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I just scored a Gast 1/2 hp rotary vane vacuum pump. A decent size, but not one of Joe's favorites, should work though. Now that I am entering the world of vacuum clamping, how is vacuum being used out there? I would like to be able to glue fingerboards, headstock veneers, tops on electrics, and blanks for the neck through electrics, and bracing and bridges for acoustics. I am considering making a frame press table: http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/ ... -press.htm
Any info between the polyurathane bags that Joe sells and the rubber that LMI sells. I also want to use vacuum for holding work, any one with experience on the products for that, Joe sells the Podz, and there is the vacu-clamp version:http://www.clampusystems.com/Vac%20Clamps.html.
Any home made versions of the tilting tables, LMI's is a bit pricey, but looks nice. http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproduc ... ccessories
Thanks
Rob

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I just found a vacuum pump at work that I could get for free. I will be watching this thread for suggestions. If I could add to the thread another question, what capacities are suitable in a pump for vac clamping?

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Kyle

American Lutherie #88 has a really good article by Charles Fox where he shows his vacuum island workstation.

At one of Robbie's workshops we used vaccuum bags to glue our double tops.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

I use my vacuum pump all the time. I use a vacuum bag to put backstrapping on banjo necks (if you search the forum, I put some pictures out that show this process last year or so). I also use a bag for laminating veneers to peghead overlays and fingerboards--it's easier to put the veneers on first than to try to handle all of that gluing and clamping at the same time. I use the bag for laminating curved or domed parts too (like the dish shaped back of a banjo resonator.

I also use vacuum clamps to hold nearly everything while I'm working on it. It's easy to make custom vacuum clamps using foam tape or cord, and the clamps really hold.

Dave

Here is the thread:
viewtopic.php?f=10106&t=33410&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=0
Thanks

Frame press vs. bag, that is the question that kept me staring at the ceiling late last night, best I can figure, 6 of 1 half dozen of another.

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