Jason Rodgers builds a vacuum clamping system

[Jason Rodgers]

Hi, folks. I built myself a vacuum clamping system based on the plans provided by JoeWoodworker.com. In the spirit of documenting everything nowadays, of course, I took some pictures along the way.

I'd be happy to answer any questions I can about the particular assembly of my setup, but if you want the lowdown on how these things really work, Joe Woodworker does a very good job of breaking it down for the uninitiated.

Many thanks to Randy Roberts who gave me some good advice, encouragement, and ideas.

First up, the basic bits and pieces. Specialized parts - such as the vacuum controller, mac valve, filter, and gauge - were purchased from JoeWoodworker.com, but everything else came from Home Depot. All fittings are 1/4" ID brass with 3/8" barbs to link the 5/8" OD braided tubing.

[Jason Rodgers]

Here is the main manifold coming together.

[Jason Rodgers]

And now wiring. I decided to wire a fan into the mix to cool the pump. Not sure how hot that thing is actually going to get in use, but as you'll see below, it's installed under a bench, so I wanted to keep the air moving around it.

[Jason Rodgers]

A vacuum system is like a compressor system in reverse: both need a reservoir system to keep extra pressure so the pump isn't running constantly. Joe Woodworker suggests a reservoir made of PVC. I built mine with smaller pipe and in a maze-like assembly to a) be able to tuck the whole thing under a bench, and b) get as much volume as possible in that predetermined space.

[Jason Rodgers]

Here is the refrigerator compressor that I am using. Thanks to my dad for pulling it out of a (decommissioned) fridge at the dump in their small town. I ran all over the Portland-Metro area trying to track one of these suckers down with no luck!

[Jason Rodgers]

All of this is tucked under one of my benches. If you saw my post on my shop construction, you'll remember that I have a very limited space (88 square feet), and so I need to be very efficient with the installation of anything in the room.

[Jason Rodgers]

And here we are all plumbed, wired, and ready to roll.

[Jason Rodgers]

The vacuum controller is dialed in to pull down to just shy of 24"Hg, then kick back on at 21"Hg. While my wiring of the extra component - the fan - didn't result in success on the first test run, I figured it out and was very happy to find that the plumbing is tight and holds vacuum well.

[Jason Rodgers]

And here's where it all lives! Again, if you saw my shop build post, you saw this picture of my pull-out, flip-table shelf for the jointer and belt/disc sander. Yep, the whole vacuum system is in there, and nothing gets tangled up.

If it's not clear from the various pictures, the gauge and ball valve are plumbed through the bench top, right over the manifold, and are attached to the wall at bench level, right next to the go-bar deck.

Thanks for looking! Please ask questions!

[Greg Robinson]

Looks good Jason.

[Jim Bonnell]

Great job Jason. Very clever the way you set it up for your space. I built one a few years back after seeing Charles Fox demonstrate his at a G.A.L. convention. I had the same trouble you did trying to find an old compressor. I finally found a used vacuum pump but I'm not real happy with it. There seems to be a small leak in the pump. Once I get caught up with other projects I'll have to revisit it. Thanks for documenting your process. Quite impressive!

[David King]

I have a simpler system but my tank is big enough that the mac valve liked to bounce on and off rapidly at the end of the cycle. Now there's a leak somewhere so it never shuts off, that fixed the bounce at least. I have it in another room so I can't hear it. I just wish I had a remote switch to turn it on and off without having to go through 3 doors to unplug it.

[Steve Senseney]

Nice work.

I keep thinking about one of these!

[DJ Parker]

I built one using the JW concept as well. Without it I could have never made the laminated backs that I'm presently doing correctly, and I have a few poor ones to prove it. Also, isn't fun to build your own tools and save a few bucks for buying wood? Very cool, thanks for sharing.

DJ Parker

[Jason Rodgers]

Thanks, guys! I haven't put it to use, but I have a short list of applications that I'd like to try. First on the list is bridge clamping. Randy expounded on the virtues of a body holding fixture that I'll try. And I'd definitely like to try my hand at top/back/side laminating some day.

I'd say, if you're thinking that any of these applications are up your alley, then jump right in. Construction costs aren't particularly prohibitive, depending on the path you take. All told, I spent about $120 at JoeWoodworker.com, and then was fortunate to receive some Home Depot gift cards totaling $125 from Christmas and birthday. I might have spent another $50 over that, but I didn't go over $300. Of course, I got the pump for free, but that would be your big-ticket item in the setup.

Regarding pumps, I think the refrigerator compressor is just brilliant. No, it doesn't pull as many CFMs as one of those bigger pumps built for charging coolant systems, but it pulls enough mercury to do the job and it's soooooo quiet. After the initial pull-down, it only produces a gentle hum, and that's a plus for my little shop positioned directly beneath our bedroom!

Another thing that can bring the cost down is fittings: I ended up spending most of that Home Depot budget on brass fittings. Nylon would work just as well, and I think Randy uses a lot of it in his system. I didn't even look at PEX fittings, but that's another possibility. Since the whole thing can be locally sourced or scrounged - again, aside from the more specialized parts - it might all depend on what you can find or have on hand. I think there can be a good bit of variation in your design and still get good results.

A couple questions for you people:

DJ, is that one of the veneering bags from Joe Woodworker?

Regarding pump lubricants- Randy posted a picture of some specific coolant pump oil, but I was wondering if anyone has heard of folks just using mineral oil for this purpose. Can anyone see any reason this wouldn't work? It'll only take about a 1/4 cup of whatever, and I have mineral oil on hand.

Thanks! And David, maybe I'll see you at Marylhurst today!

[DJ Parker]

Hello Jason,

The bag is actually from QualityVac.com. It is a 3'x3' - 30mil Poly bag that was on sale. They're nice guys and very helpful and open with advice and they have a decent website. I almost opted to make my own bag to get a more custom size but after reading a lot of stories on them I just didn't want to fool with it and the glue and such.

Regards,

DJ Parker

[Jim Bonnell]

I checked QualityVac.com and got vacuum cleaners.

[Jason Rodgers]

I met David King at the Portland Handmade Musical Instrument Exhibit! Nice guy, cool guitars!

[Randy Roberts]

Jason,
Really, really nice job! I think you did an amazing job of fitting everything out of the way in very little space, and I really like your solution to fitting the reservoir under the benchtop. You should consider designing aircraft cockpits or RV's on the side. At first glance, I was thinking you should have put the vacuum control in a little more accessable space, but once you have it set to the suck you want, you aren't really ever going to have much reason to mess with it again. Pulling more than 24" of vacuum is fairly pointless, and trying to squeeze out that last inch to pull the maximum is just going to make your pump work way harder and way more often, get hotter, etc. for nothing useful.

You will be glad you mounted the fan like you did, I'm forever putting one on the floor in front of the pump and then continually tripping over it, or else forgetting to use one and having a porous piece of wood, or leaky fixture that has the pump on a lot of the time with the subsequent heat boiling off oil into the exhaust.
You might double check how much lubricant/cooling oil you have in there though. I would think you would need at least a cup or so unless it still had a bunch left in it when you got it.

You are welcome to come out and overhaul my system anytime.
I think you are going to really enjoy playing with that thing. Again great job, it looks like you covered every base well

[Jason Rodgers]

Thanks, Randy! I've still got that box of toys from Omaha to play with, too!

Well, if my dad followed my instructions, he drained as much lube out of the pump as possible to avoid spilling in transit. I definitely need to get something back in the bowl before I use it for real.

David warned me today to be careful and not get any hickies! If that happens, I'm really doing something inappropriate! Hope that wasn't "don't ask me how I know this" advice, Mr. King!