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I've been looking at this kit and system and wonder if anyone has it and how they like it . Or any other infomation about it.

http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_i ... ts_id=1683

I guess this is it.
http://www.veneersupplies.com/product_i ... ts_id=1099
The thing is that's $220 and I don't know if I like the pump running all the time as that seems like it would run the electric bill up for clamping. I could ge the auto cycle kit for $149 bringing it up to $280. The V2 plus is $149. I'm just not sure how much my compresser would be coming on. My compresser is a 35 gal. tank, 6 cfm @ 90 psi so it's big enough.

Chris, I bought a vacuum pump way back, because I knew I was going to laminate a lot of veneer. If you plan to use vacuum once or twice a month, a venturi system makes some sense, but if you're clamping and bagging a few times a week, do you really want to flog your air compressor? Mine is noisy, and I would hate to have to listen to it more than necessary.

I bought a Thomas 900-58 from Grainger for ...well, who remembers, but the price in the current catalog is about $205. It draws 2A, and at the local kw price of just under $0.12 per, I spend twelve cents to let it "continuously run", that's about the time - four hours - I like to press a stack of veneer when gluing with Unibond. That's about 1250 four-hour sessions, for $150.00, which I'm taking as the price of a venturi system.

No doubt, someone will come up with a far cheaper venturi system, but you're still working your main air compressor, and how much does THAT draw, and how much does that cost to run?

I'm planning to add a big reserve tank to my vac system, for the nights I bag something late, and have to let the pump run all night, but I must say that I've seen pumps not start if they're up against any load at all, that is, a partial vacuum, and just sit and hum on the start winding, and BURN UP! Generally I have no predjudice against letting ny pump run for 8-12 hours when the convenience is mine, and as for the cost of thirty-six cents, well.....oh, I read somewhere that these pumps are designed with a working life of 2000 hours, and mine has been on the job (not continuously, of course) for about four years.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

Let me ask you this. If you have a reserve tank just how long does the pump stay off before it starts again? Say if you were gluing braces to a top. I haven't ever used or seen a vacuum system in actual use.

Chris, the cycle would depend on the volume of your accumulator tank, and how fast your system leaks down. My vinyl bags hold very well, my deck not so, so a continuous run works for me - the diaphragm pump is very quiet, and barely gets warm. The downside is that it's draw is not high, so there's a lag before full vacuum arrives. This is not a problem when I'm pulling down some parts, because I like to sneak up on the compound curved stuff, bringing the pressure gradually, to let the material get used to it's new shape. Low speed evacuation is a drag when I bag simpler shapes, and it would be a pleasure to crack in the vacuum - a tank full of nothing - and suck the bag down in a second or two.

Toward that end I plan to add a six foot long tank made out of eight inch diameter pvc, which I can dump all at once, so I don't have to hang around for two entire minutes of my life waiting for maximum squash.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

I have two vac pumps. A bigger Gast twin-cylinder roc-r style that is designed to run continuously, and a much smaller "lab" type unit that is attached to a small pvc tank. The small unit is not designed to run continuously. If so, it gets hot!

I use the bigger pump for braces/tops-backs in a large vac press, and the small unit for bridges (LMI bridge jig). The large unit runs continuously (minus a couple of minutes to unclamp and handle squeeze out cleanup). It's kind of annoying to listen to, but not that loud.

The small unit (with the small tank) evacuates my LMI bridge jig in under a second, and runs only a few, literally 3.5-4, minutes an hour. And this particular tank is only 6" pvc and about 16 inches long.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

I am in the same boat as regards choosing a vacuum source. I intend to get the LMI work holder as well as building a fixture for gluing braces etc. I already have the LMI bridge clamp. At any rate, I am mulling over the various pump options as well as the venturi route with my compressor. There are a lot of choices out there! Piston type pumps, single and two stage rotary vane pumps, etc. The one on the veneer site is a double piston. Intuitively, for continuous use, I would think a rotary vane type would be quieter and maybe easier to live with in the long term... Here is one that I am considering on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220304093565

The specs seem very respectable and there are a lot of similar choices. Anybody care to share their experience with something like this?

Thanks, Don Fera

Don, I actually have two pumps, the smaller diaphragm intended for long running sessions, and a bigger rotary-vane, purchased both for backup and for rapid evacuation. The rotary vane is far too noisy to run all night (shop attached to my house) and it gets so hot that I rigged a small cooling fan in parallel with it. I mean it gets too hot to casually touch!

The diaphragm pump is very guiet, and it also is very cool-running. If I hadn't felt the need for backup, I would have done well to just put an accumulator on the small pump, for those times I need a quicker draw-down.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

I'm just about to go find a refrigerator hermatic compressor like in the other tread here that Shane posted and give it a try as it would be quiet and I could mount it above my compresser. I'm just trying to figure out where I can find one for free.

Chris, you could even mount two or three for backup and volume, and with a tank.....

Try any appliance store that sells refrigerators, and see if they haul away old units. Perhaps also HVAC contractors, for old AC units; not every appliance replacement is due to a failed compressor, some folks are just looking for an upgrade.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

I just got off the phone and a repair shop near here .I told them what I wanted it for and they said they had an old frig that I could have for $25 so I'm getting it tomorrow. He said he knows the compressor works so I'm just going to take the compressor out there and let them get rid of the box. And I'll get them to vacuum out the freon.