Official Luthiers Forum!

I am curious, how many of you use vacuum for bridge clamping, brace
clamping, guitar holding etc.

Do you like it??
Do you use the LMI pump etc???

TIA

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

I use it for everything; lam glue-ups, hold-down, etc. I have a 28" HG venturi system for gluing and a BOC Edwards 30 CFM pump for holding. Couldn't live without it. Well, wouldn't want to at least.

Warning; it's addictive...   
John Watkins38931.5195833333

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John Watkins
CNC Guitar Parts

Like John, I couldn't live without it. I have drawers in my bench that are for vacuum clamping braces. I'm in the process of rebuilding them because I have micro leaks that i can't find. It still holds about 22 in/hg but has to work nonstop to do that. If the system were tight, it would be able to shut off and rest for cycles.
Check ebay for vacuum pumps. Also joewoodworker.com has some great information for getting started.

So far, I just use mine for clamping bridges, but I imagine I'll use it for more and more things as time goes on.

I got a good pump on eBay, after exchanging several emails with the seller to satisfy myself that he was honest and knowledgable about pumps, and that it wasn't from a lab that could have contaminated it with pathogens (these pumps are used in ways that could do that).

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

i use it for everthing i can think of. as someone said above, it is addictive!!!

i have 2 venturi systems off the compressor and two vacuum pumps.

I only use it for bridges at present, I bought a pump off ebay, I would like to get one of those Guitar holders, they look cool

I use one also for bridges and braces and like it a lot.
As far as a pump goes I have Gast rotary vane pump that has worked well for a long time.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Would anyone be able, or willing, to share a definitive method of building one of the jigs for vacuuming the braces onto tops and backs, preferably with photos?

As soon as John Watkins starts building THOSE puppies, watch'em fly off the sales page.

Bill

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

Here's what I made. Basically just a plywood box large enough to hold my sanding bowl with lots of shellac and caulk to keep it airtight. I've used it on 3 guitars and the process itself works very well. The only problem is that on the last guitar the pressure caved in one corner of the mdf ring that circles the sanding bowl. (I thought if I didn't have the ring the rubber would either distort the pieces being clamped or tear as it compressed all the way down to the bottom of the box.) It's still airtight, but could probably use a redesign. I'm going to cut ply fillers to replace the styrofoam inserts. That is unless someone has an idea for a better jig.




BobK38931.892650463

Andy I use it for braces, laminates and bridges, if you go to my site and dig around the shop photos there are some pictures of my press in there, I got my design inspiration from Mike Doolin.

On my list of items is a commercial vaccum pump that can pull constant vaccum without burning out, right now I'm using a high grade PIAA venturi that works really well but I hate beating up my Air Compressor with it. Also at some point I'll make one out of metal as opposed to wood and use proper seals so it can hold a vaccum better (although it's not too bad now, it could be better)...

If needed I can post pictures here, the best one I ever saw used a clear membrane so you could actually see what you where clamping, I thought that was the bomb but could never find the material so I just use the stuff from LMI.

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Here are a couple of pictures from Jim Olson's web site of his rig.

The UHMW (white plastic inside) is shaped to the back arc and the little tabs help to locate the braces, cool hey?

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Have any of you tried the thin air press from Roarockit? I'm thinking about
using it for my project.

I use the bag and luthier disk. Simple and it works though I admit some of these jigs are darn nice
john hall