Fingers crossed it'll cut ally

Oil filter seals aren't any softer than o-rings, and by the time they get changed, they've usually hardened up even more.

You do get o-rings made from softer material, but they're not common place.
I wonder what the proper name for the seal strip type stuff that comes in strips and used for sealing junction box covers is called. I've worked on various junction boxes, where the seal is just a press fit into a machined groove. It's usually a round or rectangular shape, and is normally very soft so you get a good seal with minimal pressure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by m_c

Oil filter seals aren't any softer than o-rings, and by the time they get changed, they've usually hardened up even more.

You do get o-rings made from softer material, but they're not common place.
I wonder what the proper name for the seal strip type stuff that comes in strips and used for sealing junction box covers is called. I've worked on various junction boxes, where the seal is just a press fit into a machined groove. It's usually a round or rectangular shape, and is normally very soft so you get a good seal with minimal pressure.

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I know what you mean M_C old tobacco tins use to have an orange'ish rubber seal but now it looks like some kind of bonding ..and comes away in bits.The other thing of course is jam making jars .. u can get replacement seals in all sorts of sizes.. they are flat an i think quite soft, I shall borrow one off my mum on Sunday :)

Jar Seals

A quick google for "enclosure sealing gasket" turned up this on ebay.

Mark,

I have an idea of setting up jigs for cutting parts and using your idea of a syringe, with a valve to create the vacuum to hold them down. Where do you get your syringes from? I would be hooking the tubing into a block of HDPE that would be shaped so that flat surface on the bottom would have vacuum draw against them to help hold the piece in place. If you could let me know where you got those from and/or what you consider good pricing I will post some pictures of the pieces once they are assembled and working.

The other idea I am looking at in a vacuum bed made out of a solid surface (Hi-MACS or Corian). Which since they are non porous could be a very useful option instead of steel or aluminium. Also a good bit easier to machine and assemble.

Michael

PM me your address and I'll send you a slack handful (work was binning old stock so they didn’t cost me anything)

the idea works quite well for specific tasks like engraving lots of the same item but for a larger bed/pads it would take quite a bit of effort to draw out the static volume.
Remember to put the one way valves close to your syringe to get maximum draw

The way I had mine set up it worked like a by bicycle pump but in reverse

If it were me, I'd be looking at suction cups of some sort. Maybe some of these: 2 Acupuncture Massage Suction Cup Heat back Pain Relief | eBay but it might be difficult to remove the work piece once it was under vacuum.

The other option might be to use dent pullers like these: Mini Dent Puller Bodywork Panel Remover Removal Tool Car Van Suction Cup Glass | eBay but attach them to the machine and activate them with an air cylinder or some other mechanical actuator.

On the syringe theme, you could use air cylinders to create a vacuum. You could either use one air cylinder and actuate it manually or use 2+ with one as the actuator (i.e. you feed one with compressed air and it then pulls the other(s) to create a vacuum). Air cylinders are not cheap to buy new but can be manufactured at home if you have a decent lathe. Hydraulic cylinders are another option (minus the oil!). Or the scrap yard...

Might have the wrong end of the stick as I haven't read all posts from the beginning but if you are looking for a vacuum pumps then most compressors can used the other way around, especially the diaphragm pumps.

Clarke Mini Air Compressor - Wiz - Machine Mart Bit pricey but easy to mod, just fix a tube to the intake filter plate and keep the output open. depending on the amount of vacuum you need you could use the smaller 12v tyre inflates or even a fish tank aerator.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by m.marino

Mark,

I have an idea of setting up jigs for cutting parts and using your idea of a syringe, with a valve to create the vacuum to hold them down. Where do you get your syringes from? I would be hooking the tubing into a block of HDPE that would be shaped so that flat surface on the bottom would have vacuum draw against them to help hold the piece in place. If you could let me know where you got those from and/or what you consider good pricing I will post some pictures of the pieces once they are assembled and working.

The other idea I am looking at in a vacuum bed made out of a solid surface (Hi-MACS or Corian). Which since they are non porous could be a very useful option instead of steel or aluminium. Also a good bit easier to machine and assemble.

Michael

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Michael, I made a vac bed using grey pvc. Bottom sheet 20mm, top sheet 6mm with 5mm round gasket/o ring seals. this works very well. I can send you dxf (if I can find it!) of my vac table if you wish to give an idea of what I did if you wish. G.

Geoffrey,

If you can find it that would be great. What kind of pump are you using to get the vacuum pressure with?

Michael

Michael, send me your email address and I'll send the dxf file. I use two small GAST pumps, table divided in 2 halves. G.

Geoffrey, any chance of having a look at your dxf, and what size are your gast pumps?
Many thanks in advance
Simon

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Originally Posted by Bazzer

Geoffrey, any chance of having a look at your dxf, and what size are your gast pumps?
Many thanks in advance
Simon

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Simon you'll have fun trying to suck sponge down. .. :hysterical:

Got the perfect stuff for you to make Vac bed with. It's a man made resin board that machines great is super flat and hard has nails. It's Called Trespa Athlon look it up.
Got some that's 20mm and some that's around 12-15mm but would need to check that.?

Let me know if you want some and size and I'll chop you piece and take to work for next time your over our way.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

Simon you'll have fun trying to suck sponge down. .. :hysterical:

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My favourite hobby sucking sponge !!! :hysterical:

Would love FREE trespa, you can take the boy out of Yorkshire, but you can't take the Yorkshire out of the boy!

:hysterical:

Michael, Simon, I would post the dxf here, but don't seem to be able to do so. That is why I asked for email. Will check on my pump sizes tomorrow and post. Obviously my drawing is to suit my machine and will need modding. I have made 2 circuits, one for each pump. Each pump is simply plugged into a double socket and switched on and off as necessary, no valves, reservoirs or vac controllers etc. very simple,but effective.
JAZZ's offer of the free trespa sounds unbelieveable - Almost makes me wish I was a "northerner". G.

Any help on how to add an attachment on here would be very useful. thanks. G.

Geoffrey, if you click "Go Advanced" in the bottom right corner of the "Quick Reply" box, you get some extra options, one of which is "Add Attachment". the icon looks like a sheet of paper with a paper clip on it.

Thanks Birchy, trying that nowAttachment 8817





I have tried to open it here, but the grooves (channels) seem a bit incomplete. My dxf output was set to six decimal places, maybe I should have reduced that. Any way let me know if it is readable, if not I'll try again. G.

Looks OK in DraftSight on my Linux machine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bazzer

Geoffrey, any chance of having a look at your dxf, and what size are your gast pumps?
Many thanks in advance
Simon

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My GAST pumps are model nos. 0523 702 q er 32x and 0522 v734 r 32x. Both are 240v single phase motors with a current rating of 2.9A. sorry for hi-jacking this thead. G.