Vacuum pump assistance.

[Greg McClurg]

I am looking at adding a vacuum pump to my lathe, and have read a lot of information on this site, and others, regarding building your own. I think I would like to build my own system, but I have no knowledge of vacuum pumps and need some assistance. I've read about the differences, but my specific question is when I'm looking for a used pump on the bay or CL how do I know what I'm looking at, if it will work, or if it is a good deal? Sorry to be such an idiot:(, but other than buying a new one from a woodturning retailer, which I can't afford, I'm at a loss.

Thanks for any assistance.

Greg

[Jim Burr]

IAP has the best info on vacuum pumps. Pen turners use them for pressure casting and vacuum stabilizing daily. HF has a good pump for $100...Gast is better but a lot more typically.

[Dick Mahany]

I use a Gast 0523 oil-less rotary vane pump that will pull about 27 " Hg. The price was right since I salvaged it from a piece of lab equipment for free, but if I was paying for one, I'd go for a less expensive pump. I recently began stabilizing pen blanks and wish I had one of the refrigeration service type vac pumps such as the HF or equivalent that would pull near 29" . Turntex.com has some good info and Joewoodworker.com also has some great info on vacuum in general.

No matter how you ultimately go, a vac chuck is a wonderful addition to the lathe!

[Greg McClurg]

Thanks Jim and Dick. I will research the information you have given me.

Greg

[Chip Sutherland]

With zero electrical/mechanical experience.....The most important thing to look out for with recycled pumps is make sure the pump is NOT 50hz...I was told that is European and would not work in the US which is 60hz. Someone back me up on this....I am dumb as a rock on this stuff.

I found this link to be very useful....http://www.veneersupplies.com/products/Vacuum-Chucking-Add-On.html as well as joewoodworker.com

I posted a thread 'Vacuum Pump Project' over the weekend. If you are visual, I included pictures of my setup which was based heavily on the setup in the link and what worked for my 3520b.

[Paul Gilbert]

If you are looking for a vacuum pump for a chuck on your lathe, you want 3 - 5 cfm capacity and ultimate vacuum is not a concern. The rotary vane pumps are good pumps for this use. You only need 20" Hg for a chuck (you will use a bleeder to come down to this in most cases), but when dealing with small cracks or porous wood, that high volume is required. For this application I would steer clear of the oil filled pumps like the Harbor Freight one. For casting, the high vacuum is what you want and you have little need for high capacity. The refrigeration pumps like the HF one are ideal for this application.

[Jon McElwain]

+1 to Jow Woodworker. You can learn a lot there.

[Brian Finney]

Europe is 50Hz AND 220-240v which may also cause a problem to some.

Brian

[Glen Blanchard]

joewoodworker has a sale TODAY (3/5/13) only. 10% off everything. I bought his reconditioned vacuum pump a few months ago.

This, from an email I received this morning....


Just a quick reminder that we're offering 10% off everything on our website today. Even vacuum press kits are eligible for this discount! Just enter 'save10' in the keycode box during the checkout process and click the "apply" button. This special event is for today only. Don't miss out!

[Greg McClurg]

Thanks Glen,

I just ordered a pump from Joe.