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Vacuum chucks

2K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  PeteStaehling 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am considering buying or building a vacuum chuck system. What components or systems have any of you had experiance with? Should any of them be avoided? What pumps are best, least noisy?
Thanks
 
#5 ·
+1 on the Frugal as well. I bought mine knowing it was a good deal for all of the pieces, and that if I ever wanted to change over to a pre-fab chuck, I could re-use the pump (one of the most, if not the most, expensive components) and a lot of the misc hardware.
 
#6 ·
Jim, check out my web site, www.woodturnerstools.com. The Tail Stock Steady is a better alternative to a vac system or any other system made today. It's also a lot safer as your nearly finished piece will be between centers until it's complete. It will also allow you to do such thing as Cholla bowls which have a million pores in it, wood with cracks, bark inclusions and such which you could never draw a vacuum unless it was stabilized.

I came up with the concept in 2011, and my success rate on completion went from 66% to 99.5%.

Cricket, if this looks like an Ad, and not allowed, please remove this post. ................ Jerry (in Tucson)
 
#7 ·
I am using the vicmarc vacuum system. It attaches to a four jaw chuck, so no need to run tubing through the head stock.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.woodworkersemporium.com/amp/Vicmarc_V01216/
I bought the one that needs a vacuum pump, but they also make one intended to be used with a shop vac.
Household hardware Cylinder Nickel Auto part Machine

I have a 4" cup, and the plate.
Household hardware Gas Circle Auto part Metal

I am using a harbor freight vacuum, had it a couple years now, and working fine.
 

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#10 ·
First I like to fabricate my own equipment and I admit to being a cheepskate.

Vacuum manifold parts:
$12 vacuum gauge--Amazon
$25 pipe fittings & valve--Home depot (I had a couple 1/4" tees)

Rotating joint:
$8 sealed bearing (1 1/4 OD X 3/8 ID X 3/8 thick)--Amazon
My handwheel is 1" ID so I will open it to give the bearing a slip fit then epoxy a 3/8" hose fitting in it
and add a gasket & a couple set screws to hold the bearing.

This will allow me to use a faceplate to mount the vacuum chuck and keep it close to the spindle
by not using a scroll chuck to hold it.

$50- $100 for a vacuum pump at Harbor Frieght or Amazon.
I like the oil-less pump the Frugal system uses but they are out of them and they cost more.
 
#12 ·
Like you I was interested but not enough to pony up money. Years ago I acquired a pump and it sat around gathering dust until yesterday. I cobbled one together in a few minutes. Seriously they are so simple and easy to make it is crazy I didn't do it earlier. Aside from the pump, mine is 3 parts. A tube that runs into a sealed bearing - which is pressed into a faceplate. So, tube, bearing, faceplate… ok, four if you count the piece of foam spray glued to the faceplate. Works awesomely cost $8.
 
#13 ·
#15 ·
I went with the Frugal Vacuum Chuck Super Frugal System. If in stock it is fairly hard to beat price wise, at least for as nice of a pump. You can go cheaper if you are willing to go for a lesser pump, but the HF pumps looked kind of marginal to me. So the $205 for the Super Frugal, the complete setup didn't seem like much of a splurge. I didn't need to buy anything else.
 
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