Just saw this video. Looks affordable for the smaller machines.
Looks nice. If you’re into T-Slots check out the search engine. There are several mods here for them. My favorite T-Slot is Phils mod. IMO I think I’m going to just skip over all the T-Slot mods and go directly to a vacuum table. The tricky part is finding the right motor.
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keep us updated on the vacuum table. I’ll do the same if I go down this path.
my biggest concern would be having a few pieces perfectly flat to sit on top of the track at all times. one of the commenters had a good idea of turning the whole bed into a conductive surface the bit would sense if it ever went too low.
Will do AbearDesign. Over the past month I’ve been researching which is the best pump to use. I want the vacuum pump to be as quiet as possible. I’ve read where a lot of guys are using a medical pump because they run 24/7, are dependable, and very quiet. Soon as I find something I’ll let you know 
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That looks like a really nice and easy upgrade on a number of levels. The T-Nut’s are neat too.
You could alway skim cut a few pieces to use between the bed and your work piece.
I’m really interested in this as well. I was looking at a small venturi off my compressor for a couple small hold downs but my compressor isn’t big enough for a whole table setup.
Venturis typically need around 90 PSI to work with a vacuum table. I have a commercial Sanborn compressor (about the size of a typical house water heater) and I don’t think it would even work properly, because I’m guessing the venturi would go though the air supply too quickly. It would probably be running every couple of minutes. In the next month or two I do plan on buying a venturi and testing it regarding this. If a venturi didn’t consume too much air, this would be a great way to go with the X-Carve, even with a small compressor. I’ll let you know what I learn.
I was looking at something like this:
http://www.veneersupplies.com/products/Project-V2-Premium-Auto-Cycling-Venturi-Vacuum-Press-Kit.html
It only runs when it needs to replenish the vacuum.
I was also looking at just their venturi and some 24v valves and pressure switches. Their “basic” version only needs 2.2cfm @90psi which my 10gal California Air can do. They go up from there.
crazy idea. why not run a small diameter line into your shop vac to hook up to you grid. its gonna be running anyway when you carve and if you have a airtight seal around your grid you’ll have more then enough down pressure to hold your piece.
Technically that would work, but IMO that (using a shop vac) would be way too noisy. Plus I would want a dedicated vacuum source for the table.
Excellent find Patrick. In a month or two I’ll be needing some wood veneers and inlays for the Torsion box I am currently designing. When I order them I’ll add the Vac Pro to my order and test it out. In the mean time I’ll do some extra research on how much CFM is needed to properly operate a vacuum table with the X-Carve.
no idea. it was just someones suggestion on the youtube comments.
There is a AutoLeveling program that will scan the entire surface and prevent the bits from hitting it.
It doesn’t turn the bed into a conductive surface, it simply scans the bed and keeps that in the programs memory.
There is a similar program that does connect the spindle to ground. It’s primarily used for making printed circuit boards.
It was a while ago when I came across the site, but I’ll search my browser history and see if I can find a link.
I have no researched this at all, but the mention of a medical pump, got me wondering about a radon remediation pump. They work non-stop after install. No idea about expense or any of the rest of it for that matter. For whatever it’s worth
Do you mean a radon mitigation pump?
I mean a pump that creates a vacuum to remove radon gas
Yes, I will double check but I don’t believe this will work. These systems use a fan to draw the radon gas out. It would not create enough low pressure for a vacuum table. This is called soft vacuum. If the vacuum created was correct to run a vacuum table, then the low pressure would be enough to draw the water out and a sump pump wouldn’t be needed.