Desktop ShopBot

[ron_moorehead]

Well I bought the Desktop unit that was on sale in the forum this last week in Seattle. Now all I have to do is find room in the shop to put it.

Has anyone come up with a vacuum table design for the desktop unit yet?

[Brady Watson]

It wouldn't be too hard to do...However it may take a little out of the box thinking to plumb it.

-B

[QUICK-BURN]

Brady, I know you have made some great vacuum tables and vacuum enclosures for the larger shopbot tables. I'm willing to prototype one for my new desktop machine if I can get some help sizing or at least figuring out what the vacuum needs are.

[Brady Watson]

Ron & Richard - What are your vacuum needs? What will be creating the vacuum? What's your budget? What range of parts will you be cutting while using vacuum?

-B

[QUICK-BURN]

For me it's more the criteria, not the budget. I do signs mostly but occasionally a smaller part like 2 " X 2". I've been thinking and would liek to make the 18" X 24" table into 4 or 5 zones that I can select independently that way I can provide maximum vacuum to just one zone if needed.

[Brady Watson]

Richard,
You're not really going to get more than one big zone unless you want to get really complicated or machine into the table itself for little or no advantage over a single zone. You can eliminate a lot of headaches with zones by upsizing your vacuum pump/source.

The attached illustration shows an easy, cheap and reliable way to get vacuum on your desktop. It shows a 2" hole that needs to be fed by your vacuum source, but it can be any size you want. Put a 90 deg elbow or Vac hose right into the hole (Use 2.27" hole for a Fein) and you're ready to go. Perspective is obviously looking up isometrically from underneath the tool.



Once you have the system going, you can cut smaller parts with my Vacuum Film method.

I'll leave it up to you what material you choose for the backer and how it attaches to your machine table & plenum/bleeder.

This kind of setup is also ideal for larger ShopBots where you want to make your own 'pods' for holding down dimensional lumber or use vacuum masks. You can use vacuum air directly (flip grid over - with no backer) or machine the whole deal out of composite lumber...the possibilities with vacuum are nearly limitless.

-B

[QUICK-BURN]

I have a Becker SV 5.130/2 pump, do you think this would work for the desktop vacuum table?

[Brady Watson]

I have a Becker SV 5.130/2 pump, do you think this would work for the desktop vacuum table?

Help me help you...List specs: CFM, Hg" or H2O" and HP

-B

[ron_moorehead]

I am out on the road this week and will be at a quilt trade show next week. Once I get back I will start working on a vacuum table for the desktop in looking at the forum I see some vacuum table were shown at the camp in Tulsa OK I need to see some photos from the camp. I plan on using a vacuum motor most likely from lighthouse and most my stuff I cut is senta and I don't cut all the way through it. I was looking to make just a single zone and if I cut a small part I just block off part of the table like I do on by prt alpha 48 by 96. I have found a few photos all ready on the web of a vacuum plunum for the desktop. Will share more once I get back and start on it.

[QUICK-BURN]

Maximum air flow: 55 CFM @Atm. Pr
Maximum Vacuum: 45 in H2O
Maximum Pressure: 47 in H2O
Motor Capacity: 0.6 HP