JoeWoodworker
JoeWoodworker Veneer
The Official Website of this Non-Professional Woodworker ™

Part 1
Introduction

Welcome
Veneering Basics
14 Good Reasons
Vacuum Press Uses
Vacuum Press Options
Questions & Answers
___________________
Part 2
DIY Vacuum Press Plans

Vacuum Press Chart
Project: EVS™
Project: EVS-2™
Project: V4™
Project: CRS™
Excel 1™
Excel 3™
Excel 5™
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Part 3
Vacuum Bagging

Vacuum Bag Basics
Polyurethane vs. Vinyl
DIY Vacuum Bags
Connect the Bag
Bag Closures
Bag Platens
Breather Mesh 
Maintenance
DIY Frame Press
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Part 4
Veneering Information

About Veneer
Veneering Glossary
Veneering Myths
Balancing a Panel
Veneer Glues
Veneering Tips
Substrate Materials
Flattening Veneers
A Sharp Veneer Saw
Jointing Veneers
Taping Veneers
Dealing with Defects
Curing Glued Panels
Veneering w/o Vacuum
Hammer Veneering
Iron-On Veneering
Veneer Storage
Amazing Bookmatches
Edgebanding Guide
Paper-Backed Veneer
   Guide

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Part 5
Miscellaneous Info

Vacuum Press FAQ
Veneering FAQ 
Veneer Glue FAQ
Vacuum Forming
Vacuum Clamping Pedal
Vacuum Clamping Jigs
Vacuum Clamp Matrix
DIY Vacuum Manifold
Vacuum Press Gallery 1
Vacuum Press Gallery 2

VeneerSupplies.com


 

Vacuum Veneering - Tips, Tricks, and More!

From James Bodnar's Combat Page (A vacuum system for RC planes/gliders)
Used with permission.

Continuous run vacuum pump for vacuum bagging.

Here's what it is... It is the pump out of a small refrigerator. We had a fridge that didn't have any freon in it so we disassembled it. The best place to find a pump is at a appliance repair or appliance second hand shop. If you get the whole fridge, please recycle the freon, don't just cut the lines. I don't want to get skin cancer because you depleted the ozone. Let me explain how this contraption works. It creates pressure on one side and a vacuum at the other. On the left it the vacuum side. We bought a brass fitting with a 1/4 compression ring on one side and male 1/8 pipe threads on the other. It screws into a T-coupler. One side goes to the fuel pump/vacuum gauge, the other goes towards the vacuum bag itself. But, before it gets to the bag, we need a way to regulate the pressure. Without it, the pump would draw max vacuum (around 27 inches of Mercury I think) and would crush the foam in the vacuum bag.

My Dad found the perfect thing. It is a brass valve designed to bleed air out of natural gas lines for natural gas fireplaces. From there, it goes to clear 3/8 tubing to the vacuum bag. On the right side of the pump is the pressure side. The pump has oil in it. As it operates, a little of the oil flows out the pressure side. To fix this, that white bottle on the top of the pressure line is a reservoir. The bottom of the bottle (pointing upward in the picture) has holes drilled in it to let the air out. As the air and oil come out the tube into that bottle, the air slows down, the oil separates from the air and stays in the bottle as the air escapes out the bottom of the bottle. When you shut the pump off, the oil runs back into the pump. We've run this pump for as long as 48 straight hours with no problems. It did get slightly warm so we put a household fan on low pointed at it. The pump works great and is so quiet, you hardly know it's running.

Now, you may ask, what am I vacuum bagging? My combat wings of course. I found a great place for inexpensive Fiberglass, Kevlar and Carbon Fiber fabric, West system epoxy, and peel ply. It is called the John R. Sweet Co. It is a nice sized business that got its start from supplying canoe and kayak enthusiast with composite materials. He now caters to Model enthusiasts too but at a signifigant savings compared to those other places. I'm using a two inch wide piece of 5.7 ounce Carbon Fiber on top and bottom of the thickest part of the wing, a layer of 1.7 ounce Kevlar from there forward then a piece of 2 ounce fiberglass over the top and bottom of the wing. Put on your epoxy, squeegee it off and put it in the bag for two days. Voila.

 

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