Is this the one to get?

[skiprat]

Hi guys, Andrew and I have been chatting about the cheap vac pump you guys get from HF.

Is this the one you guys use? It seems incredibly cheap to me.[]
Can anyone tell me roughly how long it takes to draw the vac on the typical 20litre pot?

Thanks
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92475


Oops, forgot to put the link[:I]

 

[Stevej72]

Steven, that is the one I have, but haven't used it for a few months and don't remember how long it takes as I have only used pressure the last few times I've cast. I hope to have a snake skin ready tomorrow and I am going to try vacuum.

 

[skiprat]

I should have read the blurb first. I didn't realise that this only a venturi effect pump. I suppose it would be ok if you have a good compressor driving it.
When I first saw mention of these cheap pumps, I thought they were proper motorized pumps.

Oh well....

 

[skiprat]

Originally posted by Stevej72
<br />Steven, that is the one I have, but haven't used it for a few months and don't remember how long it takes as I have only used pressure the last few times I've cast. I hope to have a snake skin ready tomorrow and I am going to try vacuum.

Thanks for reply Steve. I think I remember the venturi block in one of the pics you posted of your set up. I read that this uses about 4 cfm from your compressor, is it noisey? ( the venturi, not the compressor)

 

[JimM]

Originally posted by skiprat
<br />Hi guys, Andrew and I have been chatting about the cheap vac pump you guys get from HF.

Is this the one you guys use? It seems incredibly cheap to me.[]
Can anyone tell me roughly how long it takes to draw the vac on the typical 20litre pot?

Thanks
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92475


Oops, forgot to put the link[:I]

That is the one that I have and frankly it's worthless. I tried pulling a vacuum with it to stabilize some corncobs and never got it to pull enough to seal let alone create a vacuum. And that was after stripping out the venturi block to eliminate poor fittings.

I have a site that has lots of info on venturi pumps as well as Gast pumps. I have pretty much decided to build the EVS since it does use its own pump.

http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm

I believe he also makes a comment in one of his articles about the HF venturi being of low quality. He does have other venturi models you can build if you have sufficient a/c to handle the load.

If they can use it to vacuum press veneer, I recon I can get a few blanks stabilized with it.

Fill me in on your latest vacuum project, Skiprat...[]

 

[polarbear1]

That's the one I purchased never took it out of the box by the time it arrived I was making flawless castings with no bubbles without it. I do use the pressure pot. It looked like I would have to purchase extra hardware too hook it up to my pressure pot, so I skip that step.

 

[stevers]

Steven,
It's the one I have on my pot. It will pull 26 1/2 inches in about 60 seconds with a cheap campbell hausfeild compressor. How can you go wrong for 9.99?

 

[gketell]

I use the red version of that pump (different connectors that you end up replacing anyway) and it works great. I can pull over 28" in a minute or so using my run of the mill air compressor.

As for noise, you can't hear the venturi over the sound of the air coming out of the outlet which is just as noisy as your air blower adapter.

GK

 

[Stevej72]

Steven, Looks like Steve and Greg already answered the question on size of compressor and noise as I get about the same results as they do.