Vacuum chuck question

Re: Vacuum chuck question

Wood Spinner

>Bud

I turned a large dia. board 2" thick attached to a faceplate. I glued the faceplate to the board to seal that side. I used PVC pipe in several sizes and lengths as adaptors. Grove the board to accept the tubes about 3/4" deep and tight. Slip the tube into the board and use a piece of rubber between the work and the pvc tube. Place the work against the rubber and center it using the tailstock center as a guide. Turn on the vacuum and remove the live center.

If you have a problem getting a full vacuum you may need to seal the wooden plate.

Good turning and be safe

Bill

Re: Vacuum chuck question

John Lucas

>Bud

You don't necessarily have to use Teflon tape unless the leaks are causing a vacuum loss. If you pump has enough volume it really won't matter.

The 3/8" tube doesn't seem to restrict the vacuum. In theory it probably slows down the build up of the vacuum but I can't tell the difference on my system.

The length of the tubes for your chuck should be whatever it takes to get the bowl to clear any obstacles like the headstock etc. I wouldn't necessarily make them really long if you don't have to because it will cause unnecessary vibration.

Connecting to the pump

Fred in NC

>I am also interested in what kind of hose others are using between the rotary fitting and the pump.

Thanks !

Re: Vacuum chuck question

Richard Allen

>Hi Bud

The EZ-vac adaptor has worked great for me. I don't use any teflon tape or any other means of sealing any threads.

The vacume availble is usualy in the 25" range.

I have the pricey Oneway drum chucks which all work as expected. I made a couple with PVC, faceplate and such. I was never happy with them and I spent hours trying to get them to work the way I wanted. The Oneway drums have never needed any effort to work as expected.

The hose I use is one of those coil air hoses. I have seen others use short lengths of hose, which looked to work fine. A friend of mine has all his plumbing piped in with a small section of hose to take care of vibration.

The oneway adaptor also works well for a lot of people.

I know some people make there own adaptor with a bearing, hose fitting and faceplate for the outboard end. The "device" is epoxied together to eliminate leaks. The key is to size the inside part of the sealed bearing so that the hose adaptor can be epoxied in. On the outside of the bearing epoxy to wood that is attached to a small faceplate which threads onto the outboard end of the spindle. The 2" faceplates from Don Pencil work great for this. You can turn a small recess in the aluminum faceplate and glue the bearing in for a neater look. But if the bearing ever needs to be replaced you will likely have to replace the faceplate as well. Also if you move to a different lathe with a different spindle size you only need a new faceplate to be back in business.

Good Luck

Richard

Re: Vacuum chuck question *LINK*

Andrew Hilton

>"has anyone out there used the E-Z vacuum adaptor advertised in both Packard and Craft Supplies?"

Yes, I have used it and have made my own versions of it. See the included link below for a small article on it.

"Is it necessary to use teflon tape on all of the threads, both for the adaptor and for the faceplate on the spindle? "

For the threads going into the rotating adapter, it may help a little. I didn't need it but if the threads are loose, then it'll help some. Problem is that you don't want to use too much. You don't want any of the tape to come loose and get sucked up into your vacuum. Be sure to use a good inline filter.

"Does the 3/8" all-thread pipe restrict volume so much that very little vac is left at the business end?"

Not if you have a good vacuum pump. Volume only comes into effect when you have leaks in the system; be it either in the fittings/connectors or the piece of wood you're turning. I've had some pretty porous red oak bowls hold very well with a 4cfm pump through a 3/8" hole as in the E-Z adapter. No problem.

" Lastly, how long should the various size cylinders be (the ones that fit into the grooves on the MDF faceplate)?"

Depends on how deep your bowls, hollowforms, etc. are going to be. 4" is fine for most everything I do. I've made a couple of 2" diameter x 8" deep chucks but those are for special situations. 2" diameter of suction isn't going to hold a lot anyway.


Vacuum system & Chuck

Re: Vacuum chuck question

Bud Gabaree

>Thanks to everyone for the great advice. I got everything up and running last night. After some initial hassles, the system seems to work as advertised. I'm excited about turning dainty little feet now.

Bud

Re: Connecting to the pump

Bill Howatt

>Fred,

I am using a clear plastic hose with a rather open threaded mesh embedded in it. Bought it at the local building supply store; probably made for water use. They had reels of it in various diameters. So far it has been fine (no collapsing.

Bill

Thank you, Bill !

Fred in NC

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