CNC Router table vacuum table kick starter

[Janger]

Hi,

I was looking at kickstarter and saw this vacuum table project for CNC router.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/versapod/versapod-full-featured-cnc-vacuum-workholding-for-all/comments

He has a smart approach here I thought. The little pucks hold the work very simply and it also means the work is held off the table so you can chamfer the bottom edges with a single setup.



I'm not sure he's going to get to his funding goal as he has 12 backers right now and needs about 80 I think.

Is anybody using a vacuum table? How does this approach compare? How do you keep the vacuum pump from being ruined with sawdust going into the pump? filters I guess?

 

[DavidR8]

Hi,

I was looking at kickstarter and saw this vacuum table project for CNC router.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/versapod/versapod-full-featured-cnc-vacuum-workholding-for-all/comments

He has a smart approach here I thought. The little pucks hold the work very simply and it also means the work is held off the table so you can chamfer the bottom edges with a single setup.

View attachment 46668

I'm not sure he's going to get to his funding goal as he has 12 backers right now and needs about 80 I think.

Is anybody using a vacuum table? How does this approach compare? How do you keep the vacuum pump from being ruined with sawdust going into the pump? filters I guess?

I’ve thought about a vacuum setup but I can’t justify the time and expense to set it up.

 

[Martin w]

I have 2 filters on the intake from the table. Dust will ruin a vacuum pump in a hurry.
The pucks work great for cutting small parts. You need to plug whatever vacuum holes that are not being used. Otherwise you will loose to much suction.
We had a near catastrophe last week. I bought a new program. V Carve to do curves and such easier. Our main program is Mozaik. Great for building boxes, not so much for circles. Anyway the post processor was wrong for our machine for the Z axis was different. I never checked the G code for Z negative . Cut thru the spoil board and cut my vacuum gasket in half before I hit estop.
Always check G codes before cutting.
Martin

 

[Doggggboy]

He spends a lot time showing you the stuff you can make but not much about what he is trying to sell you.

 

[Janger]

He spends a lot time showing you the stuff you can make but not much about what he is trying to sell you.

I agree - hard to figure it all out - loads of detail but not much clarity. What else do you need? How much is that? etc.

 

[Janger]

I have 2 filters on the intake from the table. Dust will ruin a vacuum pump in a hurry.
The pucks work great for cutting small parts. You need to plug whatever vacuum holes that are not being used. Otherwise you will loose to much suction.
We had a near catastrophe last week. I bought a new program. V Carve to do curves and such easier. Our main program is Mozaik. Great for building boxes, not so much for circles. Anyway the post processor was wrong for our machine for the Z axis was different. I never checked the G code for Z negative . Cut thru the spoil board and cut my vacuum gasket in half before I hit estop.
Always check G codes before cutting.
Martin

It would be nice to have better automatic disaster checking for the gcode - crashes are always a fright. There are vendors selling software to do that - but very expensive. Compared to smashing your 40HP spindle through the chuck on your $1M mazak mill/turn I'm sure it seems cheap. Fusion CAM does give red marks warning of possible problems but if the post is bad I don't think that would help. Glad you didn't have catastrophic failure - bad enough I'm sure.

@Martin w How about some pictures and commentary on your setup?

 

[Martin w]

@Martin w How about some pictures and commentary on your setup.

For sure. I am running it possibly tomorrow to cut some Corian solid surface. We slow the speed down quite a bit for solid surface. I think it’s about 50%. My son does all the programming.
Martin

 

[Martin w]

Watch for online auctions. There are lots of vacuum pumps that get sold fairly reasonable on some of these woodworking auctions.
Martin

 

[jcdammeyer]

I built one but as yet have not used it. I have a vacuum pump, tank and filter to protect the system.

 

[Martin w]

Okay here are a couple pictures and video. I should really not post here as this isn’t a hobby machine. Remove if not allowed.
This is a home shop. My son and I are partners
This is an Anderson Selexx Pal 5x10 CNC.
All Fanuc servos and drivers
10hp Becker vacuum pump
7 tools changer
We are a Commercial millwork shop Schools, Hospital, etc. We cut mostly laminated panels of veneer core or Particle core.
.
Martin

 

[Martin w]

My video skills are awful! Lol
Martin