Page 1
VAKUUM KLAMPING
AJ
INSTRUCTIONS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The answer is simple, at sea level atmospheric pressure
is applying approximately 15 pounds/sq.in. of force in all
directions . With the VAK Pump we remove most of the
pressure from one side of the wood (creating vacuum),
thereby the atmosphere “pushes” the wood from the
other side. This “push” or force is easily calculated by
reading the VAK Gauge and multiplying the reading,
vacuum level by .5. Vacuum level is measured in inches
of mercury (”Hg) and for every 2"Hg of vacuum
achieved, 1 lb/sq.in. of force is generated. Therefore, if
you are applying 26"Hg to 1 sq.ft. of wood, you will
generate 1872 lbs of Klamping Force. (26 X .5 X 144
sq.in.)
HOW DOES COMPRESSED
AIR CREATE VAKUUM
This is not so simple a concept. The Air-Powered Vak
Pump is an accurately machined tool designed
especially for the woodworker. Although it has no
moving parts, (great reliability, it never breaks, wears out
or overheats and shuts off) it has over 15 critically
machined internal dimensions to give high efficiency and
top performance. It is a Venturi. Compressed air is
forced through a small orifice, which causes it to speed
up to sonic speeds. It then exhausts through a specially
designed funnel. This funnel allows the air to expand in
a controlled manner which creates a lower pressure
(vacuum) at the vacuum port.
MAKING A VAKuum JIG
To use the VAK Pump, a VAKuum Jig must be made (or
purchased from Q.V.P.) with a suitable non porous
material. Plastics like Lexan or Acrylic are ideal.
Hardwoods or birch plywood can be used and should be
at least 3/4" thick. They will be porous to some extent,
however, for best results all woods should be coated
with several coats of shellac or other sealer to make
them non porous. MDF can also be used, however, it
should be covered with Formica or other similar material
to make it non porous also.
BASIC VAKuum JIG
Select and prepare the baseplate material as suggested
above. Drill a hole (19/32“ for QDM) to accept a male
quick disconnect as shown in Drawing A. Drill a similar
size hole from the top that intersects the side This is the
path for air to be drawn out. Tap in the male quick
disconnect as per the instructions with the package of
quick disconnects. It’s that simple. You can also drill the
hole straight through the jig and apply VAK tape to both
sides. This allows vacuum to hold the jig to the bench
top as well as your workpiece. Cover the bottom hole
with tape when the jig is to be held in a vise.
If you did not order a set of quick disconnects you can
make a connector using a 7/16" dowel for 3/8" I.D. hose
or 9/16" for 1/2" I.D. Take a 2" length and drill a hole
down the center. Drill the baseplate side hole to accept
the dowel and glue it in place. The hose should fit tightly
over the dowel.
The baseplate material must be flat or you will not obtain
TEST THE PUMP
Attach the VAK Pump or Ped-VAK to an 85 psi.
compressed air line. Turn on the air (measure air
pressure with the pump on) and cover the open vacuum
port with your finger. The gauge should read 26 to
28"Hg. (For every 1000 feet above sea level subtract
1"Hg). If not in this range, or the pump makes a fluttering
noise, adjust the line pressure up or down to achieve the
optimum results.
If you purchased a set of acrylic jigs from Q.V.P., then
go to section about APPLYING VAK TAPE.
CALL 1-800-547-5484 TODAY!
Or visit our site at www.qualityvak.com
a good seal to your workpiece.
Power the pump and cover the hole with your finger. If
the material is non porous and the pump has tested
properly you should achieve 25"Hg or better. If not,
then there is leakage in the system. Either the side stem
leaks or the base plate material is porous. Correct the
problem before continuing.
Drawing A
Quality VAKuum Products, Inc.
OVER
74 Apsley St. - Hudson, MA 01749
Tel: 978-562-4680 - Fax: 978-562-4681
Page 2
PED-VAK INSTRUCTIONS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr
The foot switch has two pressure points. Pressing
the top or high end turns the pump on. Pressing the
bottom or low end, turns the pump off.
Do not exceed 95 - 100psi of pressure on the input
line. The solenoid valve is rated at 100psi maximum
pressure and will not turn off at higher pressures.
Higher pressures may cause it to burn out. Order a
pressure regulator if the line pressure exceeds 100
psi.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
The solenoid does not shut off, even when the
plug is pulled from the wall socket.
This is usually caused by foreign matter from your air
line getting inside the solenoid and preventing it from
closing. Unplug the unit and remove the six screws
holding the box together. The solenoid is a 1"
diameter brass cylinder. On top is a nut that is to be
removed. Then slide the coil and washers off the
shaft, keeping track of their order. Just below the
threads is a 1/4" length of shaft that you can apply
pliers to and loosen the shaft. Be careful when you
remove the shaft as there are a spring and plunger
inside. Clean the insides, it only takes a small speck
if dirt to keep the plunger open. Reassemble the
solenoid.
WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER. THERE ARE NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION ON
THE FACE HERE OF. SELLER DISCLAIMS ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR OF FITNESS FOR ANY
P AR TICULAR PURPOSE. SINCE SELLER CANNOT CONTROL THE MANNER OR USE OF ITS PRODUCT AFTER THEIR SALE,
SELLER WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES. RATHER, SELLER WILL AT ITS
OPTION, EITHER REPLACE THE GOODS SOLD OR REFUND THE PURCHASE PRICE. NO WARRANTIES WILL BE APPLIED IF
THE GOODS ARE IN ANY WA Y AL TERED OR MODIFIED AFTER DELIVERY BY SELLER.
CALL 1-800-547-5484 TODAY!
Quality VAKuum Products, Inc.
Or visit our site at www.qualityvak.com
74 Apsley St. - Hudson, MA 01749
Tel: 978-562-4680 - Fax: 978-562-4681
Page 3
TAPING & JIG INSTRUCTIONS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr
APPLYING VAK TAPE
Included with your Klamping Kit set is a roll of V AK Tape to
be applied in the pattern of your choice. Applying the V AK
Tape is easy and straight forward. The one main point to
remember is to not pull or stretch the tape as it is applied.
This elongates the tape and can be the source of splitting
after it’s put into use.
First decide on the pattern for the particular VAKuum jig.
The last page contains various patterns for the baseplate,
straight edge and right angle Klamp. It also shows several
ways to make gates. See Figures 5 & 6. A gate is used to
close off a section of the V AKuum Klamp so that a smaller
work piece can be held on a larger V AKuum jig. Gates are
particularly useful on the straight edge jig as it can be
sectioned into smaller VAKuum lengths on work pieces
shorter than the straight edge.
If you purchased Acrylic Jigs from Q.V.P., remove the
protective paper from both sides of the jig.
After the pattern has been decided upon, remove about 4 5" of the paper backing from the tape. Place the tape on
the jig and continue to lay it in place in the desired pattern.
DO NOT PULL ON THE T APE AS IT IS BEING APPLIED.
See Figure 1.
REPAIRING A BREAK
The tape can get ripped or if stored incorrectly, a section
can get compressed and not spring back to its full height.
Just apply a length of new tape along side the damaged
area. See Figure 3. The damaged section can also be cut
out and the foam removed. The adhesive does not have to
be removed, just apply the new tape over the old adhesive.
REPLACING THE TAPE
The life of the VAK Tape depends on its usage. For
example, using it to hold a 6" diameter of smooth plastic for
templet routing verses holding a 2' x 2' piece of rough oak
for routing will vary its life greatly . Not only is the oak going
to abrade the tape, the area under vacuum is about 7000
lbs. for the oak and only 380 lbs. for the plastic.
Scrape the foam off using a chisel, keep in mind that the
adhesive will not come off with the chisel. A new layer of
tape can be applied over the old adhesive. If you want to
remove the adhesive, use mineral spirits or turpentine to
soften it and scrape with a chisel.
RECESSING THE VAK TAPE
If you are applying the tape around the perimeter of the jig,
like the straight edge, use your finger as a guide. Run your
finger against the outside edge while using your thumb to
hold and guide the tape with one hand. With the other
hand hold the tape and slightly compress it as you apply
the tape. The adhesive on the tape is very aggressive, do
not press on the tape as it will not come up after it has been
pressed. If the tape has just fallen in place (no pressure
applied), sometimes it can be lifted and reset if it was
placed incorrectly .
When you completed the loop, make a butt joint. About 5"
from the starting point, cut the tape about 1/8" longer than
the length needed to complete the loop. Arch the 5" length
and butt the ends together. See Figure 2. Then put the 5"
length in place. This makes a tight joint and prevents the
last few inches from being stretched.
CALL 1-800-547-5484 TODAY!
Or visit our site at www.qualityvak.com
Sometimes it is necessary to recess the V AK Tape into the
jig. This is done when the work piece needs to stay flat.
Distortion or bowing can occur on large pieces of thin
material. Recessing the tape allows the work piece to hit
against the surface of the jig. Cut a channel the width of
the tape about one half the thickness of the tape. You may
have to experiment with the depth cut to best meet your
needs. Push the VAK Tape into the channel. DO NOT
REMOVE THE P APER BACKING. The tape should stay
in place without the use of the adhesive backing. This will
make replacing the tape simple and fast. If the tape does
not stay in place for any reason, remove a quarter inch of
the paper backing in one or two places to secure it in the
channel.
Quality VAKuum Products, Inc.
74 Apsley St. - Hudson, MA 01749
Tel: 978-562-4680 - Fax: 978-562-4681
Page 4
TAPING & JIG INSTRUCTIONS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr
USING TWO VAKUUM JIGS
TOGETHER
You can combine the jigs to make the job easier. Figure
4 shows the use of the baseplate holding a work piece to
the bench top while at the same time using the straight
edge on top of the work piece. With the work piece off
the bench, you can now use the straight edge as a guide
for cutting or routing.
template can be made, all it needs is a through hole and
the top and bottom to have a ring of VAK tape. The
template is placed over the VAK hole and the workpiece
placed on top. This creates a vacuum sandwich that
securely holds the template and the workpiece as per
Figure 9.
NOTES:
To calculate the HOLDING FORCE, use the following
formula; Vacuum level (per the vacuum gauge) divided
by 2, multiplied by the number of sq.in. enclosed by the
VAK tape.
MAKING, MAINTAINING AND
MODIFYING THE ACRYLIC
JIGS.
SAWING
The acrylic can be machined like hardwood. Cutting
small quantities with a carbide, standard hollow ground,
fine tooth blade used for cross cutting wood or plywood
is suitable. The blade should be about 2" above the
acrylic. Feed at a rate of 3 - 4" per second (15 - 20
ft/min) with a blade speed of approximately 3450 rpm.
ROUTING
The minimum no load router speed of 10,000rpms is
required. Higher speeds up to 20,000rpm are better. A
double, straight fluted cutter with 2" diameter will
produce a smooth cut with a feed rate of 10 - 25
feet/min.
JOINTER
Take very light passes as acrylic is harder than most
woods.
EXAMPLE:
If the gauge reads 22"Hg and the VAK tape encloses an
8"x10" area (80 sq.in.), the HOLDING FORCE is (22/2) x
80 = 880lbs of clamping force.
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS:
! Check for leaks and correct
! Adjust the air pressure up or down
! Reread the directions
For more detailed information on machining acrylic, you
can order a 47-page book “Working with Acrylic” (Stock #
1106347) from Craftics, Inc. (773)-235-3307.
For templet routing, use a flat nonporous bench top.
Drill a hole and install a male quick disconnect at the
bottom of the bench. This allows you to place any
templet over the vacuum hole and hold the workpiece
without interference from mechanical clamps. The
templets are made like the Basic Baseplate, except they
do not have the side connector hole. Any shape
CALL 1-800-547-5484 TODAY!
Or visit our site at www.qualityvak.com
Quality VAKuum Products, Inc.
74 Apsley St. - Hudson, MA 01749
Tel: 978-562-4680 - Fax: 978-562-4681
Page 5
KLAMPING DIAGRAMS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr
VAKuum Jig
Figure 1
Apply tape to jig with compression motion.
Closed gate Open gate
Figure 3
Straight Edge Jig with one gate closed and one open.
End
Butt Joint
VAKuum Jig
Figure 2
Completing the loop.
Repair
Start
Vacuum
One gate is closed on
the underside
Straight Edge
Workpiece
Vacuum
Baseplate
Work Bench
Figure 4
The Straight Edge is held in place on the workpiece, which in
turn is held in place onto the work bench with the baseplate.
Baseplate with open gate.
Apply tape to both sides.
VAK-Tape
VAK-Tape
Vacuum
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KLAMPING DIAGRAMS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr
Open
gate
Closed
Gate
Open
gate
Closed
Gate
Vacuum hole
VAK-Tape
On both faces of jig.
Vacuum
Figure 5
Leave the paper backing on
the gate so that it can easily
swing to open and close the
vacuum area.
Figure 7 - VAK-Klamp to Hold Small Pieces
Work Piece
Vacuum
Add pins or nail points to add
holding force and prevent lateral
movement.
Work Piece
Use a 1/2“ length of VAK-Tape
to keep the gate open or
VAKuum Jig
Figure 6
closed.
VAK-Tape
Right Angle Jig with
VAK Tape
Work Piece
VAKuum Jig
Vacuum
Recess the VAK-Tape so the
workpiece is pulled tight against the
baseplate covered with sandpaper.
Work Piece
Vacuum
VAKuum Jig
Template
Table
Figure 8
Pin Routing: Simple, fast, tight,
gripping and speeds up production.
VAK-Tape
VAKuum Jig &
Template
Table
Vacuum
Figure 9
Hand Routing: Workpiece held to table
with a VAKuum template.
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