Lee Tollett wrote:

Dick Mahany wrote:

I posted a few pics on ABPW of a simple modification of my lathe
handwheel that allows for an inexpensive vacuum attachment if you have a
suitable pump. It works great and I hope it can help if you have such a
need.

Dick Mahany


Thanks for posting them Dick. Dumb newbe quetion, what do you use a
vacume system for??

Lee

A good question Lee, and Mac gave a really good answer.

Being married to a "downeaster" scot for over 40 years does intersting
things to a fellow. I knew I needed a vacuum chuck, but "oh the cost."
The solution was simple and the parts few. Take a face plate (Reed made a
nice system that used face plates that screwed onto an adapter with 1" x
8tpi threads and I had an extra) bandsaw a circle as large as your lathe
can handle from GOOD 3/4 plywood (my first was from MDF and wiped out my
dustcollection system when it came apart) center the face plate and true up
on your lathe - making sure to flatten the face of the plywood, otherwise
you will have a chuck with a wobble.

Next drill a half inch by 1/8"+ in the dead center of the face, on the side
opposite the face plate. The drill 3/8" hole all the way through the
plywood, centered on the 1/2" hole. The cover the face with some
5/32"cork, applied with contact cement. After the cork is set, clean out
to the half inch hole.

Get a 30" piece of 3/8" metal brake line from your local auto store and cut
one flange off and remove both flange nuts. Slide the brake line through
the front of the faceplate and glue in place with some hot glue (the recess
allows the flange on the brake line to be below the level of the cork).

Now, find a SEALED bearing with a 3/8" center, turn a small piece large
enough to hold the bearing in a recess on one side and drill a 3/8" hole
all the way through the turned piece.. Hot glue a short piece of that
metal brake line to the center of the bearing, the outside race of the
bearing to the recess and another short piece to the opposite side of the
turned piece. A couple of pieces of 3/8" rubber braided brake hose and
you are in business (a short on for the coupling between the pipe that goes
through the headstock and a longer piece to connect to your vacuum pump).

Now for the vacuum pump - you can pay about $325.00 for a Gast pump (and
that is what you want) or you can go to

http://www.surpluscenter.com/

and get one for a LOT less. Mine runs off 220v. If that is a problem for
you, buy it anyway and get a 2-1 stepdown transformer. The two together
would cost a lot less than the vacuum pump elsewhere.

Bye the way, the sucker (in more ways that one :-) ) is noisy but works
like a champ.

For what it is worth.