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Cheap vacuum setup

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UnbelievablyRed
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Cheap vacuum setup

Postby UnbelievablyRed » Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:47 pm

I'm looking to do a cheap vacuum setup because I plan on making only a few boards this winter at a borrowed workshop. I live in an apartment right now so I can't justify expensive equipment yet.

The best I can come up with is this venturi vacuum pump from Harbor Freight ($15): http://www.harborfreight.com/air-vacuum ... 96677.html

I already have a compressor that I can use with this.

Wondering if anyone has experience with this pump.

I was thinking about using it in conjunction with a 5 gallon tank that I already have, similar to: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 7AodfXcAhw

Any worries of the thing imploding at 28" of vacuum?

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby plummet » Sat Aug 31, 2013 8:41 pm

Using fridge compressor as a vacuum pump is a tried and true method!.

You can usually get a free fridge compressor.
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UnbelievablyRed
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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby UnbelievablyRed » Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:07 pm

Very nice, like the propane tank reservoir.

All I really need is the venturi device and the assurance that my 5 gallon tank won't crumple.

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby plummet » Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:16 am

UnbelievablyRed wrote:Very nice, like the propane tank reservoir.

All I really need is the venturi device and the assurance that my 5 gallon tank won't crumple.
suck it and see!!!... I doubt your ventury device will have enough suck to implode your cylinder.

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby Bille » Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:35 am

UnbelievablyRed wrote: ...
The best I can come up with is this venturi vacuum pump from Harbor Freight ($15): http://www.harborfreight.com/air-vacuum ... 96677.html
...
That's a really REALLY DUMB idea ; go back & read what --plummet-- had to say !!!

What can be cheaper than FREE ? My frig-vac was Free ; found it next
to a Dumpster, & it's ran for 20 years now !

Bille

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby plummet » Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:23 am

Bille wrote:
UnbelievablyRed wrote: ...
The best I can come up with is this venturi vacuum pump from Harbor Freight ($15): http://www.harborfreight.com/air-vacuum ... 96677.html
...
That's a really REALLY DUMB idea ; go back & read what --plummet-- had to say !!!

What can be cheaper than FREE ? My frig-vac was Free ; found it next
to a Dumpster, & it's ran for 20 years now !

Bille

Hehehe some times you are brutal Bille. But I like it. 20 years life from a free fridge motor! now that is value for money. How many vac jobs have you done in 20 years? tell me yourve mate

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby decay » Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:47 am

Something in the order of the first 300 boards made by Decay Kiteboards used a compressor extracted from a freezer my father had scrapped due to damaged feon pipes.

It was replaced with a commercial vacuum pump when I decided a 'proper' pump had to be better.

It wasn't.

The freezer compressor ran clean and quiet, the vacuum pump was noisy - making it hard to detect vacuum leaks and exhausted oil vapor into the workshop - pretty much the last thing you need in a place where you want stuff to bond.

A very short time after that we went away from vacuum altogether and built a press. I took great pleasure in dumping that commercial pump in the bin.

Even after all my experience with other systems - there is nothing that beats the cost/performance ratio of the humble free fridge compressor.

Cheers

DK

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby plummet » Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:26 am

decay wrote:Something in the order of the first 300 boards made by Decay Kiteboards used a compressor extracted from a freezer my father had scrapped due to damaged feon pipes.

It was replaced with a commercial vacuum pump when I decided a 'proper' pump had to be better.

It wasn't.

The freezer compressor ran clean and quiet, the vacuum pump was noisy - making it hard to detect vacuum leaks and exhausted oil vapor into the workshop - pretty much the last thing you need in a place where you want stuff to bond.

A very short time after that we went away from vacuum altogether and built a press. I took great pleasure in dumping that commercial pump in the bin.

Even after all my experience with other systems - there is nothing that beats the cost/performance ratio of the humble free fridge compressor.

Cheers

DK
300 boards! Nice. I must admit all of my wood core lay ups are with a mechanical press. You dont need to worry about the vacum failing. Sometimes with an additional vac bagging at the same time.

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby plummet » Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:26 am

decay wrote:Something in the order of the first 300 boards made by Decay Kiteboards used a compressor extracted from a freezer my father had scrapped due to damaged feon pipes.

It was replaced with a commercial vacuum pump when I decided a 'proper' pump had to be better.

It wasn't.

The freezer compressor ran clean and quiet, the vacuum pump was noisy - making it hard to detect vacuum leaks and exhausted oil vapor into the workshop - pretty much the last thing you need in a place where you want stuff to bond.

A very short time after that we went away from vacuum altogether and built a press. I took great pleasure in dumping that commercial pump in the bin.

Even after all my experience with other systems - there is nothing that beats the cost/performance ratio of the humble free fridge compressor.

Cheers

DK
300 boards! Nice. I must admit all of my wood core lay ups are with a mechanical press. You dont need to worry about the vacum failing. Sometimes with an additional vac bagging at the same time.

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Re: Cheap vacuum setup

Postby downunder » Thu Sep 05, 2013 4:43 am

Super quiet. Air filter, vacuum advance on left side. Added a micro switch with manual pressure control. Added a timer to run every 5min for 30 secs.

Image

Image

No compressor + venturi can beat a cost of running this.

I was told that old fridges grow by the roads:)
Last edited by downunder on Thu Sep 05, 2013 6:37 am, edited 1 time in total.


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