Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey you vacuum clampers. What is the material you are using. I think what I'm looking for is a silicone rubber but don't know for sure if that's the case and what thickness to use.
I've tried the heavy vinyl that veneer guys use but it wasn't flexible enough. Then I found some very thin stuff (2 mil) which I doubled and it exploded. Any help? Thanks Paul

Paul vinyl works (10ml) fine if you use bleeder cloth. I use the nylon porch
screen.

Paul, I used natural gum rubber from McMaster Carr - Part # 8633K12. Works great. Only draw back is that it is not transparent. Kevin

Reckon rubber roofing material would work? I have some of that out in the shed.

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

LMI sells that stuff by the foot, they've got two types, gummed rubber, and neoprene, both $13.95 per foot.
What kind of vacuum tool are you building? I'm interested in this subject too, as I'm trying to make a vacuum bridge clamp.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Paul, I have two bags one of silicone rubber and one of latex which I obtained from McMaster-Carr, .o3 thick. I use the latex for gluing braces etc, no problems with it I,ve had it several years.
The silicone bag is .o6 thick and I use it for high temp applications but it would also work very for braces and such.
The .o6 thickness would be pretty good all around but I don't think I'd go any thinner than .03 just for durability purposes.
A good source for Silicone rubber and vacuum bagging in general is www.torrtech.com. Geared towards the aircraft industry, but a good source for teh variuos parts in a vac bag, and ideas.Jim_W38784.7454282407

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I`m thinking along the lines of using a platform large enough for tops, backs, necks, and who knows what else. I just have been holding off to see if there`s aanyone else trying this material for vacuum clamping.

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

   There are a fe suppliers out there   https://www.qualityvak.com/bags.html this is where I got mine. I use a 30 mil bag . Grizzly also has them
jhon

if you are going to make vacuum bags joewoodworker sells the cheapest quality bag material i know of.

if you are going to make vacuum clamps for bridges, bracing etc., i bought my last lot of 1/16" silicon rubber sheeting on ebay from rubbermann7, 3'x3' for $15, plus $8 shipping.

Michael,

Thanks!! That's just what I've been looking for to make a vacuum bridge clamp. What's good to use for a gasket on the bottom of the clamp that will seal, and comform to the top radius around the bridge area?

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

joe woodworker sells vacuum tape to seal clamps, or you can use the closed cell foam weather striping from home depot etc. it doesn't seal as well and your compressor or vac pump will run abit more but it does work.

for small things like a bridge clamp i have just cut a one piece gasket out of a piece of closed cell foam sheet.