Vacuum chuck gasket

In the last two weeks I saw a 12 x12 sheet of gasket material in some woodworking catalog, but now I cannot find it anywhere. Anyone remember seeing such stuff? This has been a senior day.

Reply to
Gerald Ross
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Go to Walmart craft department. Buy a Foamie, it is closed cell foam. About one $ a sheet.

Bill in WNC mountains>

Reply to
Bill

don't buy from a woodworker's catalog. try any of the following:

  1. use the Soren Berger method - build up the lip with hot melt glue, shape with your gouge into a smooth curve - this is what I use on cup type vac chucks and I like it a lot.
  2. go to salvation army (or whatever) and get an old wet suit - the closed cell wet suit material is great for a flat plate type chuck, you get a good seal and it's very durable.

I think I've got this stuff covered in my article on the subject - of course I haven't read it since I wrote it a few years ago and hte memory grows dim - you can DL the article from my web

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under vac pumps, or you can get it in the tips section of
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bill n

Reply to
William Noble

Hello Gerald,

I am using 1/16" Duro40 Buna-N (Nitrile) rubber sheet bought from an industrial supplier. It comes in 3' widths, so I have a bit extra.

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Works for me, although the rim needs to be fairly even. I chose the thinner material for stability although thicker material can be bought and used for more uneven rims. It has proven to be resistant to lacquer, sanding, tearing, and is fairly resilient. Seals very well. (Off-center 1 lb can at 15" and 800RPM - 2.7mb video)
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Since you're somewhere in Georgia (I'm in ATL), if you can't find something better, I could cut off a piece and swap it for a wood blank or something - or send it to you for cost/shipping via USPS. FWIW

Greg G.

Reply to
Greg G

Thanks. Will try it.

Reply to
Gerald Ross

Does it stay soft enough to seal after the first day?

The only wet suits in this part of the world is what you get at a rainy funeral.

Thanks again. I read it.

Reply to
Gerald Ross

Thanks, Greg. But if you are down this way anytime soon, I'll give you a spalted sweetgum blank, already roughed out.

Reply to
Gerald Ross

Don't get down that way much since my sisters moved from Macon, and Redstone Arsenal proved to be better pickings than Warner Robins AFB when picking up Military test equipment. No plans to go back to Florida anytime soon, either. Used to contract work to Dawson Mathis's brother in Julington Creek, FL, but, according to the woman I visited with this April, he died last year. So... excuse the rambling.

FWIW

Greg G.

Reply to
Greg G

I've been very happy with this:

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I bought 2 sheets and they will make several gaskets.. I tried foam, mouse pads, etc.... even plumbing gaskets, seals and o-rings.... this is the only thing that really worked well for me... YMWV

Mac

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Reply to
mac davis

I have very good luck with weatherstripping foam, which comes in rolls with an adhesive back.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

Reply to
Gerald Ross

I find if I use a soft substance for the seal, the work will move and that acutally causes more trouble - the seal made from hot melt will leak a little, but not too much if the object is pretty round, and the vac will suck it into place - if it slips, the hot melt heats up and glues it in place, and if it really leaks, I put a little bit of a plastic bag over the leak.

Reply to
William Noble

For sure.... I tried packing foam first.. It sealed ok, but if you put a little pressure on the bowl, it would move... sort of a weird feeling..

The stuff from Craft Supplies is like a thin mouse pad without the slick side... seems to seal well and compress enough under vacuum to not have that movement..

The hot melt didn't work for me, but I'm not a hot melt user normally and it does take a certain skill/experience level to get a uniform bead..

I used silicon sealer for a while and it was ok, but had to be reapplied every few bowls..

It's all your fault, anyway, Bill... You got me hooked on this vacuum thing.. *g*

Mac

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Reply to
mac davis

At 3/8", I'd think that would be a bit too thick. (3/8"x16"x16", $12.50)

I ordered a sheet of this 1/16"x18"x21", $7.25 stuff: a few weeks ago and am very pleased with it. The stickum is tenacious! (I've ordered from Aftosa several times and have been pleased with every order - and I've yet to find a more economically priced beveled mirror supplier.)

Reply to
Owen Lowe

I used Buna-N (Nitrile) rather than neoprene, for its resistance to abrasion and chemicals. 3' x3' x 1/8" sheet of Duro40 for about $20. Works pretty well, soft "sticky" surface, and keeps the workpiece stable. It recovers from indentation well, and as long as the rim is reasonably flat, grips tenaciously. For more flawed rims, thicker material could be used.

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It is not self-adhesive, however. Not really a problem AFAIK. They do sell adhesive versions - at a price. Neoprene, due to its lower tensile strength, could be considered by some a safety factor against catching on the material should you decide to cut close to the mounting point.

In the end, any material that works is better than no vacuum chuck.

FWIW

Greg G.

Reply to
Greg G

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