vacuum pump

[MikeinSC]

Who among us has successfully converted a vacuum food sealer pump for use with a stabilizing chamber?

I've been searching extracurricular activities sites and here trying to find one example. Specifically wanting to disable the heating element and shut off so it runs non stop.

Thanks

 

[Jim Burr]

Doesn't work...around post 16
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f43/building-vacuum-chamber-124306/index2.html

 

[stonepecker]

For $99.00 at Harbor Freight......less 20%......2.5 cfm vacuum pump.
Just faster and easier to get it and get to work.

IMHO

 

[MikeinSC]

I'll have to check HF again. The last time I looked they were close to $200. That exceeds the allocated startup budget.

 

[OOPS]

HF has two models.. at least. In this area, they were about $100 and $160, but I haven't priced them in a few months, so they might be up slightly. That is without coupon.

 

[steve worcester]

If you have a motor laying around, I made one years ago using an automotive air-conditioning pump. The rock crawler guys do this for air pressure pumps, turn it around and it is vacuum.

Other than that, eBay has a jillion vacuum pumps for sale. Higher CFMs are good for a chuck (to a point), but higher inches of mercury, better for stabilizing

 

[MikeinSC]

Thanks Steve. I do have a few motors actually but none with A/C still attached. I was hoping the pump I have would be sufficient because its rated for 20 inches but I'll just head on over to HF and check again.

 

[sbell111]

The 2.5 cfm pump is on sale right now for $99, so $80 after coupon. The item number is 98076.

 

[razor524]

You should check this guy out. Frugal Vacuum Pump-Home He was at the Rocky Mountain Woodturning Expo and it really works. He sold a whole bunch to some pretty serious turners!

 

[MesquiteMan]

You should check this guy out. Frugal Vacuum Pump-Home He was at the Rocky Mountain Woodturning Expo and it really works. He sold a whole bunch to some pretty serious turners!

This pump does not pull as deep of a vacuum as would be idea for stabilizing. Great for vacuum chucking but not stabilizing.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Thanks Steve. I do have a few motors actually but none with A/C still attached. I was hoping the pump I have would be sufficient because its rated for 20 inches but I'll just head on over to HF and check again.

A pump rated to 20" only pulls a 66.8% vacuum. The definition of a full or perfect vacuum is the absence of all air for our purposes. The more air you remove, the more resin you can get back in. A 66.8% vacuum will only remove 66.8% of the air at best.

 

[stonepecker]

How about this one?
Vacuum Pump - AC Vacuum Pump w/ R134A & R12 Connectors


for the person that really wants a cheap one.

 

[MikeinSC]

Stone- that'd be great but I don't have a compressor. That runs off a venturi style setup and needs a constant running compressor to pull a vacuum. Unless I am mistaking. And thanks for looking out too.

Curtis- thanks for the info too. When the authority speaks, I should heed his words, eh?

 

[BayouPenturner]

I have been using the HF pump with good results.

 

[MikeinSC]

I stopped by a pawn shop after work this evening on my way over to HF. I've been hitting up the pawn shops for awhile, and CL, looking for a bigger vacuum pump for awhile but haven't found anything. That's why I was trying to use the food saver pump.
Well lo and behold I found a brand new HF 2.5 cfm pump at the pawn shop today for less than half the HF sales price.

Now I can finally make use of all this wood I've got that is spalting. I just need to get the proper fittings

 

[JasonC]

I ended up with this.

Spendy, but does exactly what it should and doesn't give me issues.

The ONE issue I had was when I decided to stabilize at the max rated input pressure from the compressor. Had a hose inside the unit pop off. Zip-tied the hoses and haven't had an issue since.

 

[MikeinSC]

I stopped by an A/C shop and Lowe's today to pick up the connectors and hose needed to connect to a chamber. That alone has made up for the money saved from the pawn shop. And i just know that it will be for naught and will have to make changes later. But I'm on the way.

 

[wyone]

The HVAC vac I picked up had the special connectors for AC as well. I was able to take the capacitor off so that it had room and unscrewed the special t connector and bought a standard barb type connector for plastic tubing. I was a bit worried that the plastic might collapse, but I saw You Tubes that showed so I figured I would try. It works great and WAY WAY less costly. I actually could have saved a bit more by buying from Harbor Freight, but I was only in about $10 for two barb fittings and a section of tubing

 

[steve worcester]

I ended up with this.

Spendy, but does exactly what it should and doesn't give me issues.

The ONE issue I had was when I decided to stabilize at the max rated input pressure from the compressor. Had a hose inside the unit pop off. Zip-tied the hoses and haven't had an issue since.

The only problem with a Venturi is how much air it consumes and how loud they are. I have heard the Stickfast isn't very loud, so it comes down to compressor air consumption. If your have the large compressor, no worries.