Bargain vac pump on another forum

[Phil Green]

Be quick:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=206203

[Andy Stephenson]

That one pulls a very hard vacuum, what would you use it for?

[Phil Green]

I was thinking for making composite sheet for wing covering?  I dunno Andy, its not something I've ever used... it just seemed a quality piece of kit 🙂

 

[Andy Stephenson]

Providing you can get a good seal on your vac-bag you only need a cheap 12V Chinese pump. It's also a good idea to get a vacuum gauge as even these can pull too much. You only need 1/4 to 1/2 Bar otherwise you are in danger of crushing the structure you are glassing.

Look on Easy Composites for bagging film and sealant. You will also need release film and breather  cloth to do the job with any success. You can get all this and more for less than the price they are asking for that Edwards pump, it's really only something that would be used in a professional laboratory.

[Geoff S]

What an interesting website!  Back in the late 1950s, as a teenager, I was what would now be called an intern at Murphy Radio in Welwyn Garden City.  I did get paid but my wages (£3.10.00/week) exactly matched my digs rent in a shared room, so my father subsidised me to the tune of 30 bob/week.  I was in the service department and was repairing the sort of receivers that feature on that website - mostly radios but some TV.  Of course, it was nearly all valves, but those new-fangled things called transistors were just coming in.  Having taught myself how AM radio worked, I also had to master FM on the VHF band.  Perhaps the best was being a teenager with almost zero parental supervision.  I didn't go too wild - what little money I had went on running my motorbike 🙂

 

I'll have a little browse 🙂

[Alan Hilton]

You can use an old fridge compressor (backwards) for vac bagging as well .The Edward’s pump would be a bit powerful 

[MattyB]

You don't need anything as expensive or high end as that tbh. I've used a reversed aquarium aerator (~£25) for stuff where low vac is needed (e.g. laminating sheet onto foam wings), and an old nebulizer for high pressure stuff (composite skins), gathered free from Freecycle. Hacks and bodges rule ok in this sphere, though I do agree a vac switch and gauge is a good idea to give you good control of  the setup.

Edited December 18, 2023 by MattyB

[Phil Green]

1 hour ago, Geoff S said:

What an interesting website! ... I'll have a little browse 🙂

 

New members always welcome Geoff, I imagine its right up your street. For some reason I have to have two underscores so I'm Phil__G on there.

 

Re the vac pump, sorry chaps its not something I'm familiar with, I just thought it was worth a mention.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Phil Green

[John Wagg]

1 hour ago, Geoff S said:

What an interesting website!  Back in the late 1950s, as a teenager, I was what would now be called an intern at Murphy Radio in Welwyn Garden City.  I did get paid but my wages (£3.10.00/week) exactly matched my digs rent in a shared room, so my father subsidised me to the tune of 30 bob/week.  I was in the service department and was repairing the sort of receivers that feature on that website - mostly radios but some TV.  Of course, it was nearly all valves, but those new-fangled things called transistors were just coming in.  Having taught myself how AM radio worked, I also had to master FM on the VHF band.  Perhaps the best was being a teenager with almost zero parental supervision.  I didn't go too wild - what little money I had went on running my motorbike 🙂

 

I'll have a little browse 🙂

Started my apprenticeship at WGC in 1962 (ICI training school on Tewin road) at about £4 / wk.

Those were the days when a farthing was still legal tender.

 

Regarding suction a vacuum cleaner can be used for pulling on a "vac bag".

No idea by how much though.

I did once use an old fridge compressor as a vacuum pump but gone to the dump a long time ago.

Edited December 18, 2023 by John Wagg

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Over here they all use fridge compressors, like this one.https://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/visitorspress/refrigerantcompressorvacuumpress.htm

[Andy Stephenson]

I don't use a vac switch just a bleed valve and a gauge. Vac switches tend to cycle between two levels, the bleed valve leaves an even vac pressure once adjusted.