There are a bunch of things going on around here this week, some of which you might find interesting.
To start, my new Tekton tool cabinet just arrived. I bought the 36″ rolling tool cabinet in red, along with a wood top and some long dividers. Once I figure out what will go where, I’ll get some more small dividers.
Shipping is built into the price, and so I bought just the size I immediately need. I might order another one once I get my workshop better cleaned out and organized.
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I also still have the 48″ tool cabinet Tekton sent for testing and review purposes – see Tekton Rolling Tool Cabinets Raise the Bar.
I went with Tekton because I wanted a premium solution that’s reliable, sturdy, and hassle-free.
I came across this Lowe’s ad on my phone, for “quality plywood.”
I ordered some Servocity parts for small robotics projects, and it came with this card.
We bet you dollars to doughnuts that there aren’t doughnuts in this bag!
Attached to the card was a baggie.
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And in the bag there was $3 for Servocity to cover the bet.
Woo – I’m going to spend it on doughnuts!
This was less than 1% of my order value, but it gave me a quick and easy smile. Great marketing right there.
It’s time for me to pick up a vacuum pump, mainly for mixing and degassing purposes, and I’ve been working through the options. At under $1000, there are generally 2 options:
Typical oil-seal rotary vane pump – requires regular maintenance, needs exhaust filter to control oil mist.
Diaphragm – oil-free, rated for continuous use, doesn’t pull as deep a vacuum.
Choosing options has been a huge mess.
Most rotary vane pumps are marketed to the HVAC industry. I’m considering some of those, and emailed companies that produce similar vacuums pumps for other applications.
Noise rating? “We don’t have a Db rating at this time for the pump but they are around as loud as a circular saw.”
Another company created a ticket, closed the ticket without responding, and then when I asked again they said: “The approximate noise rating for the [model] pump would be 50–65 dB.”
50 to 65 dB?! That’s a HUGE range.
Documentation varies. Some companies have parts breakdowns and user manuals online. Others say things like “all parts needed to connect to any system for immediate use” but doesn’t mention what exactly is included.
For vacuum clamping, diaphragm pumps would work, and there’s also venturi vacuum generators for use with compressed air.
The Gast pump shown above has a vacuum inlet port and up to 60 PSI compressed air outlet.
The oil-free pumps are pretty neat, with lots of options. Some are dual stage with pumps in parallel for greater airflow, or series for achieving deeper vacuum pressure – but nowhere as deep a vacuum as is capable with oil-seal rotary vane pumps.
Most HVAC pumps have gas ballasts, which help avoid pulling condensation into the oil pool, but apparently some models don’t. Most of the oil-seal pumps for lab/workshop use apparently also don’t have gas ballasts, which doesn’t seem ideal.
So that’s some of what I did this week. The next step is to order some equipment and get a feel for the ins and outs.
I also need to get back to shop cleaning.
What have you guys been working on?
Robert
Sorry, but I don’t find the Servocity funny. To me, to be funny it would have been a package one would think may hold donuts. That it goes against expectations and surprises you by not having donuts and having the 3 dollars instead.
I’ve been reading Mel Brook’s biography.
Stuart
I don’t know if it was funny, but definitely fun.
MM
Back when I managed a lab we used 1/3 HP HVAC style pumps for degassing, they are more than adequate for the task. I have bought many from Grainger over the years, for that purpose and also for vacuum fixturing. The only maintenance is to make sure there’s oil in the pump. The oil doesn’t go anywhere at any appreciable rate unless you screw up. So make sure you shut off the vacuum with a valve (or release it) before powering off the pump, and use a cold trap if you are using the vacuum to remove solvent so you don’t pull acetone (or whatever) into the pump, but otherwise there’s not much to think about. That was one of the reasons I picked them: they weren’t grad-student-proof, but they were as close as it got, and they are economical too.
Stuart
My only hesitation is that some fine oil spray is to be expected if you don’t have a fume hood or mist filter. Navigating through accessory and filter thread and attachment standards hasn’t been fun.
MM
Like I said, I wouldn’t expect any appreciable “oil spray” unless you make mistakes.
We regularly used them in cleanrooms without making a mess. Oil consumption was on the handful of a few (<10) cc per year of frequent use.
Finding compatible vacuum fittings can be difficult, but if this is for simple degassing, vacuum forming, or similar there's no need to overthink things, you don't need perfect hermetic seals. I bought cheap auto HVAC service hoses and cut one end off, then it could easily be stuck on a hose barb. You can also use epoxy putty to glue various fittings together, that also works great.
Ben
I have one of the HVAC style pumps as well. I think you’re overthinking ‘oil spray’ as an actual problem. Imperceptible amounts and only for a few seconds when you start.
Bonnie
I used one of those extensively when I had a small resin casting business. Never noticed any issues with oil residue/spray. If you’re running this in the same shop you have ever cut wood or sanded anything in, you won’t notice any fouling from the vacuum pump.
ebt
LOL…Quality plywood…first piece all knot, then #2 grades and maybe some #1 grades. I get my lumber now from the lumberyard. Nothing scarier than having to pick through warped,cup and/or twisted, checks, splits, ring shake, sap, wane, crown or bowed, and even roller checked 2×4 or 2×6 or larger boards. Even at the HD, its scary as eff, to be under a load of stacks of banded lumber. Why must I look for 15 mins for a clerk to get another bundle down and unloaded, another 15mins, and then access to better lumber than what was left below, only to find wet studs.
That is some premium Tekton cart.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I just grab one of those rolling staircases and go up and rummage through the lumber. If there are no clerks around, there’s nobody to complain!
Ray
Looks like 10 ply. Good stuff Lowe’s!
Alexk
I’ve been working on……. physical therapy for my torn rotator cuff. And waiting for the weather to warm up so I can build a flatbed on my truck.
Stuart
I hope you have an easy recovery!
Alexk
Thanks. It was getting better and then I slipped on the ice and hurt it all over again.
Andre
I bought a Gast 87R647 rocking piston oil free vacuum/pump from eBay last week (New, open box) for $120 to use for vacuum veneering. It’s very quiet and according to the Gast spec sheets gets down to 28″ Hg. It pulled my 54″ x 36″ vacuum bag down in no time at all. Best deal I could find.
Stuart
I was looking at the 87R series. My only hesitation there is that it seems designed for integration into a larger system with custom mounting options, gauges, and fittings rather than being a turn-key solution. Most Gast pumps look to be like that, which is great (it gave me ideas about compact machine-specific air compressors), but for my immediate purchase I’m not looking to have to do much work to get going.
KokoTheTalkingApe
Stuart, did you ever make a decision about dust collection? I need to do something about that, and I’d love to see what you went with.
Stuart
I put it on hold until I settle on a layout. My Jet isn’t great, but it’s still functional for now, and is powered by 110V.
I’ve been leaning towards something more portable, as I’m not yet ready to entertain the idea of permanent ducting.
Hopefully in the spring I’ll add a 220V outlet to each wall, and at that point I’ll have more flexibility. 110V is really limiting, and it’s a matter of which compromises to settle with. I’m not seeing much potential improvement beyond what I already have unless I move to 220V, and so I’m saving money and only passively considering other 110V options.
Basically, I’ve thought about things more but haven’t made any decisions yet.
Nathan
I’d probably nod to the HVAC style as it could be a dual or multipurpose device.
Frank D.
Waiting for winter to subside.
My 1yr old van is at the dealer again too; another diesel emission system issue. Second time … Told me after two hours they need the vehicle overnight and possibly for a week. No loaner car or transport help, while I live an hour away.
Told them to replace the main parts in the system … as I don’t want to get stranded again with a check engine light and 10 starts remaining.
blocky
Wow, now I want to go with Tekton.
This past week, spent many hours addressing a nearly catastrophic warehouse roof leak – all the drainage was completely iced through with thousands of gallons of water, under pressure from the roof grade, finding its way quickly into our unit. Had to manually trench a channel through the ice with tools on hand, most effectively with an estwing wrecking bar.
Otherwise, restarting my freelance business, which means setting up all over again, while touching base with all my clients.
I’m not a millwork guy, but I dialed in some fully-mitered wall-wedge pedestals, and wrote up documentation/ instructions for my colleagues.
Oh, and my daughter and I are redoing her room, painting and mapping out what we are going to build together.
Stuart
Yikes – I hope the leak didn’t cause too much trouble.
Our streets were repaved last year and it messed up my drainage pipes. At least one is frozen shut, and the other carries warmer discharge from the sump pit. I cleared a ditch right after it snowed and things were fine until we had a warm day and then massive cold stretch.
One drain pipe that goes under the driveway is completely frozen shut too. But, luckily when I had the drains done a few years ago they added cleanouts, and so that one gutter downspout is dripping out of the cleanout.
Neighbor had 2 pipe issues due to the cold.
I’m worried a lot of people are going to have more issues once the ice finally melts, whenever that will be.
We still have snow and ice on the roof – and the same with most of the neighbors – from the snowfall 2 weeks ago. I’m ready for summer.
That sounds like a nice family project – your daughter’s room. I offered my kids the same, as their rooms about need a repaint, but they’re not ready to make changes yet.
Jared
I have never been busier at work.
We had four people (including me) doing my job, but one was… encouraged to move on a few months ago. Then a month after that my boss (who I’m counting as one of the four) went on leave. Then about a week later my last remaining colleague broke her leg in four places while skiing. She’s back now doing some work from home, but still…
Sometimes I’m not even able to keep up with Toolguyd – never mind my personal projects. I have my fingers crossed this doesn’t continue much longer.
Chris
Well, I ordered a 3D printer! (Bambu P1S)
So I’m pretty excited! This will be my first 3D printer at home. I’ve had experience with them in high school and college. After being out of college for 6 years now, I’m finally getting my own. It’s probably overkill for my current needs but I figure I’ll have it if my needs ever require it.
You keep mentioning shop cleanup, what’s taking so long? What setbacks are you finding are holding you back?
Stuart
Cold weather, injuries, family stuff. It’s an ongoing process. This time I’m making significant changes that take more time, rather than shoehorning things into where they fit.
Nice – good luck with the printer!
Re-Engineer
Diaphragm pumps are generally fine for degass use. I did a lot of composites work with resin infusion and wet layup vacuum bag consolidation for some years with a diaphragm pump (but I quit that side business about 20 years ago).
Too much vacuum during degass can pull volatiles out of solution, which can cause polymerization problems, so don’t assume that more vacuum is always better.
You need enough vacuum to accomplish your degass task, and more than that is not necessarily a good thing.
Bonnie
Lots of little hobby-farm projects. Been building a quail coop, clearing invasive English Ivy and Holly (absolutely in love with my battery powered chainsaws), and teaching my little cousin how to drive the tractor.
John Blair
Literally no experience with this but saw it on an Izzy Swan’s video, it was very quiet.
https://www.amazon.com/ScitoLAB-Upgraded-Capacitor-Connectors-Electronics-dp-B0F9WYYVMM/dp/B0F9WYYVMM
Oilless
-85Kpa approx -25.1″ Hg
Less than 50db
50 L/Min
He was running it for vacuum fixturing. I added it to my list because of how quiet it was.
fred
My last few weeks have been mostly spent indoors where its heated – and possible to avoid the single-digit (morning anyway) temps. I’ve noticed that where my driveway meets the street the seal between section of pavement may not be good – and a whole section of the village’s pavement is heaved up by almost 2 inches – probably from water intrusion that subsequently froze.
Anyway, I’ve used my 20-year-old 2-stage Robinair 8-cfm HVAC vacuum pump on and off since I’ve had it. Back then they suggested changing the oil after a break-in period – and that represented about my only major loss of oil. But my use (mostly for vacuum clamping) is rather infrequent. Also – while I wouldn’t call the Robinair noiseless – it’s fairly quiet. It was $245 (about 56% of today’s price) with tax – back in 2005 – and I consider it to have been money well spent
Terry S
Nice call on the Tekton. I love my Tekton box I got about five years ago. I am extremely satisfied and truly believe it’s the last big rolling tool cabinet I buy.
Even in the Carolinas, it’s been cold of late, and the garage is not quite warm enough for this transplanted Yankee to work in. But there are car projects and woodworking projects to get restarted once we get a little more warmth out there.
Saulac
Over here I am bidding at local auctions for a cheap Chinese mini excavator. For my city lot, it will beat the shovel. The price has been crazy, below 3 grands for the smallest ones, in WA.