Too big of a pump for a stabilizing chamber?

[Carl Fisher]

Was watching a thread on another WW forum and these pumps came up for use in vacuum chuck holding and vacuum bagging applications. I'm wondering if it would work on one of Curtis' stabilizing chambers as well.

Claims 10CFM which is pretty excessive for that need, but if I can kill several uses in one pump it's not a bad deal for the price.

Gast 1 2 HP Vacuum Pump Compressor Model 1023 Rebuilt w Warranty 25" Vacuum | eBay

 

[MarkD]

I hope it's not too big. I have one of these for my vacuum chuck and I'm hoping to use it for my stabilizing chamber when it arrives.

 

[low_48]

CFM won't be any kind of problem. It will just evacuate the air from the chamber more quickly than a lesser pump. Others may talk about the quality or price.

 

[Carl Fisher]

I did just read Curtis' write up on vacuum CFM and how it's effect or lack there of on stabilizing. So 3 vs 10 isn't an issue as far as I can see other than being overkill for stabilizing. But it only states 25hg which based on his write up may not be the way to go?

The higher draw might be nice for vacuum chucking I suppose.

Seems like a decent price for what seems to be a commercial quality pump.

 

[KenV]

Inches mercury draw is not high with those gast pumps. Curtis recommends 28 inches.

20 or so works for vacuum chucking, but not so good for vacuum use with Cactus Juice.

I have two different pumps because of that.

 

[Carl Fisher]

Unfortunately I think I'm coming to that realization as well.

Passing on this one. I've seen some JB going for relatively cheap on ebay and craigslist so I'll just wait for the right deal I guess.

I'm not so concerned with vacuum chucking at the moment, just would have been nice to have and I'm thinking any decent vacuum will work for bagging veneers and such.

 

[raar25]

I dont see why you cant simply close the valve when you reach the necessary vacumme. Its not like you are going to throw the switch and it is going to instantly reach 20 hg.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Inches mercury draw is not high with those gast pumps. Curtis recommends 28 inches.

20 or so works for vacuum chucking, but not so good for vacuum use with Cactus Juice.

I have two different pumps because of that.

For clarification...I recommend getting as much vacuum as you can get. I prefer to look at it in % of max vacuum since it woudl be impossible to achieve 28" Hg in Denver and 28" Hg here in Central Texas is not enough IMO. When looking at pumps, I want to see a pump that will pull at least 100 microns of vacuum which is 29.916" Hg at sea level.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Inches mercury draw is not high with those gast pumps. Curtis recommends 28 inches.

20 or so works for vacuum chucking, but not so good for vacuum use with Cactus Juice.

I have two different pumps because of that.

For clarification...I recommend getting as much vacuum as you can get. I prefer to look at it in % of max vacuum since it woudl be impossible to achieve 28" Hg in Denver and 28" Hg here in Central Texas is not enough IMO. When looking at pumps, I want to see a pump that will pull at least 100 microns of vacuum which is 29.916" Hg at sea level.

Could you do us a favor and elaborate on what that micron measurement actually means?

 

[MesquiteMan]

Could you do us a favor and elaborate on what that micron measurement actually means?

Microns is just another scale for measuring vacuum. The HVAC industry used microns so most oil filled pumps, the ones that will produce the best vac for the money, are rated in microns. It is a MUCH finer scale. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 760,000 microns. A perfect vacuum is 0 microns. There are 760.000 units of measurement in microns vs. 30 in inHg! Another way to look at it is there 25,400 microns per inHg!