Hi,

Apologies for so many questions for a first post.

I run a Heiz S-400 which spends a lot of its time making one-off aluminium front panels for specialist electronics equipment.

Today, however, I needed to machine holes into the top of a quantity (40+) of plastic 'project' boxes approximately 3" x 5". My plan was to do 6 at a time by cutting an alignment jig out of 3mm PVC sheet and using my VT4432SEAL vacuum table (powered from a workshop vacuum cleaner) to hold the boxes in place. However, even with a rubber mat, I just wasn't getting enough 'suck' which meant a couple of boxes lifted on the tool with all the problems that causes. I tried double-sided tape as a last resort but the nature of the boxes' surface, a textured finish, meant that getting the tape to stick was a problem. What should have been an easy job turned into a bit of a marathon.

This may become a regular job and so getting a reliable method would be nice.

My first question is 'Do I have the right sort of vacuum table?' Mine has a 1cm x 1cm grid of small holes and a holey rubber mat but I see other designs which use slots and rubber cord to make custom patterns. Looking around Stritzelberger Steuerungstechnik GmbH shows many different designs.

Or is my vacuum cleaner not powerful enough? I see other vacuum generators ranging from affordable side-channel blowers to quite expensive pump models.

Or would I be better off by only doing 3 at a time? Instinct says that I ought to get twice the 'suck' if I do that.

Any help and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Brian.