Happy day -- vacuum chuck

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

I needed -- OK, I wanted -- a vacuum chuck for improving my bowl-bottom work. Picked up a small HF pump for $75 (list $139, sale $99 less coupon my wife found). Ordered a kit from Harrison Specialties that included the chuck, an 18-inch pipe to pass through the headstock and a gauge and connectors for the pump. Naturally, the plumbing fittings needed some connectors, but it was only one trip to Ace as I brought everything along. Fired it up and it worked great! Now the test bowl was only about 8-inches in diameter so it will be interesting to see how the pump manages larger projects. All told it was a $225 investment.

Larry

[Harry Robinette]

You'll love having a vac chuck,pic's would be nice

[Roger Chandler]

Congrats on your acquisition, Lawrence..........a vacuum chuck is a great tool in your arsenal!

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

Here are some pics.

[Fred Belknap]

I'm sure you will like it. Looks like a nice set up.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

If you can hold a small turning, a bigger one will be much easier, with a bigger chuck that is, as the area increases so does the holding power, have fun with your new way of being able holding your turnings.

[Matt Newton]

Is that an oil pump? If so how do you deal with the exhaust?

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

Hi, Matt ...

That's a good question. There is a port for oil and a window to monitor the oil level. I did not detect any exhaust when I ran it the other day. I wasn't looking for exhaust, but will report back if there is an exhaust issue.

Larry

[James Combs]

Nice looking setup Lawrence, only suggestion I would make is that you should probably add a filter in the white line either before or after the manifold. You may already have one in the line someplace but it is hard to tell from the photo. You don't want any of the wood dust or shavings getting into the pump.

Now let us see some turnings.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Exhaust oil can be a problem with oil pumps. Some make filters from a water purifier cartridge or bury the exhaust line in a bucket of charcoal. Other have vented it to the outdoors.