Thread: veneersupplies.com - Vacuum Bag System

One thing I have thought about with veneering is getting a refrigeration vacuum off eBay. They are designed to run for ages to ensure a very high vacuum and complete boil off of all moisture in AC systems prior to filling... So seem suitable for this purpose.

Though, the VeneerSupplies stuff has been on my radar for ages.

I recently built one from vinyl from Bunnings. Buy the time I bought some VHB tape cost me about $100 for a 1200 x 1200 bag. Worked fine. I followed 'John Samuel' advice on building a bag from here Making a Vacuum Press

I also just used some green mesh that I got from bunnings for the breather material, $5.

I recently found these guys Vacuum Bag 1.5m tube - Play with Carbon.
I rang the guy who runs it and told him what I was looking at doing with the bags. He said that they should work fine, but as they only use them usually for a once off he couldn't be sure how they would go for continual use, but should get a few goes out of one.

I have also heard of many people on this forum using refrigeration pumps off of ebay.

Of course! Carbon Fibre dudes.

They sell the entire kit: Vacuum bagging kit - Play with Carbon for $492, and that kit looks pretty complete, plus you get a 2000x1520 bag (3 metres is $10 more).

A very generous bag size considering the other kits. Vacuum Bag - Play with Carbon

As woodworkers we try to reinvent the wheel, but in reality this stuff is used in many places. What a lead!

edit: and they also sell a good range of epoxies quite cheaply, plus West System 105. Nice.



I do like the "bunnings special" though of the 20mm tank outlet, a vacu-vin sucker and plug, some clear vinyl and a bit of green shade cloth. Very el-cheapo!

Play with Carbon - Australia | Buy Carbon Fiber Fabric - at first glance it looks interesting but I will need to compare in detail.


Questions


What kind of material is the The Carbon Fiber website bags made from?


The Carbon Fiber website says their pump produces 5 Pascals (0.104427 Pounds Per Square Foot) climate pressure were Excel 5™ Continuous Run Vacuum Press System produces 1,785 lbs of pressure per square foot. - IS THIS RIGHT?


How many decibels does the vacuum pump operates at? Excel 5™ Continuous Run Vacuum Press System 63 dB.

Sorry mate can't remember what he said the bags were made from. I think I asked if they were poly bags and from memory he wasn't sure.

Could be worth googling some carbon fibre places down there and see what they have..

As for decibels, no idea, maybe a fridge mechanic might know.

cheers
shane

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

The Carbon Fiber website says their pump produces 5 Pascals (0.104427 Pounds Per Square Foot) climate pressure were Excel 5™ Continuous Run Vacuum Press System produces 1,785 lbs of pressure per square foot. - IS THIS RIGHT?

Yes it is right. The maximum vacuum that can be pulled at sea level is 14.7 x 144 = 2116.8 pounds per square foot, where 14.7 is the pressure of the atmosphere at sea level and 144 is the area in a square foot in inches. The amount you can actually achieve will depend on the pump efficiency and your altitude above sea level. Where I am the maximum theoretical would be 13.9 x 144 = 2001.6 pounds per square foot.

Pete

Since the PSI is correct then the Carbon Fibre pump is extremely under powered compared to the Excel 5™

Originally Posted by thumbsucker

Since the PSI is correct then the Carbon Fibre pump is extremely under powered compared to the Excel 5™

I'm pretty sure the spec on that pump is a misprint, and that it should be 5kPa and not 5Pa.

About 10 days ago I tried to order Default veneersupplies.com - Vacuum Bag System. Lets just say it was a cluster fudge. I will not go into details but veneersupplies.com was just not an option.

So I looked for a local supplier. I happen to come across

Bettervac Pty Ltd
5 / 11 Melrich Road
Bayswater Vic 3153
P 03 9762 0771
F 03 9762 0991
E rob@bettervac .com.au
W www.bettervac.com.au

The specialise in vacuum pumps small to large and they happen to have the exact same machine that veneersupplies.com brands as Excel 5™. The only difference is that it has a High Flow Vacuum Filter but can always fit one myself.

Rob at Bettervac was nice to deal with, and gave me a really good deal compared to buying from veneersupplies.com I saved $135 and I did not have to wait for shipping.




Rob also included a hose and fittings.

I hope to make a vinyl bag this weekend.

If the vinyl glue arrives in time.

Perhaps you could ask Rob if he would put together a Forum deal?

A bundle, or page we can go to and order?

Would you mind writing down what it is you order/recive? Im yet to order, but want to get onto it pretty soon (Im falling behnd on my veneered boxes!)

I can photograph what I got today but this is the webpage:

http://www.bettervac.com.au/products...%20version.pdf

He has a double head / parallel & series connection teflon coated.

Look at the specifications

The cash price is $700.

Screen Shot 2017-05-17 at 9.12.31 pm.jpg

I bought the roarrocket kit Thin Air Press
from an Australian supplier. Has a 20" x 70" bag and I have veneered quite large pieces with it. It uses a wine bottle pump instead of an electric pump. It cost me $125 in 2015 and is still the same price. There is a smaller bag kit for $99.

The wine pump is an interesting development. I have stuck with the vacuum pump because that is what I am familiar with however I can see the value of the new method that I will explore it for smaller items.

G&M Tech Inc. is the actual manufacturers of the vacuum pump I bought from Rob and that veneersupplies.com uses.

G&M Tech Inc. - vacuum pump, air compressor, oil-less, oil-free, suction