I am currently researching the creation of a vacuum source for my Onefinity Elite Foreman.
Yes I am well aware of the AirWeights systems and even Black Box Vacs (https://blackboxvac.com/). Please understand these two products take different approaches to the same problem. One use high vacuum, but low CFM the other uses moderate vacuum and high CFM.
In my case I think I want high CFM and moderate vacuum. Now I am sure there will be plenty of “real world experts” telling the the advantage of both approaches but for my needs I think high CFM will win. (By the way I am a retired Mech E.)
So my approach will likely use 1 or 2 Ametek Lamb 116765 110 V 3 Stage vacs …drawing 135 inches of water lift. (shop vac has ~50 inches) These motors will sit in a custom housing with a 2" pvc vac line going to a 48x40 (45x37 usable) HDPE vacuum plate.
Anybody else try this sort of thing? If so what wisdom can you share?
Once upon a time, I had a 4’x8’ ShopBot CNC which I used for a cabinet shop to do nested cuts. I built a shop-created system comprised of a Fein Turbo III vacuum, 2" PVC pipe with Jandy pool valves (that’s important because of air-tightness), separated into three zones. I created a base of 3/4" UHMW plastic and cut my grid / zones/ gasket grooves into that. Used 3/8" square grid gasket material from https://allstarcnc.com in a 1/4" deep groove with a spoil board of 1" Low Density Fiberboard (edges sealed with glue, skinned on top & bottom with surfacing bit). You couldn’t move a 3/4" plywood sheet with a hammer. You COULD cut parts exceptionally well with a 3/8 compression spiral in one pass, especially if you left an onionskin bottom layer and then did a finishing pass with a 1/4 up-cut spiral to free everything without any interference.
It was cost-effective, easy to build, and easy to maintain. I didn’t glue the PVC joints. I used electrical tape so I could replace things if I needed.
Be careful about vacuum cleaners/vacuum motors. They need to have self-cooling capability, like that Fein Turbo III - else they’ll melt. Most shop vacs require constant airflow past the motor from the vacuum stream to cool the motor. Those Fein vacs don’t (if you can even find them anymore).
Yes most of these projects seem to have been 4x8 Shopbot or Avids.
The motor I mentioned is what is used in whole house vacuums. The vacuum air circuit is not the same as the motor cooling circuit. The separation of the circuits means the motor should tolerate an 8 hr run easily.
This motor should produce both a higher vacuum and a higher CFM than the Fein. Notice I said should … chuckle. I am thinking two motors (in “parallel”) just so I could double the CFM. High CFM means air leaks are pesky not critical failure point.
I like the idea of electrical tape. This is perfect for the initial development.
