Q.V.P. VAKUUM KLAMPING - Manual

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OVER
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
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.
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.
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.
Drawing A
AJ
74 Apsley St. - Hudson, MA 01749
Tel: 978-562-4680 - Fax: 978-562-4681
VAKUUM KLAMPING
INSTRUCTIONS
5/6/98 - Klamping Instructions.cdr