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I’m slowly upgrading my X-carve (even though I’ve only had it for 2 weeks) and one of the first things I thought I’d try out is a vacuum table. I bought the DamenCNC ST (http://damencnc.com/en/components/vacuum-tables-and-pumps/vacuum-tables-st-series--low-cost-). For the price, it seemed like something I can easily try and, well, put to the side if it doesn’t work out.
It doesn’t really work out
This vacuum table is supposed to work with just a standard shopvac. I have a 1.5HP shopvac (Kärcher MV2) attached to it with a bit of a (leak free) bodged converter tube. But parts just don’t stick very well at all. Even when I use the rubber hole mat and cover the entire surface with an aluminum plate, I can wedge off the plate fairly easily.
Is this a matter of my shopvac just not being strong enough? Am I doing something else wrong? There are not many resources for entry-level vacuum plates, I’m a bit at a loss for where to start.
I honestly haven’t seen a good vacuum table that works off of a shopvac. I’ve always see the more industrial setups with a vacuum tank and pump. Something I noticed that this table doesn’t have is any rubber gasketing to help contain the vacuum. Here’s a pic of the types of vacuum tables I’ve used and they’re extremely reliable. I’m also in the process of recreating this style table for my X-Carve. I’ll definitely share my Easel file when it’s done. Vacuum Table Design
You definitely need rubber gasketing for a vacuum table to work, without it you will have a VERY bad time.
There is an attachment you can get for a compressor that will create a vaccum, I can’t remember what its called though. It’s essentially a T-line with a 1 way valve on one port. The air passing through the T-line creates a vacuum in on the 3rd port, which you can run to your table. I’ll see if I can find a link and post it here.
The table has a gasket sheet (if you click on the shop item, it’s on the picture). Obviously I used it with the gasket sheet.
I’d rather not bother with a (serious) compressor and venturi vacuum generator - my garage is already cramped enough. At the moment I’m just using the vacuum table as a clamping table (because it is nice and flat and doesn’t mind being splashed with coolant).
I’d be interested what makes vacuum tables possibly work better with a shopvac; obviously this design is supposed to work with it. There should be a way to at least get acceptable results.
Ive made myself a 700mm x 700mm vacuum table that sits on the X-Carve waste board. its basically a box of 16mm custom wood with the melamine outer that 700x700x50mm with 18mm space between the 2 flat faces- with a hole lot of 5mm holes… tonight was my first time using it and it worked really well. have vacuumed down a 600x600 6mm plywood sheet and cut a few shapes out without having to use tabs which is very exciting and best of all it runs of my old house vacuum
