I have been interested in building a vacuum system for stabilizing handles. Any suggestions for an inexpensive system?

Gary Mulkey

I am in the process of gathering materials for making a system that has 3" PVC piping to all dust related tools. Each tool will have a cap over the pipe that can be removed when the tool is in operation and replaced when work is done. It will all be driven by a 220V 1HP motor running a large squirrel cage that sucks up the dust and throws it outside. That will work until I can get a real dust system.

Wow 220v 1HP that ought to make a heck of a stabilizer. :rollin:

I haven't built one for handle materal yet. But was thinking about using a brake bleader for drawing the vaccum. Maybe a quart jar for a tank. Anyway harbor freight has the brake tool for about 20.00 I think.

Hummm 1HP might be better "MORE POWER" Tims the Man. :lol:

Regards

I guess I totally misread Gary's post. I was thinking of dust vacuum not stabilizing vacuum. Maybe some dust got into my eyes when I was reading that post. Just ignore me when I get that way.

Yes, 220V 1Hp would make a heck of a stabilizer, you could stabilize entire trees.

Sorry for not reading this correctly and opening my keyboard (mouth). I guess as the moderator I could just delete my post to try to save face but I think my face has already been lost.

I got both of mine at the pawn shop.
Vacuum is measured in CFM(cubic feet per minute), or pounds( CFM is correct)
5 cubic feet per minute is fine with a 1/2 horse motor.

Bob, you could stabilize a tree with that thing you have.(2HP)
What size pump do you have?
Does it bow the sides of the glass jar when you draw your vacuum? :)

I knew this was going to happen.

Don't worry Bob. You probably can pay for your 2 horse system with the profits from your tree stabilizing video.

Thanks, everyone.

Gary

Just think, LOG homes built with my stabilized trees.

Can you stabilize my canoe?

Bob- do you do on-site? Been thinkin of having my shop stabalized. Can I still work there while you do it or would I need a special respirator?

Sure is fun to see someone else get off track once in a while- specially when they are good sports about it :)

Good job everyone!

Dave

I checked out Harbor Freight and found a venturi-type pump rated at 4.2 CFM for $9.99. For $10 I'll give it a try.

Gene,

What type of agent has worked the best for you-- varnish, urethane, lacquer, shellac, ?

Gary

Maybe I should stabilize my brain.

I would not need a BIG stabilizer to do it either.

Bob,

If that will improve my memory, I will do it myself.

Gary

Gary, I use a Thompson's brick sealer with a pint of rotted wood hardner.(ivory mostly)
There are lots of solutions you can use, but make sure they are NOT water based.

Gene,

Where do you buy the rotted wood hardener and does it come in different colors?

Gary

My wife said she gets it at Lowes Hardware, in the plumbing dept.
It is simply called, "Rotted Wood Hardner". It comes in pint bottles.
I mix one bottle with the brick sealer. Keep it sealed when not in use.

Gary, I believe what Geno is referring to is a MinWax product. Have you bought the vacuum thing from Harbor Freight yet? If not, save your money. You also need an air compresser to opperate it and the amount of suction from it you can get with a straw from Burger King. If you use a shop vac and can come up with a valve system for it I'm sure you'd be more pleased with it. Maybe Bob can send you a line off his two horser. Ray

you can get vacuum pumps off e-bay, they are mostly the laboratory grade that i use.

stan

Good morning.New guy to the forum here.I see that a few of you stabilize your own wood and that is just what I need to do.Could someone give me a run down on the process,direct me to a web site or should I wait for Bob's video?;)
Thanks Kelly.

Ray,

The Harbor Freight pump has already been shipped but I haven't received it yet so I don't know if it will work or not. At $9.99 I didn't risk a lot.

Gary

P.S. Bob, when you get a chance would you mind running a vacuum line over to my shop? I'm sure your system will handle the extra load.

Gary, wish I would have known you wanted one before I went to Texas. I'd have brought the one that I got from them. Its hard to believe at $9.99 your still getting ripped. The red box that the vacuum comes in is cosmedic. There is one brass fitting with three holes in the box. Basically the compressed air goes in and out and causes a slight vacuum on the third hole. Maybe Bob will run you a vacuum line just to be synpathetic. Tell him Ray sent you.

I KNEW I should have deleted that post.

Sorry Bob, your such a good sport. Ray

Guys just a little trivia, venturi vacums are desighned to suck or blow air born contaminates away from you. We used a lot of them offshore when we had to patch the hull. Tight space, welding fumes, not good!

5 CFM doesn't sound like much for a venturi blower, might be able to use around your grinder?

For a cheap vacum pump get a condenser out of a refridgeration unit likes in a freazer or even airconditioning unit.

I assume you mean a refrigerator.freezer compressor for use as a vacuum pump, Correct?

No offense intended Bob. Just some innocent levity. I'm sure I'll have my turn in the box too.

The idea of a air conditioning compressor is a good one. I may explore it. There's always a scrap air conditioner around if you know where to look.

Gary

Air conditioning and refrigerator/freezer compressors make great vacuum pumps. I used to use them when doing air conditioning work to evacuate the system before charging them. Eventually I got a 2-stage vacuum pump (wish I still had it) for the job.

Don't worry about harrassing me about the earlier post, I am documenting everything and will be contacting my lawyer soon. I will take a payoff in the form of tools to drop the suit.

I'll send the tools by neumatic tube after you install the line.

Gary

Now THAT was a good answer.

Hey people me too could use a write up with the "tools" and "stuff" needed !!. Frank.

:rollin:

A VACUME PUMP AND BELL JAR SYSTEM ...YOU
NEED A PUMP THAT IS RATED IM MM/HG.... OR
MILLIMETERS OF MECURY FOR ITS VACUMING
ABILITY... WHAT YOU DO IS PLACE THE SCALE
ON THE BELLJAR TABLE..COAT IT WITH THE SEALER..
PLACE THE BELLJAR ON IT..FIRE UP THE PUMP..REMOVEING ALL AIR INSIDE THE BELLJAR..THEN
OPEN THE VALVE QUICKLY..THE RESULITING INRUSH
OF AIR IMPREGNATES THE SEALANT INTO THE WOOD
..PERMANATLY.... THE GIZMO IS CALLED A
VACTABLE.. AND PUMP..THEIR NOT CHEAP...
$500.... ITS THE SAME PUMP A/C SERVICE PEOPLE
USE...SURE YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.. NOW ..IVE BEEN TOLD A PERSON CAN MAKE ONE OF THESE PUMPS EASILY OUTTA A AIRCONDITIONER COMPRESSOR USEIING IT BACKWARDS..
THATS FOR RED GREEN TO FIGURE OUT..NOT ME!
I VE A SOURCE FOR THE PROFESSIONAL VACTABLE
IF YOUR INTERESTED...EMAIL ME...

Just a word of caution, you may be removing some of the solvents with the vacuum pump. Make sure the outlet isn’t near any flame, sparks etc.

Because there seems to be a lot of “recyclers” out there, if you happen to find an industrial heavy-duty vac pump with “wet” vanes (usually some kind of high-tech oil), watch the oil level!!! Besides being flammable, the solvents pass into the oil and the level rises as it is diluted. I can advise on building a “cold trap” if you have one of these monsters. You will need a STRONG container also, NO GLASS!

Even dry vane pumps can pass the fumes into the bearings and kill them.

PaulD

Wow, this really gets complicated, sounds like a story problem, vacuum, oils, motors, compressers, think I'll stick to bone dry wood/antler that sits in my furnace room.
"Step by Step Knifemaking", a book by David Boye has a drying kiln example for wood/antler page 154, low tech, homebuilt, maybe it would work for some of you knife folks.