In article ,
Larry & Patti wrote:

Does anyone make one or does someone
have plans for such an item or am I just crazy? I have a Fein Turbo II
shop-vac that I would like to use for the vacuum source, but I would be
willing to spring for a vacuum pump if needed.

I have a Delta Midi (Jet Mini clone) and have rigged up a simple vacuum
setup with a vac pump.

The pump came from Burden Surplus in Nebraska ($90 $115 w/shipping -
it's a heavy sonovagun.) I bought 10 feet of air hose from the local Ace
Hardware, an air filter, a T fitting, a bleed valve (I'm using a
1/4-turn air or gas stopcock) to adjust the level of vacuum and a
package of screw hose clamps. I then picked up a sealed ball bearing
with an inner bore that was a tight push fit for the air hose to go
into. That's about it for hardware to get the vac to the spindle threads
- all told about $25 to Ace.

The layout of the parts is: pump; hose; filter; hose; T-fitting; hose to
bleed valve; hose to lathe.

On my lathe I turned a disk that was a persuasion-fit into the recess in
the handwheel. But before persuading it, I turned a recess in the
backside (the side facing the headstock) that matched the outside
diameter of the bearing so that it was a press fit. Then opened a center
thru-hole that was slightly larger than the outside diameter of the hose
so that after the bearing was pressed in, the inside race would spin
freely when the hose was pressed into it.

I epoxied the bearing into the wood disk, being careful to not slop the
epoxy onto the moving part of the bearing. Then I persuaded the disk
into the handwheel and ran a bead of either latex or silicone caulk at
the joint of the wood and handwheel. VIOLA!

Whenever I desire vacuum, I plug the air hose coming from the T into the
bearing in the handwheel, flip the pump on and I get vacuum through the
spindle to the nose. When I don't need it I unplug the hose and tuck it
down near the valve and filter. Vacuum is about 26" at the spindle and
someday I may put in a check valve, so that, should I ever lose power
while turning I ought to be able to maintain enough vacuum to take hold
of the piece before any leaks release it.

For chucks, I've made about 3 using face plates and 1/2" thick scrap
acrylic and polycarbonate. Screw the scrap to the face plate (I use Don
Pencil face plates), glue on extra pieces of plastic if necessary and
turn the outside to round. Turn or drill a center hole and then round
over the end if you're going for a cup-type vac chuck. Glue on a piece
of rubber or leather. VIOLA!

If you wish I can try to snap a few pictures in the coming days to
better illustrate my setup - just let me know.