Decent, but they really consume a lot of compressed air. They are good when you need to remove a lot of air quickly or have a very leaky setup. I have a couple of them and used them in conjunction with my mechanical vane pump when I reinforced a failing block basement wall with uni directional carbon.
Gast is a common industrial brand in North America. There are others.
I bought a oil less rotary vane pump with tanks, manifold, gauge, and pressure controller for ~$100 10 years ago. I see several similar units in the link.
Suggestion, use a filter. Many of the small units have a short life without them. I use a jar with paper towel media backed up with an inline water filter.
Decent, but they really consume a lot of compressed air. They are good when you need to remove a lot of air quickly or have a very leaky setup. I have a couple of them and used them in conjunction with my mechanical vane pump when I reinforced a failing block basement wall with uni directional carbon.
I have one of those walls myself. A crack is forming and it is beginning to buckle ever so slightly inwards.
How did you prepare the surface and apply the carbon?
Decent, but they really consume a lot of compressed air. They are good when you need to remove a lot of air quickly or have a very leaky setup. I have a couple of them and used them in conjunction with my mechanical vane pump when I reinforced a failing block basement wall with uni directional carbon.
I have one of those walls myself. A crack is forming and it is beginning to buckle ever so slightly inwards.
How did you prepare the surface and apply the carbon?
I have used a 25 gallon Craftsman shop vac on numerous occasions, running it for up to 6 hrs straight without it burning up...but cant' guarantee yours won't....not a very controlled way but it gets the job done...unlike a dedicated vacuum pump it will pull all the air out of a big bag in seconds...We use to use one to evacuate all the air out of large projects before turning on the dedicated vacuum pump.
I like to note that when I used the shop vac itself for vacuum bagging I cleaned it completely out and ran it without the filter in place...it would suck so hard that the HD base would suck the sidewalks of the plastic tub. Not the best way but if you want to do it on the cheap and your resin jell time is less than 1-1/2 hrs it will do.
Regards, Robert
Re: vacuum bag
[Re: pgp]
#249567 06/14/1209:33 AM06/14/1209:33 AM
This is my current Vacuum pump setup the pump is also from Harbor Freight. If you watch for sales and get an Insiders Club Card the price is not too bad. Thinking about changing the pump system some to not work the pump as much - but more the method as I pulled too much epoxy last time when I had a perfect seal with my bag and smaller parts. I started working on it before I left to go work on new cruise ship build a couple of months ago. I’ve been back to the US for week and I’m still weeding through the “honey do” list. I’m also interviewing for a new job my current job keeps me too busy and can’t seem to find time for my boat and that is starting to bother me. Also is picture of the “Bong” I built to capture epoxy and have some extra vacuum volume. I have the conversion of the vacuum pump and building the bong on my website http://www.themanshed.com/tms-20-trimaran/8-18-09-layup-and-vacuum-bagging.html I hope that helps.
Last edited by TheManShed; 06/14/1209:39 AM. Reason: Image
Mike Shappell www.themanshed.com TMS-20 Builder G-Cat 5.7 - Current Boat NACRA 5.2 - early 70's
Re: vacuum bag
[Re: phill]
#249571 06/14/1210:36 AM06/14/1210:36 AM
This is my current Vacuum pump setup the pump is also from Harbor Freight. If you watch for sales and get an Insiders Club Card the price is not too bad. Thinking about changing the pump system some to not work the pump as much - but more the method as I pulled too much epoxy last time when I had a perfect seal with my bag and smaller parts. I started working on it before I left to go work on new cruise ship build a couple of months ago. I’ve been back to the US for week and I’m still weeding through the “honey do” list. I’m also interviewing for a new job my current job keeps me too busy and can’t seem to find time for my boat and that is starting to bother me. Also is picture of the “Bong” I built to capture epoxy and have some extra vacuum volume. I have the conversion of the vacuum pump and building the bong on my website http://www.themanshed.com/tms-20-trimaran/8-18-09-layup-and-vacuum-bagging.html I hope that helps.
Mike, you guys amaze me! I wouldn't come up with that in a million years...
Pete Pollard Blade 702
'When you have a lot of things to do, it's best to get your nap out of the way first.
Re: vacuum bag
[Re: Jake]
#249577 06/14/1212:35 PM06/14/1212:35 PM
Only change i'd make is to use Carbon-UNI instead of the woven carbon tape that's pictured. UNI places ALL the strength in one direction , unlike the tape that strengthens on both the + - 90deg. Ya really don't Need the carbon in the cross-fibers, and the fibers are actually about 30% stronger in compression and tension loads,when NOT woven.
Bille
Re: vacuum bag
[Re: pgp]
#249589 06/14/1201:36 PM06/14/1201:36 PM
One of my vacuum pumps for small jobs, was made from the compressor off an old refrigerator. It's a 110v compressor. An AC compressor would work but i'm Scared of 220v.
It sucks the air out of a Beer-keg, and has a one way valve in line to keep the vacuum in the keg.
Add a valve and an adjustable Hg switch and Ya got something that can pull almost a full atmosphere and only run for 5 minutes every hour if Ya got a good tight seal on the bag.
Great stuff Jake, thanks! I might have to try the same thign to save myself some serious digging and construction work.
It's held up well now for four years. In the first following winter (2008), my buddy swore the wall was moving and was comparing it against an open stud wall he built in front of the block wall. I didn't believe that was the case because the carbon and epoxy looked like the day they cured but I couldn't convince him that his studs were moving. To prove it, I epoxied a glass slide (laboratory type that is used with a microscope) to the wall on both sides of the crack between two of the carbon spans in the most offending area. It's still intact and hasn't broken loose or cracked proving that the block wall has not moved at all. His stud wall, however, appears to bow/move as the humidity changes in his leaky basement (at least the crown in the studs are in the correct direction! ;-).
You may be getting a PM or two when I get lost. Or, hell I may as chronicle my little saga right here. This crowd can always use a good laugh.