Vacuum Press

[Mr Eddie]

I'm going to build a small bench top vacuum press - something capable of veneering panels up to 12" x 18".  I've been reading on the Joe Woodworker site and many others.  Anyone have any experience building one?  Any pictures?  Any advice?

Thanks,
Lonnie

[Drgomer]

I built a press using Joe Woodworker direction and parts (the 54 by 20 polyurethane bag) and use it to glue up 20x20 inch panels with excellent results-highly recommend his site/instructions.  Glad to answer any questions.  

Charlie

[mound]

I built the Joe Woodworker EVS system maybe 8-9 years ago and it's worked well for me for flat panels and bent laminations ever since. It was an interesting and easy build, highly recommended! 

[fredhargis]

I also built the Joe Woodowkrer system using one of his recycled Thomas Ritchey pumps( they changed their name since then). That was probably 10 years ago and it's worked well with no problems. The best thing I did was change bags. I started with a vinyl bag, but somewhere along the line bought a polyurethane one...man what a difference!

[Dave Diaman]

Lonnie, I bought one of the Excel 1 vacuum pumps from Joe. I will also stress to buy one of the poly bags up front. My first vacuum set up was a cheap Harbor Freight vacuum pump and a 2’x 4’ vinyl bag. It worked well enough but the bag was stiff and the vacuum pump would fill my shop with smoke. Later I bought the Excel 1 pump and a 4’x 8’ bag from Joe and it has been perfect. I usually pull the bulk of the air out of my large bag with my shop vac and then hook up my pump. I just let the pump run until it’s ready to come out of the bag. If you are using cold press veneer glue it is only about an hour. It is a continuous run pump so I have never been that concerned about adding the system so it will cycle. I will eventually build one of the cycling kits for it but right now that isn’t on my high priority list.

[handi]

For that size, you might want to consider the Roarocket kit. They make a pretty good sized bag that I have. It uses a manual wine bottle pump the evacuate the air. You work up a bit of a sweat, but for occasional use it is VERY cost effective.

Had mine for several years now, the bag and pump have both held up quite well.

[Mr Eddie]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I should have mentioned in my original post that I have a small gast pump and a couple of nice bags that I got from Eric Sanford when he was selling off his shop.  What I want to build is a press with a flip top.  I'm going to be making some small panels for a couple of tea caddies and thought the flip top would make it easier to position the parts and to make sure the veneered pieces don't move. I will probably follow Joe's instructions for building - just wondered if anyone else has a flip top and what they thought about it?  How hard is it to get the top to seal?  What did you use for a seal?  Thanks for all the help.  Much appreciated.

Lonnie

[handi]

I have both made and bought flip tops. They are somewhat easier to work with, but not much. 

They are MUCH harder to get a good seal with than a good bag, and as you know, not getting a good seal is something you discover only AFTER the glue is setting. 

Yours being smallish should be easier to control, but a small bag is also easier to work with and control.

The bag can also be rolled up and stored away in a small space which the dedicated vacuum table cannot. 

Unless you plan to use this thing weekly, my experience is that the "ease of use" of the frame system is unlikely to be all you were hoping it to be.

[JGrout]

I have done a lot of large pieces over the years and never found a real need for anything but a bag press. 

a bit of strategically placed blue tape makes life pretty easy in a bag press

JME

[Dave Diaman]

I've veneered pieces as large as 4' x 8' and only ever used a bag. All the work to set up anything different just wasn't worth the trouble. Like Joe said, blue tape is your friend. Given the size of the panels you want to make a bag and some distribution media should be all you need.