Vacuum Chuck

[Chuck Key]

Needed a way to hold the Ikebana paraphernalia I am making. The vacuum chamber is a lamp rod that extends all the way through the lathe spindle since there are two locking holes in the spindle. The chuck is made from a piece of UHMW that is tapped 1x8 for the spindle and a piece of foam is is held on with double sided tape and electrical tape to provide a seal. Really sucks.

Chuckie

 

[BRobbins629]

Nice vacuum chuck Chuck

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Does it just pivot on the air coupler?? Do you think you will have long term wear issues on the blass coupler?? Do you support the air hose or just let it hang? Just curious here...

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by Firefyter-emt
<br />Does it just pivot on the air coupler?? Do you think you will have long term wear issues on the blass coupler?? Do you support the air hose or just let it hang? Just curious here...

There is a bearing on each end of the spindle. The blue bearing cup pictured also serves to center the bearing on the spindle. The cup on the other end also serves as a seal and is sized to allow fitting chucks to the spindle threads with out removing the vacuum assembly. Otherwise there are no moving parts so the hose is not supported.

Chuckie

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Ahh, I see... if I had thought for a bit, I would of most likly figured that out!

I would suggest that maybe you add a 90 degree fitting on the lathe end so you hose points down. Kinda easy to break it the way it is right now.

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by Firefyter-emt
<br />
I would suggest that maybe you add a 90 degree fitting on the lathe end so you hose points down.

Kind of like that suggestion. Without the air hose attached there is not enough weight on the fitting to allow the bearing to coast so the whole thing spins with the spindle. Like it this way better so I can either take it off when not in use or otherwise secure the fitting.

<br />

Chuckie

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Ok for those of us unsophisticated (read cheap), could you elaborate on the bearings and the bearing cups. Did you make the bearing cups? While sounding absolutely stoopid the bearings look like the ones in the kids roller blades. I think they would be kinda ticked to find a wheel missing on each boot.

 

[holmqer]

I have been thinking about making a vacuum chuck, and have been struggling with the design of an adapter. This is the most simple and effective design that I've seen.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Roller bearings for kids skates are smaller (I assume) The bearings I have like that only have about a 1/4" inside hole, that looks like about a 3/8" maybe 1/2" rod.

Just curious again, what did you use to make the chuck head?

 

[Chuck Key]

Your kids roller blade bearings are safe but chuck your high priced bicycle axles. That is where I got mine. They are marked SR-6 and measure 3/8 ID and 7/8 OD. Be sure to use double sealed. A possible source is http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0474492

Lamp rod measures about .380 so you will need to lightly file the threads on the lamp rod enough to get the ends through the .375 bearing ID. Depending on your lathe you will need about 7.5 inches of lamp rod and two nuts for the lamp rod. Of course Lowes sells the rod in 6 inch or 30 inch lengths.

The connectors are also from Lowes, a Watts A-738 1/4 MIP 1/8 FIP pipe bushing and a Watts A-739 1/4 FIP to 1/4 MIP street elbow.

I made the cups to help with alignment and to prevent metal to metal contact to the lathe. You could probably get by without but It would be a good idea to have some type of seal on the business end of the headstock.

The chuck head is some material I got from a machine shop that was closing a couple years ago. The guy called it UHMW Polysomething. The foam material is from Michaels but I understand Walmart has the same thing with self stick on one side in the childres art department. My research on the net referred to the foam as closed cell.

I am using a HF venturi/compressor for vacuum but it should be just a matter of adjusting the hookups to connect the vacuum setup that all the casters are using.

Chuckie

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Oh, I did not know you were using the HF pump too!! Oh Oh.. I might just be making one of these soon, I have about half a dozen bowls that are getting ready to be finished as we speak (type??) All I need to do is buy a 1" x 8tpi tap!

 

[Darley]

Chuckie, can you use a vaccum shop or is not powerful enough?

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by Darley
<br />Chuckie, can you use a vaccum shop or is not powerful enough?

Have read that some people use shop vac. I didn't try mine since I couldn't figure out how to hook it up.

Chuckie

 

[Glass Scratcher]

UHMW Polysomething, is the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethelene. I believe Joe Collazo was carrying some but not that size.

This would make a very good article for the archives.