Finally completed my vacuum plenum ...Made from Starboard...will get it made in aluminum some year....this works for now...
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Finally completed my vacuum plenum ...Made from Starboard...will get it made in aluminum some year....this works for now...
Attachment 29466
What can it hold, and what kind of vacuum?
No vacuum yet...just hooked up shopvac for time being...with conventional board, you could hold whatever you wanted. It creates a lot of flow and once sucked down its not coming off very easy...looking to get pump here soon..
Be mindful that HDPE expands and contracts quite a bit with the temperature. I do a lot of cutting with this material and had to put AC in my shop to maintain a constant temperature to get consistent dimensions in the material. I am interested to see how this works for you. The stuff is very strong and wear resistant but its also very slippery and responds to temperature.
Ive been using a plenum made from Starboard HD for almost three years (will be three years this summer). So far I have not noticed any issues and I have swing in temps from about 62 F in winter, to 80+ F in summer. Mine is 48" by 48" and bolted to my Shopbot's deck with 12 machine screws.
I just lay the MDF spoilboard on top - when the vacuum is on, there is absolutely NO way it can move on the Starboard plenum. WHen the vaccum is off, the neoprene gasket keeps it from sliding/moving. I dont fasten it down otherwise.
Just my experience.
How is the spoil board if you don't have the vacuum on? does it stay flat? I cut things that I cna't use a vacuum on and I need the sailboard to be flat at the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajcoholic
The mdf spoilboard usually curls up a bit with the vacuum off.Quote:
Originally Posted by knight_toolworks
If I'm cutting things I need bolted down, I take the whole starboard plenum off the aluminum deck and use the t slotted deck I made.
It takes me about 5 minutes to undo the machine screws and take off the spoilboard and plenum. I have plugs to cover the vacuum inlet holes cut into the deck.
But for 90% of things I machine these days I use the vacuum or jigs that hold the wood but the jigs themselves are held to the table with the vacuum.
I love my vacuum table!
thats what I thought. though i could throw on a piece if plywood and vacuum that down and nail to it. today's slow day cut couple pieces of walnut 2"thick 6" wide I nailed in place a lot of small pieces a lot of nails. then a small piece of aluminum I used some spray adhesive right onto the bed as was in a hurry then a piece of dibond that the vacuum alone held both for a quciky jobs. then a piece of acrylic that was big enough to vac down but the parts needed screwed down.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ajcoholic