Page 1 of 2

Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:52 pm
by bay surfer
Thinking of making a Squeeze box, make a ply box, one removable end, Bladder inside, pump to 1 to 4 psi, think it would work?

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:27 pm
by Bigdog
I have a squeeze box made with big steel I-beams and a bladder that can go to 100psi over a board. Works great!
1-4psi is not worth it when you consider a simple vacuum setup gives you 14. I press normal corecell cores at 35-50psi.

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:35 pm
by Bigdog

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:01 pm
by bay surfer
My thinking is.... for making for making a basic board, Love those wood composite boards, simple form, no electricity, your kitepump will do the trick even up to 6 psi. Some guys I hear using a shopvac get good results using vacuum setup.

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:07 pm
by Bigdog
If you build a box beware the total forces get big. For example a 50inx20in at 6psi=6000lbs.

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:46 am
by downunder
bay surfer wrote:Thinking of making a Squeeze box, make a ply box, one removable end, Bladder inside, pump to 1 to 4 psi, think it would work?
It would but what for?

Any two melamine boards bolted or clamped together will give you way more pressure than 1-4psi. And you can easily built an adjustable rocker table with this.

For sure a hand vac pump can work. But you need to top it every now and than:) Hard work when is leaking.

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:12 am
by sijandy
Bigdog wrote:http://www.happymonkeysnowboards.com/Mo ... nstruction

My design is similar to the above.
That looks the b****x! wish i had the space and money for something like that!

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:04 pm
by foam-n-fibre
One more think to keep in mind occurs to me here. With a press you need a solid surface to press the board down onto. With a vacuum you can suck it onto plexi that only has to be stiffer than the core you are working with.

Peter

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:26 pm
by Bigdog
Peter is correct that is an important point. A vacuum table is also versatile and the only expensive part is a vac pump. However I think some people have sourced nice pumps on ebay for less than $200.

The big pneumatic press setup will set you back more than $1k even if you source a bladder for 0$. But it is a great tool once you have it dialed in. Also almost a must if you want to make snowboards.

Re: Squeeze Box anyone using one

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 3:01 am
by bay surfer
Think you guys are right, the box would be to big, wide, long for my forms, would prob blow, even if made with 1 in ply. mite work for a ski, hmmmmmm could use a old leading edge bladder.
Think I'll stick to screwing to a form, Simple and it works good for the 2 wood glass/epoxy boards I make a year.