www.TK560.com

[knightshade]

I was re-organizing my house, and was thinking about moving my vac-table to my basement. Down there I have an unused oil tank. I'm not sure how big (in gallons) - but it is pretty solid, 60 inches long, 24 inches wide and ~45 inches tall. I was toying with attempting to convert that into a vacuum source to use with my vac table.

Is something that big likely to be overkill?

Any recommendations on where to get vacuum pumps, or check valve to go from shopvac to vac-tank once most of the air has been removed?

I'm going to reread the threads here. Alot has been posted since my last visit.

[jegner]

Well, that tank sounds pretty big. 60 gallons plus maybe. If it can hold 20 PSI, you should be good to go.

As for pumps, ebay, my friend. A lot of used GAST 1065s and other models show up all the time. Also, you may want to talk to Tony [TK4063]. He is a HVAC tech person, so he might be able to fix you up with an affordable option as well.

Jim

[knightshade]

For a pump I'm currently watching this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/J-B-Industries-DV-285N-10cfm-Power-Vacuum-Pump_W0QQitemZ4471759676QQihZ001QQcategoryZ632QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If I do go with such a large tank - I assume that a 10cfm pump will be of benefit.

[crashmann]

I found some check valves at Home Depot, but they were way too big for my table, so I decided to make a cap for the shop vac connector. That's the tall cylinder in the middle from the first pull in the video:
http://www.tk386.com/vacuum_chamber/vacuum_forming_small.avi

I cut the cap down to 1" then slipped it on the connector and voila! Sealed off! Also, when vacuum passes through there, it pulls the cap even tighter, so you don't need to worry about gluing or sealing it with weatherstripping.

Now, a used 150 gallon oil tank may be pretty smelly when you evacuate it. Does your basement have a door to let out the odor and plastic fumes? You'll also notice in the video I start off with my door closed, but after placing the sheet on the oven, it's open. I've met some of the folks at GE Polymershapes, and they are several beers short of a 6 pack! If you're like me, you need all the brain cells you have left

The pump looks like a winner. With an enormous tank, it's going to take some time to take it down to 25 inHg, but if you leave the pump running after you seal off the forming platen, your production shouldn't be delayed while waiting on the tank. The pump is always done before I'm ever finished extracting!

Good luck!

Charlie
TI-386

[knightshade]

Well - I just won my vac pump:

Gast 1023-101Q-G608X (10 CFM)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7631647512&fromMakeTrack=true

I've got a 30 gallon water tank, or the oil tank that I could use.

Only issue that I have with the water tank is that the plastic valve stem for the drain broke off in the threading. If I can't get it off - I may need to find an alternate way to seal it.

I'm thinking that I may start with the 30gal tank - see how it works.
If needed - I can try to pumb the larger tank.