Official Luthiers Forum!

The lastest issue of Woodturning Design has a good article on vacuum chucking. The author recommends a pump from Surplus Center

Seems like this would be pretty good for vacuum clamping, too. The pump is $90, 1/4 hp and rated at 0.5 cmp at 26" Hg.

What do you think? Would this work for vacuum clamping in guitar building?

Joe Volin

iof you are thinking of getting into vacuum clamping i encourage you to read the joewoodworker.com site. it is exceptionally informative.

yes, the pump would work, but note that it is a 220v unit and you may need the transformer as well.

in conjunction with a joewoodworker.com home built vacuum set up it would function very well.crazymanmichael38580.7894212963

I just got a vacuum clamp for Sandy Zimmerman. Best unit I found yet. I can use a pump or vortex with an air compressor. I to am looking for a pump. Keep us informed one never knows where good stuff is.
Share the info and you get more info back
john

Even though I worked in a shop once where we used vacuum clamping to hold parts for pin routing, and in another where we had a veneer clamp bag setup, I still don't know much about them. But, looking around the same site you linked to, I saw this pump:
110volt Vacuum Pump and wonder if it has the cajones to do the job.

I do remember reading somewhere (maybe on the Joewoodworker site that crazymanmichael mentioned), to watch out for old or used vacuum pumps, because the old rubber diaphram can become brittle. You may want to make sure you can get replacement parts for the pump before you buy one.

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Thanks for the tip on joewoodworker.com. There's more info there than any place I've seen. The Gast pump is mentioned on his site favorably although it is not one of the ones sold on the site. Based on the specs the 110 volt pump looks like a good option too.

John, is the Zimmerman clamp a radial arm clamp? If that's it, I've only seen a picture of it without any details. What gives it an edge over the other hold down clamps?

Thanks,

Joe Volin