Vacuum pump for a large matrix bed cnc 5 by 10 foot

[gavztheouch]

Hi Geoffrey, thanks for the advice.

Can I ask how big is your table, what hp is the vacuum motor and do you use a blower style pump that moves a lot of air or a vacuum rotary pump which pulls a better vacuum but less air.

Cheers
Gav

[GEOFFREY]

Hi Gav, sadly my cutting area is not as big as yours (working area about 2600mmx900mm) and I bought a used pump on ebay. My pump is Reitschle (or something like that - not in the workshop to check at the moment), but it is a rotary vacuum pump. The system does not need a huge air capacity as once the vacuum is formed it is only sustaining that vacuum plus any losses caused by the cutting. If cutting small items it is safer to "tab" them as it helps maintain the vacuum and stops them disappearing into the extraction system. G.

Edit. My pump is 5hp, but I would have preferred 7 - 10hp had I been able to source one. Only have vents open to the area you are going to cut as the MDF sacrificial board will leak vacuum. G.

[andrewbond]

If you don't fancy busting out a couple of grand on a side channel pump you could try making something like this ... Black Box Vac Source - Let's Talk ShopBot

I use four small motors directly mounted to the bottom of my bed (one in each zone) works quite well, a bit noisy tho...

Want any more info pm me

Andrew