Searching for shop vacuum parts, I came across this tangentially related new product from Rockler: Vacuum Clamp Pods. These new vacuum clamps hold your workpiece in place by attaching to a flat spot and lowering the pressure on it until the surrounding air pressure keeps it in place — or less precisely they hold the workpiece using suction.
One big advantage of vacuum clamps is that you have full access to the top of the work piece, there are no clamp jaws in the way. Another advantage is that vacuum clamps can be faster — just stick the workpiece on the clamps and turn on the vacuum pump. Lastly, they should be non-marring.
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When the workpeice comes in contact with the pod, it opens the ball valve which starts the suction. The foam gasket creates a seal to the bottom of the workpiece. To release the workpiece, you stop the vacuum pump and wait a few seconds for the suction to release.
These vacuum clamp pods from Rockler will work on nearly any workpiece as long as it has a flat side at least 4″ square. They measure 3-1/2″ square by 7/8″ high without the mounting brackets or fittings. The housing is made of nylon, the gasket material is PVC foam, and the center ball valve is made from stainless steel.
The pods can be mounted by simply screwing them down to your workbench, or with the included T-bolts they can be mounted to any surface that has compatible T-Track.
The vacuum clamping pod kit includes two pods with brass fittings, a brass plug, four T-bolts (5/16″- 18 threads, 3/4″ long), Rockler hold-down knobs, 8′ of 1/4″ ID polyurethane vacuum hose, and an extra vacuum gasket. The kit will run you $60, but with the caveat that you need a vacuum pump that can provide continuous suction of 25″ Hg. Rockler sells such a pump for another $400.
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You can use up to four pods with the Rockler vacuum pump. If you need more, you have to either use more than one pump, or buy a more powerful pump.
Price: $60 (plus $400 vacuum pump)
(The vacuum pump seems to be excluded from promos or discounts.)
Buy Now (Clamp Pods via Rockler)
Buy Now (Vacuum Pump via Rockler)
First Thoughts
Vacuum clamping is nothing new. In fact Stuart just covered the Festool Vac System last year. There are also very similar products to these Rockler Vacuum Clamp Pods out on the market like the Podz Vacumm Clamping Jigs that seem to be a better value — four pods for $78. For under $100, V-Clamps from Lee Valley are an even less expensive system that only require a small air compressor rather than an expensive vacuum pump.
You may be asking, “why do I have to pay $400 for a vacuum pump, when I can find one online for less than $100?” The problem is that those pumps are not designed for continuous use. They can overheat when left running for the amount of time you require to perform more complex operations like carving or CNC cutting.
So here’s my big question: Does anybody know of a more affordable vacuum pump that can draw 25″ Hg continuously for hours?
Travis
Veneersupplies.com is supposed to have long duty-cycle pumps that are also suitable for bench clamping. Looks like they have them in 3 different price points under $400 depending on specs required. Lowest price one is around $100, but only goes to 24″ Hg.
You might also want to look for vacuums used in vacuum chucking with certain types of lathe work. I’ve seen a few in that mid price range as well.
(Note: not affiliated with them, I just know a few people using them for vacuum press veneering)
Tim
Couldn’t one source their own vacuum pump?
I may be down for something like this if I could get the expense down a little more.
Stuart
Yes, just keep in mind the specs Rockler recommends for the clamps, and make sure the duty cycle is suited for your intended usage.
e.g. if a pump can pull the pressure low enough but is rated for 30 mins on, 30 mins off, and you need the clamps to hold for 2 hours, you’ll need to keep looking.
William
I just ordered the Lee Valley system, I already have a compressor, so I’ll see how this works.
I’d really like the Festool Setup, but I just don’t have the budget for it.
Koko the Talking Ape
Do these require a continuously operating vacuum pump? If all the seals and valves are operating correctly, wouldn’t the system maintain a pretty good vacuum?
I ask because the Lee Valley system doesn’t seem to have those ball valves that protect the vacuum when nothing is sitting on a particular pad. There, it looks like a vacuum pump has to be operating continously.
Or am I interpreting the photo wrong?
Stuart
Ideally, yes. In practice, it depends on the material. For use on thick acrylic? Possibly not, it’s hard to say. Wood that might not be perfectly smooth and flat? Probably yes.
The Lee Valley system works using air pressure to create the vacuum. High speed air creates low pressure, effectively generating a vacuum if you channel the air a certain way.
Air pressure vacuum generators in my experience tend to be noisier.
Koko the Talking Ape
Ah, I see now. Thanks!
I wish I could look at that LV system more closely. I wonder if it is noisy.
James Jackson
I use one of these for wood stabilizing, I usually leave it on for 8 hours at a time and can pull about 29.5″ hg:
https://www.amazon.com/Robinair-15310-VacuMaster-Single-Vacuum/dp/B005CO9GX6/
Josh M
Veneersupplies.com offers the Excel 5 which is rated for continuous use, 25.5″ Hg at sea level. I have no affiliation with them but have bought one from them – I use it with the Festool Vac Sys and it works great.
Josh M
Sorry – just realized the price is the same as Rockler’s pump.
RKA
Actually, the site was a good suggestion. The smaller excel 1 is also rated at 25.5 continuous run. It is rated at 1.1cfm which is identical to the rockler pump. The excel 5 is 5 cfm. So at $287, the excel 1 appears to be a better deal.
fred
We did not have any CNC machinery when I retired – so no experience with vacuum clamping. We did use some Schmalz lifting equipment in out metal fabrication shop. Very good stuff – but their vacuum pumps might be pricey for a home shop.
BTW – Lee Valley is running one of their free shipping deals.
Farid
Gast makes excellent pumps (available through Grainger [xpensive] and other distributors) . Look for Rocking-piston pumps which would be suitable for this application, but I doubt if you’ll save any money.
Mtn Ranch
Too bad these aren’t double sided so they stick to the bench and the work by vacuum. That way no screws to mess up the bench.
Koko the Talking Ape
Yes, and they could be repositioned to suit particular jobs.
I do see they can be mounted in a T-track.
random
Instead of using a vacuum pump just use a venturi vacuum. Cheap, simple, no moving parts, and just uses your house air to generate vacuum. Cost less than $100 and will last a lifetime.
Greg McAllister
I needed a vacuum pump for cnc woodwork and tried 3 progressively more powerful units from Amazon. They were cheap oil units and did not work well enough. I then bought a rotary vane pump from Gast which was $800 but runs all day and never has let me down in the few months I’ve had it