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I have an old vacuum pump from a single cow surge milker. I don't use it anymore since the kids are all grown up and I don't keep a milk cow now.

It only generates about 9 in Hg if the guage is accurate.
Is this enough for vacuum clamping or do I need to bite the bullit and buy a gast pump.

Cecil

Bite. From what I've read, the ideal is 26-28hg. The good news is there are some deals to be found on the pumps if you're patient...or lucky.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Cecil, I think 9" is probably a little light. 20" works though and more is better.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Their may also be a bult in pressure regulator, kind of a safty for milking.

Check out this vacuum pump Robbie O. posted in another thread:

pump

It's a manual operated pump that pulls 25 hg. What do you guys think, is this enough power to brace a top or back? For $35 bucks, this would be a great tool if it worked well enough.

Thanks!

John

Cecil, check into having it rebuilt. That can be done much cheaper than buying new. As Bob said, there might be a regulator on it that is preventing if from pulling the udder clean off. OUCH! See if you can find a small dial or a slot head screw that doesn't look like it goes anywhere.

The hand pumps work, but you will end up with forearms like Popeye if you have the slightest leak. Get a used refrigerator pump from the local appliance repair shop. They can be had for cheap to free, and will quickly pull all of the vacuum that you will ever need.

Al

Thanks for the input guys. I never thought about an internal regulator. I'll bring it in from the barn and check it out.

Rebuilding might also be an option,if I can find a source for parts. Thih thing has been around since Moby Dick was a minnow and they may not even be available. But it is a piston pump so it would be easy if the are.

Thanks again.

Cecil

John,

this type of hand pump and vacuum bag works well for gluing veneers together like on pegheads. I think it would be much easier to use the go bar deck for bracing.

Cecil--So are you going to have to milk the cows the old fashioned way while you're messin' 'round with the pump?

There is nothing like hand squeezed cow juice but with the kids grown I no longer can use 3-4 gallons of milk per day.

The last time I saw Bessy she was smiling at me from a
McDonalds bun.

Cecil