I needed -- OK, I wanted -- a vacuum chuck for improving my bowl-bottom work. Picked up a small HF pump for $75 (list $139, sale $99 less coupon my wife found). Ordered a kit from Harrison Specialties that included the chuck, an 18-inch pipe to pass through the headstock and a gauge and connectors for the pump. Naturally, the plumbing fittings needed some connectors, but it was only one trip to Ace as I brought everything along. Fired it up and it worked great! Now the test bowl was only about 8-inches in diameter so it will be interesting to see how the pump holds up to larger projects. All told it was a $225 investment.

Larry

On 1/14/2014 5:46 PM, Gramps' shop wrote:
I needed -- OK, I wanted -- a vacuum chuck for improving my bowl-bottom work. Picked up a small HF pump for $75 (list $139, sale $99 less coupon my wife found). Ordered a kit from Harrison Specialties that included the chuck, an 18-inch pipe to pass through the headstock and a gauge and connectors for the pump. Naturally, the plumbing fittings needed some connectors, but it was only one trip to Ace as I brought everything along. Fired it up and it worked great! Now the test bowl was only about 8-inches in diameter so it will be interesting to see how the pump holds up to larger projects. All told it was a $225 investment.

Larry


You should be fine as long as the item you are making is less than 14.7
pounds assuming the vacuum connection is one square inch. As you get
close to 14.7 pounds other factors will be working on the item and you
may loss it at a lesser weight.

Gramps' shop wrote:
I needed -- OK, I wanted -- a vacuum chuck for improving my bowl-bottom work. Picked up a small HF pump for $75 (list $139, sale $99 less coupon my wife found). Ordered a kit from Harrison Specialties that included the chuck, an 18-inch pipe to pass through the headstock and a gauge and connectors for the pump. Naturally, the plumbing fittings needed some connectors, but it was only one trip to Ace as I brought everything along. Fired it up and it worked great! Now the test bowl was only about 8-inches in diameter so it will be interesting to see how the pump holds up to larger projects. All told it was a $225 investment.

Larry
Make sure you have a good filter between the bowl and the pump. One
bowl of porous wood and you will have a filter full of dust and grit.

I have really enjoyed my vacuum chuck.

--
 GW Ross 

 The future ain't what it used to be. 

Hadn't thought of that, GW. Any specific suggestions on this filter? The chuck is attached with a bearing to a 3/8 inch OD shaft to which I attach the pump with a 3/8 inch ID flex plastic tube.

Larry

Make sure you have a good filter between the bowl and the pump. One

bowl of porous wood and you will have a filter full of dust and grit.



I have really enjoyed my vacuum chuck.



--

 GW Ross 



 The future ain't what it used to be. 

Gramps' shop wrote:
Hadn't thought of that, GW. Any specific suggestions on this filter? The chuck is attached with a bearing to a 3/8 inch OD shaft to which I attach the pump with a 3/8 inch ID flex plastic tube.


Mine is the type made for air compressors with the solid porous
ceramic filter inside. Just connect the "in" side to the tube going
to the chuck and the
out connection to the vacuum pump. I believe mine has 1/4" pipe
threads. When it looks dusty inside I take the glass cover off and
blow the filter off.

My connection to the chuck uses a air hose quick-connect fitting which
lets the lathe part rotate without twisting the hose. Yours probably
has a more sophisticated fitting.



--
 GW Ross 

 The future ain't what it used to be.