Hand=powered Vacuum Press....

Re: Hand=powered Vacuum Press.... *LINK*

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>Roarockit is the company that makes these (I think LV resells their products, although I suppose someone else could reinvent them, very clever reuse of those wine bottle air vacators.). I bought one a year or so ago, but have only been able to test the small version (successfully laminated several 6" X 1/4" bent pieces). I don't know how it works on large pieces or whether that 26" X 28" bag will be big enough for a 24" piece.

Pam


http://www.roarockit.com/

Re: Hand=powered Vacuum Press....

thomd coralseacat@yahoo.au


>I've done both hammer venneering, though not in a long time, and a lot of vac bagging on piece up to 30 feet long. What you should try depends on how much of this stuff you want to do. Much of the work i have done is with a shop vac as the vac source, which works great, but has limitations on wrinkly material and as to the glues you can use. I also have a rotary vane pump that works for cabinet glues and a venturi system that provides max pressure. A lot of vane pumps are available cheaply from scientific resellers.

There are pitfalls in vac bagging, that one learn over time, just comon sense. It's mostly worth it for the fun of watching the weight of the world come down on your workpiece and squeeze out all the glue. There isn't any reason why a hand operated system wouldn't work just fine, as long as your bag and valve are perfect.

Here is a pic of a shop vac sucking down a 24 foot panel

Re: Hand=powered Vacuum Press.... *LINK*

mikew


>Hi Paul,

If you mean the Roarockit press, it does work. The seal is the biggest problem for people using it the first time or two. Go to the Roarockit website for videos, etc.

http://www.roarockit.com/

The link shows a panel in the bag. Ted and Norah will also make other sized bags upon request for a reasonable price. They are good folks.

Take care, Mike


A panel in the Bag

Paul, what was the problem . . .

Tom Colligan


>with hammering HHG? I ask this as this will part of my next project (though it won't be as big as a 24" panel). I'd appreciate your pointers. Thx.,

Thom, I asked a question of you in the below thread we were working on.

Re: Paul, what was the problem . . .

Paul Kierstead


>I was trying to veneer a single piece of veneer 24" x 23". I was using an oak, modern ultra-thin veneer. The problem with this is that it seems that as the glue sets up nicely, the oak increases in size (due to the we glue) and bubbles up something fierce. You can watch the bubbles form. Shop made veneers, narrower done one at a time should be a lot less trouble.

Of course, I would fully expect that someone with more skill could do it successfully. I have hammer veneered a few times with success, but nothing nearly so large (legs, small box parts).

Did you coat both sides of the veneer with glue?

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

Yes

Paul Kierstead


>I actually had two goes at the big piece, the second time being especially careful to work from the middle out.

Re: Yes

thomd coralseacat@yahoo.au


>One thing with any kind of thin lamination is the temp condition of the glue and wood. If you have a rising heat condition your wood will outgas and ruin your finish, your lamination, or fiberglassing. If the condition causes the wood too cool it will suck down which can lead to a glue starved condition. So a perfect level temperature and light condition is the ideal, but that usually isn't available, so preheating to cool is usually most reliable.