Protable Vacuum Tables?

[gwerner]

Hey Kevin.

Schmalz is capable of making any size plate you need, you supply the phenolic table and Powerstick and send them your measurements. They can make them to order. Regarding our BT48, if we had larger nested sheet good parts, I think it would have made sense to consider a fixed table machine instead. But that is not what we needed. Besides, there are other resources available if you need the parts. Find another Botter who can cut what you need. If you are into the sheet goods production line, you need a fixed machine. The buddy was designed for portability and a smaller footprint when not in use. I would suppose potentially you get into all sorts of engineering issues with more weight and a longer stick as you mentioned, not so much so with the Alpha. Of course you would loose the storability with a big table unless it was removed all the time. Begs the question, why? If you need a fixed table, then that is what you should use. We have an 8 ft. powerstick as well, but rarely cut anything larger than 42 x 42. If we need to, we change tables for specialized work, but those situations are rare.
So far, it works well for us. We are getting a solid hold down.

[cesout]

I made a t-slot table first off and put a pin fence along the xy 0 axes and that works well for some stuff. I concluded that a vacuum hold down was needed for other stuff. I've got a BT48 and I piped through my t-slot table so I can place and remove the plenum when needed. No glue was used on the plumbing but I sanded it to make it not stick. I used wood for the plenum to test it out and it works great. I'm sure there may be some small leaks but even with the losses it still works exceedingly well. I've got a sheet of PVC coming so I'll remake the plenum and see how that works. I use extended pins on the fence in a few places for panel registration/placement. I've got two shop vac units hooked up and I'm amazed at how well it works. It looks like there should be a supercharger or some velocity stacks somewhere. Just my two cents worth.

Oh, you can get regen vacuum blowers from www.centralvacuumstores.com for about $1500 or so. Three phase.


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[dana_swift]

Charles- that looks great!

Update: My new vacuum hold down system had it's first test today..

It is built along the general idea of the Brady system, but is designed to be easily removed and replaced with the conventional spoilboard which I use to mount dedicated vacuum fixtures. Nothing goes through the aluminum slab.

I am using a Bekker KVT3-100 pump (5hp), and before sealing all the trupan bleederboard edges I am getting just over 20" Hg vacuum pressure at the pump. With the trupan "open", I get 6" Hg, to "close" the trupan I just put wax paper over the top surface.

The pump has a regulator on it to prevent operating beyond 27" Hg, so my usable vacuum will be close to that, at least 10psi.

I'm looking forward to getting the system sealed and getting all that vacuum! It will replace some of my dedicated fixtures.

I will post pictures when I have it all sealed up. And ready for "prime time"..

D

[beacon14]

Charles, nice table. That's the first full-sized Buddy vacuum table I've seen. Looks like you have all the power of a fixed-table vac setup on a smaller surface - there should be no holding you back.

Dana - photos please.

[Brady Watson]

Good stuff, guys!

FYI - my version of the BT vacuum table is also easily removeable and replaced with a conventional spoilboard for jobs that require screw hold-down, clamps etc. What's nice about the BT tools is that a single vacuum like a Fein on such a small area, really makes for a nice system...I can't imagine how that 5HP Becker must be! Make sure there aren't any small animals wandering around it or they might get sucked in


-B

[dana_swift]

Here are some shots of my new BT-32 vacuum system:

The base, two layers of 3/4" HDPE machined inside to provide a series of 0.5 x 1 vacuum channels to distribute the vacuum from the manifold to the upper levels. When running the manifold will be to the rear, it is shown to the front.


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The vacuum ports from the top of the HDPE to the vacuum distribution channels between the two HDPE sheets. Also the support "pucks" hold up the trupan. I intend to run over 10psi so I provided a lot of support for the trupan. Also note the 1/4x20 bolt that holds the base on the aluminum slab.


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The vacuum "inlet" manifold, this is also 3/4" HDPE.


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The hole top right (out by itself), is to hold a 1/2" dowel to pin the trupan to the vacuum base. That allows the router to cut through the dowel safely instead of using metal hardware.


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Here is the trupan with the dowel still sticking up above the surface.. a mallot drives it so it fits tight in the trupan, and loose in the HDPE. That keeps the Trupan registered relative to the base. Note the handles so the whole thing can be easily picked up and removed.


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The three 3/4" ID garden hoses. These are the heavy duty industrial strength type, I discovered by experiment they don't collapse under 30" Hg vacuum. Even if they get kinked, they straighten out and go back to round while under vacuum. Low price, and easy to get.


43906.jpg

Hope that gives a good idea of what it looks like, and how it got built.

I am getting over 20" Hg running and I have not finished sealing the Trupan edges yet! It is a high performance table, after using it a few weeks I will have a better understanding of what its capabilities are. And will post an update.

D

[Brady Watson]

Very nicely done, Dana. Thanks for posting pics.

-B

[Gary Campbell]

Dana!
Good job man! Nice design... very nice execution. Can I use a "franken" word here?

Gary

[beacon14]

Wow - outstanding.

[kevin_morin]

Dana, would you mind giving a brief description of how you mounted the vac table- if I read the post right you've bolted/cap screwed the HDPE halves to an aluminum sheet?

Does that mean you have one of the Buddies that has an aluminum table instead of the ply/Powerstick arrangement? If that is true do these models have the rack gear for the X motor drive mounted to the aluminum sheet/plate?

I'm in the process of mounting a few fixtures to the power stick and wondered if anyone has come up with a 'quick mount' that would slide in and out of some locking mechanism so the table/jig/fixture can mount to the power stick without using the weld-back nuts in the aluminum slots as this takes so long to install and remove?

Dana, thanks for posting the fine photos of your very well thought out, and nicely built, vac table fixture.

cheers,
Kevin Morin