TimeFLYING

My Feedback: (3)

Hello everyone

I want to buy a vac system used for skinning cores and fg/cf layups. only want to spend as much as needed for my needs no need buying a system that i will only use a quarter of what it can do. my size plane will prob never go over a 90 size plane please all opinion's are wanted

Thanks

Troy

also if u have a system that u no longer want or use and in good cond. please email me at

[email protected]

Mike James

If you're mechanically inclined, and have some compressor experience to back it up, it's possible to make your own. I don't have that experience, so I'd recommend one that's "ready to go". One of the more popular ones is sold by CST, at https://www.cstsales.com/Vacuum_Bagg...ng-systems.htm

Ed Smith

It is possible to make your own for less than $100 in parts. I do not have any compressor knowledge so I was truly amazed when my system worked flawlessly.

You will need the following-

One of those portable air tanks sold in automotive stores for about $30.
A vacuum guage, An adjustable vacuum switch pt# V-05 from Aerospace Composites.

An old refrigerator compressor, usually free from any fridge dump.

Some fittings and tubing to connect it all together.

When you have all the parts email me and I will send you a hookup diagram

Ed S

hayman

Hey TimeFLYING,

I have a great instructional video on vacuum bagging that will save you a lot of money.

http://www.paonline.com/hayman/video.htm

http://rcgroups.com/links/index.php?...at=237&id=4169

TimeFLYING

My Feedback: (3)

Hayman what system do u use? if i were to buy your videos i may want to be on the same page as u.

MM i really haven't put any thought into building my own system. with the system u have parts for whats it capability?

Thanks for all of the replys please keep them coming

Thanks

Troy

hayman

Troy,

Are you referring to what Vacuum bagging system am I using or what DVD format/system I am using?

Bill

TimeFLYING

My Feedback: (3)

What bagging system are u using hayman. or did u make your own?

Thanks

hayman

Troy,

I built mine from a pump, vacuum switch, gauge and hoses that I purchased from Aerospace Composite http://www.acp-composites.com/ACP-CAT.HTM, however if I were going to do it all over again I would have bought the Auto-Vac Bagging System. Mine works great, I made the reservoir out of a 5' piece of PVC pipe capped off on both ends. I had to move it one time and what a pain in the butt.

I saved a couple of $'s building it but had to deal with finding all the leaks. I am the type that if I can build it.......


Bill
http://www.paonline.com/hayman/video.htm

TimeFLYING

My Feedback: (3)

i have come accross a comp/vac pump so i can kill two birds with one stone. please tell me what u all think. also how big of portable air tank do i need just a 5 gal or can i go smaller.

Heres teh info: Thomas compressor / pumps costing over $350 each new for sale today at a fraction of original cost. Removed from service but lots of life left. Great for artists air brush, tire pump or many other compressor jobs. At the same time, turn it around and use it as a vacuum pump for soldering station, evacuating chambers, etc. 115vac 60 Hz. Various models may be supplied. Image is of 2607CE44 but 2618CE40, 2619CE44 or others may be supplied. All dual cylinder and similar in features.
Pic of comp/vac pic below
$79 each

Hayman i think i will take a set of your dvds my dvd player is a cpl yrs old have to see what format it will play and i live in the US

Thanks

Troy

TimeFLYING

My Feedback: (3)

I have bought this pump. hope to have all the parts to have a complete system soon being lyed up been looking at getting things off the internet. going to order apc guages and stuff today. are there any guages that are better? please let me know thanks

Thanks

Troy

PS it shows as a red box to me but the link works so please look thanks

hayman

Troy

The pump looks nice. Do you know how much vacuum it can pull?

I run 15 to 18 Hg for pink and blue foam. You gauge should read at least that high if you are going to do the higher density foam.

I would recommend getting a vacuum switch so the unit isn't running continually and also get a inline check valve, tubing clamp, EZ vac bag connector, Nylon Bag Tube; I started out using 18" but eventually went to 36" for doing multiple wings, and Quick lock seals. You can get all of this from ACP

The bleeder cloth and release film is something you can make up yourself. In the Vacuum Bagging video you asked about in another thread, Phil uses 6 mil sheeting you can get at Lowes or Home Depot and you can purchase some inexpensive cloth from Wal-mart for the bleeder, you can cut the plastic sheeting to your desired size and attach the bleeder cloth to both the top and the bottom with 3m77 to make reusable release film

I use to use wax paper and paper towel for this but started making a lot of hand launch wings ..........

Bill
http://www.paonline.com/hayman/video.htm

TimeFLYING

My Feedback: (3)

Umm the pump can pull 27.6 HG i think that will be more then i will prob ever need but got a great deal on the pump so went with it.

Im looking for a vac switch i dont like apc vac deadwith of 3-4 hg that seems like alot to me looking for a 1 hg dead but still looking if anyone knows of a good one that i can find it would be great

I will prob be sending my money for your videos soon still need to look that its all good with my DVD player

thanks

Troy

MTT

My Feedback: (8)

I did pretty much the same as hayman.
Bought a vacuum pump on eBay, and the gage, adjustable switch, bags, bag fittings breather cloth from CST.

My reservoir is a 3 ft long section 5" PVC train tube, capped off at both ends.
Same as hayman, it took me about 3 hours to find and fix all the leaks, but I got it tight, and it works great, total expense was approx. $ 100.-

Michael

ml3456

Built a resevoir out of 4" PVC and caps. To keep it small and mobile, cut it into 3 sections and capped each one, about 24" long. Do a search for a company called Air Logic and find there local distibutor, They make the vacuum swith ( V-5100-28-PT-25A) that you see from some of the suppliers. A 25 amp rated switch is $15. Has a large deadband, but worked great. Don't forget a vacuum gauge to set the switch so you don't crush your cores. 8" HG is all you need.

I used a refrigerator compressor. They work great. Most of the materials can be gotten from the local Menard's, etc. Find, buy, or borrow a 3/8" NPT tap to put tubing fittings in the plastic. Spent less than $0 on the pump and resevoir system.

Mark

Terryoc

Troy
You really want a dead band of at least 2hg on the switch 3hg is better I think.
Based on my system if I run at 15hg as soon as it gets there on the gauge and the pump shuts of it will drop to 14 almost straight away then to 13 after about 20 seconds and it then takes 2 minutes to drop to 12 this is why it is better to have the dead band as your pump will run a lot less. If I want to keep the vacuum above 15 I just set the switch higher.
Terry

ml3456

15 Hg sounds way too high. Also, if you are dropping that fast, you probably have a leak.

mark

Terryoc

Hi Mark I use 15hg for pulling into molds so it is fine for what I am doing I find any higher and the pump I use tends to run longer than what I would like and gets hot.
Yes I thought it leaked badly too but for 2 minutes from 13 to 12 with the size bag I use and the methods I use it is the best I get as it used to leak down a lot quicker. I am molding 60" wings and do the 2 halves being top and bottom at once in the same bag with large flat building boards inside the bag to keep the molds true.
I have tried to fix the leak down by fitting a check valve between the pump and tank but it made no differance I think I get this situation because I use a 3/16id air line from my tank to the bag and this line is about 7' long so that I can keep my pump system out of the way in a corner I use this line as it is what work had but it causes a kind of a spike in the system so it sucks up to 15hg at the pump where the switch is and then the whole system normalises back to 13hg once the vacuum has pulled through the system.
I hope this makes sence
Terry

ddarsey

This site has great info on building do-it-yourself Vac systems.

[link]http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm[/link]

RAMFlyer

My Feedback: (65)

Here is another way to go--works great and is cheap!

http://www.charlesriverrc.org/articl...baggingsys.htm

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

I used many of the items noted, like Ed Smith wrote, but I might have you all beat as to overall cheapness.

Got the vacuum pump via the rear of a refrigerator dumped at the bank of a river. Cost me a dull hacksaw blade.

The reservoir was a disposable 30 gallon freon tank for refilling air conditioners. From the trash bin at WW Grainger.

Tubing came from a motorcycle salvage yard.

Instead of bag, I used the plank system. I layed a piece of 3/4" formica tabletop across two sawhorses. I wanted a flat surface, as I have seen wings warp when under suction sitting in free air. I now had the comfort of the rigid tabletop to hold a sailplane wing straight while setting up. Also drilled small hole in center to exit the air. Tapped hole and connected tubing with a brass fitting off of once running lawnmower engine.

The covering was some visqueen from a housing tract under construction. It is used under concrete foundations. About 6 mill thick, but have also seen thinner.

The edges of the visqueen was sealed with standard old clay used for setting fake plants into a vase.

Everything to this point cost me $zero. However, once I was done with the items, it probabaly would have cost more to put the items back where I found them as they consider that littering.

After the project ended, I had a friend measure the vacuum on the refrigerator compressor and it measured 12 inches. It had worn enough to the stage that it put out the ideal amount of suction. For the job, it ran about 30 minutes straight underneath the sawhorses, got hot, drew a lot of current too. But once the job was done it got capped and thrown out behind the garage. I originally tried a common household vacuum cleaner, but it did not have enough suck.

I bought one of the "professional books" at a local fiberglass place last year. Other than the freon quality equipment, they used danged near everything I had used two years earlier in their examples. 'course I could have bought the $700 of book recomended items too.


Wm.