my chuck and putting on my cole jaws
Jim

[John Miliunas]

Dang it, Jim...From building entire shops at super-human speeds to stuff like this! Is there anything you don't do?!:eek: :confused: Nice job! If I may be so bold, can I ask what the parts set you back? If not, I understand. I'm sure it was a dern site cheaper than commercially available units! Well done!:) :cool:

[Jim Ketron]

Dang it, Jim...From building entire shops at super-human speeds to stuff like this! Is there anything you don't do?!:eek: :confused: Nice job! If I may be so bold, can I ask what the parts set you back? If not, I understand. I'm sure it was a dern site cheaper than commercially available units! Well done!:) :cool:

No Problem John Ol Buddy:)
I got the pump off e-bay (buy it Now) $74.95 +shipping
E-Z adapter $74.95+shipping
spent about $50 on the fittings and tubing
so for under the cost of a new vacuum pump I got the whole set up
very pleased with its performance.
Jim

[Cecil Arnold]

John,

Not to hijack the thread, but for a little more than Jim spent (maybe another $100) you can put together a vacuum press that will also be a vacuum source for your lathe.

[John Miliunas]

Hey Cecil, you about read my mind, but in reverse! :D I already have a veneer press! It's one of those entry-level "Vacu-Press" units. Wonder if that would do the trick for the lathe, as well? Hmmmmmm.....:) :cool:

[Cecil Arnold]

John, I think you need more suction than that unit will supply. My turning guru says you need to be able to pull around 20"hg. The pump I bought on e-bay pulls 26, and it cost abought the same as Jim paid. It is not a gaust, but seems to do the job. I built the JWW vac press and most of the cost was for the controler and relief valve. Oh, yes, the vynal for the bag is, IMHO, very pricy.

[Dan Connolly]

If you get a cheap air tank and put it in line with that pump, it will increase the effective holding power of the pump, kinda like having a "reserve" tank.

[John Miliunas]

If you get a cheap air tank and put it in line with that pump, it will increase the effective holding power of the pump, kinda like having a "reserve" tank.

Hey Dan...Don't recall giving you an SMC "Welcome", so, WELCOME to SMC!:) Anyhow, thanks for the suggestion! So, you think one of those tanks like they have for compressors (only reversed?) for filling tires and such might do? Obviously, I'm NOT well versed in pneumatics!:rolleyes: :cool:

[Dan Connolly]

Yes thats what I mean (like cheap at Menards or whereever) , my understanding is that with that reserve you can get by with a pump that creates about half the vacuum (thats coming from a guy that designed pneumatics for 30 years). I can't explain (maybe someone else on the forum could) how or why that would work---seems like "X" amount of vac. would be the same---but I guess it does work that way. I saw this in his shop--he turned off the pump and 20 minutes later had lost only like 5" of vac.----ie a power loss doesn't cause your bowl to drop to the floor 2 seconds later.

[Steve Stube]

A word of caution when you are talking air pressure tank and vacuum accumulators being the same animal - it's not necessarily true. Design counts! Just as some hose/tubing is pressure rated but collapses in vacuum service, not all pressure tanks are rated/designed for vacuum.

FWIW. It's not the tank "implosion" that gets you, it's the sudden jerk with chisel in hand due to your reaction to the noise that can get you into trouble.

[Bill Esposito]

Hi Jim,

I did about the same thing. Got a brand new Gast pump off Ebay for 70 bucks. Being lazy I purchased the guage kit from Woodturners Catalog but made my intake filter out of some PVC and polyester fiber for aquarium filters.

I get 23-25hg with a good seal on the bowl and I'm quite happy with the performance.
Here's the filter
http://www.mv.com/users/besposito/woodworking/vacfilter.jpg

[Jim Ketron]

Nice set up Bill!
Good Idea on the filter, a vacuum pump makes things go a lot better on the finishing of the bottoms glad got mine set up!
Jim

[Rob Littleton]

So tell me this you sucker professionals (vacuum = sucker, play on words....heheh).........

I have the Jet 1236 thingy and I cant see how I would attach a vacuum pump to that. It has a thread in the end on the spinny thingy and it turns when the head turns. Is there some kind of swivel attachement you use to conect to that? Then, on the faceplate, do you use a special attachment to hold the bowl that is vacuumed chucked? Is there like a rubber gasket that it sits on and then you turn on the pump?

Check out my title of this thread, I really have no clue what happens to make this possible.

Thanks for you patience. :-)

[Jim Becker]

Rob, you could use the EZ-Vacuum adapter sold by Packard, Craft Supplies and others to easily equip your machine for this type of chucking system. I believe that the OneWay adapter will also work with the proper threading adapter...it screws onto the outboard side of your spindle on the threads that are there for a handwheel. (I think the Jet 1236 has that feature)

Of course, you could just buy a Stubby which has the vacuum adapter built in...the machine only requires a 1/4" NPT quick connector to be up an running! (And a plug for the spindle...which I made from...wood) Of coures, this is a more expensive option ;) than the other two I mentioned! :D

[Bill Esposito]

So tell me this you sucker professionals (vacuum = sucker, play on words....heheh).........

I have the Jet 1236 thingy and I cant see how I would attach a vacuum pump to that. It has a thread in the end on the spinny thingy and it turns when the head turns. Is there some kind of swivel attachement you use to conect to that? Then, on the faceplate, do you use a special attachment to hold the bowl that is vacuumed chucked? Is there like a rubber gasket that it sits on and then you turn on the pump?

Check out my title of this thread, I really have no clue what happens to make this possible.

Thanks for you patience. :-)
Rob,

First, the EZ Vacuum Adapter (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=314-1050) works fine with the 1236. It has 3 pieces. The smallest piece in the picture threads onto the rod and then the rod is inserted through your headstock from the face plate side. You trim the rod to the correct length and then thread the cone shaped piece onto the rod until it's tight into the spindle. Then you simply connect your vacuum line to it. The larger cone shaped piece has a bearing which allows the air fitting to rotate.http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/images/314-1050.jpg

As for how you chuck up the piece. You create a disc out of MDF and attache it to one of your steel faceplates and true it up.

Next, you make a grove to fit each one of your different diameter cylinders. I use PVC fittings and pipe. This disc is groved for two different sizes. There is some black material in one of the groves to improve suction. I can easily pull 23hg with the bowls attached.
http://cerealport.net/woodworking/vacfaceplate1.jpg

http://cerealport.net/woodworking/vacfaceplate2.jpg

By using a PVC coupler, I can extend it's length simply by inserting a piece of pipe.

The object is to use the biggest diameter cylinder you can so that you chuck the piece more securely.

For gaskets I use pieces of those thick foam mouse pads with the cloth pealed away.
http://cerealport.net/woodworking/vacfaceplate3.jpg