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Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

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Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

6/17/04, 5:31 AM #1

Greg W. in NC
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Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

Greg W. in NC

>A few days ago, Steve posted a message, with a link to making a vacuum chuck out of MDF. I had made a couple of small chucks from solid maple, but not a larger one. Tonight I used a vacuum chuck made by gluing 3 pieces of MDF together, and then drilling / tapping them to fit my shaft. It worked perfectly! It allowed me to finish my largest bowl to date - a beautiful ambrosa maple bowl - 12" x 4". (max swing on my lathe is 12.5"!) Thanks Steve!

Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

6/18/04, 1:02 AM #2

steve worcester
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Registered: 3/21/04
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Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

Steve Worcester

>Your welcome. And thanks to Johnny Tolly for writing it.

Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

6/19/04, 2:43 AM #3

sroxberg
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Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

sroxberg

>I've been following, and have created, some of the recent vacuum chucking threads. I just discovered a great source of MDF. It's stair treads. Only six dollars and they are 4 fee by 1 foot. But the nicest part is that they are 1" thick. Just thought I would pass this information on. This weekend I'll be making some MDF chucks.

Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

6/19/04, 12:30 PM #4

sroxberg
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Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

sroxberg

>Where did you get the tap, I'll need a 1 " by 8 tpi?

Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

6/21/04, 1:03 AM #5

Greg W. in NC
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Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

Greg W. in NC

>I think I got it at Wholesale Tool Company. Most of the machine tooling companies will sell them. You need a tap that fits your spindle, of course. thanks for the tips on the stair material. Is that MDF or HDF?

Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

6/21/04, 3:16 AM #6

Juergen
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Registered: 4/23/04

Re: Vacuum Chuck - thanks Steve Worcester!

Juergen

>Try Ebay. I found a couple 1 1/4"x8 taps a while back. You'll also need a drill that at least 1/8 to 3/16 smaller than the tap.

I've also used this technique to make face plates up to 12" works great. Most of the industrial supply houses (MSC, Enco, McMaster-Carr)carry the taps but they're more expensive that Ebay. Good Luck.