Gast Vacuum Pump Rebuild Kit on eBay

[Rob Wallace]

To Vacuum-Chuckers using a Gast Model 0523 Vacuum Pump:

I am a "spare parts on hand" kind of guy, and have been watching eBay for 8 or 9 months for rebuild kits for my two Gast 0523 Vacuum Pumps, just to see if I can get a rebuild kit or two inexpensively to put in inventory for when I eventually need to rebuild the pump(s). I recently found a seller ("aqwholesale") who was offering new OEM Gast K 478 rebuild kits (which contain 4 new vanes, 2 new O-rings, 2 new foam filter elements, and a new "head gasket", plus instructions). Before posting this, I wanted to confirm that the seller supplied the correct kits, and in new condition. They arrived fairly quickly via USPS today and are in great shape; mine have OEM packing seals on the kits dated July 2011.

This information is being provided to those turners who might want or need to acquire a Gast vacuum pump rebuild kit (K 478) for use with the 0523 series of pumps. (This is the vacuum pump model sold by Craft Supplies, Packard Woodworks, etc.). I have no previous or subsequent knowledge of the seller, and have no financial interest in promoting any sales for him - just a satisfied customer at present. If anyone needs one of these kits, there are apparently several still available HERE. As with anything on eBay - Caveat Emptor.

I hope this helps those of you that might have a need for such an item!

Remember - Once you go VAC, you never go back!

Rob Wallace

 

[Bill Boehme]

Rob, thanks for the info.
The seller has a 100% feedback rating which is hard to beat.

Have you installed your kit yet or are you just stocking up with repair parts?

 

[Rob Wallace]

Parts on hand, for the time being...

Bill asked:

Have you installed your kit yet or are you just stocking up with repair parts?

Sorry for the delayed reply Bill - Major curriculum report was due today.......working on it for another 5 hrs after dinner last night.....

I bought the repair kits (two) for both of my Gast 0523 pumps which are currently working just fine. I regularly do preventative maintenance on them by blowing-out the motor housings, clearing accumulated debris, checking the built-in pump filters, and checking/cleaning the in-line particle filters in my vacuum system; even the bleeder air inlet is filtered though a sintered metal filter. I wanted to have repair parts on hand should either pump decide it's done with the currently installed parts. (As a matter of normal shop function, I also maintain a small inventory of spare drive belts for all three of my lathes, extra center points for my live centers, extra adjustable locking handles for my banjos/tool rests and quills, a spare drive shaft for my Foredom tool, and even have a spare [new] Milwaukee close quarters drill in inventory for when my first one finally goes (...but no sign of that happening any time soon, even after 8 years of sanding!). I don't really like to ever be out of commission and relying on part orders and shipping to be back in business. I did that once before; had a lathe drive belt break during the completion of a promised woodturning job, and "sweatted" the delivery of the replacement part in time for getting the job done and delivered to the contractor on time. Never again. I now have a preventative maintenance schedule for my shop, and have spare parts for the "Achilles Heels" of different machines, etc.

I am still looking for a source for Gast-recommended pump cleaning solution, or a comparable recipe that I could mix in my lab for the solution that should be allowed to flow through the pump every so often. I think that would preserve the life of the vanes and o-rings even longer!

So far so good...... my pumps really suck!

Cheers!

Rob

 

[John King]

Gast Flushing Solvent

Rob - Here's what I have learned about Gast flushing solvent.

Gast AH255B flushing solvent is no longer available. According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), this solvent contains 90.0% to 95.5% 1,1,1-trichloroethane - an ozone depleting substance that is rapidly being phased out. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,1,1-Trichloroethane.

Loctite Safety Solvent is a general purpose industrial cleaning solvent. It removes all traces of oil and grease and leaves no residue. Its formula base in 1,1,1-trichloroethane. I have not been able to locate any of this solvent.

Gast web site lists AH255D flushing solvent. A look at MSDS for this solvent (http://www.gastmfg.com/pdf/MSDS/AH255D.pdf) reveals a complete reformulation of the flushing solvent. 1,1,1-trichloroethane in AH255B has been replaced by a blend of heptane and acetone in AH255D.

My guess is that you can get AH255D flushing solvent from Gast. Check it out at http://www.gastmfg.com/index.html.

Let me know if you are successful in obtaining either AH255B or AH255D flushing solvent. - John

 

[John King]

Gast AH255D Cleaning Solvent

Found some Gast AH255D cleaning solvent at Grainger. Check it out at http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/BEAVER-Cleaning-Solvent-6KHR4. Pretty pricey stuff. - John

 

[Chuck Jones]

Loctite Safety Solvent is a general purpose industrial cleaning solvent. It removes all traces of oil and grease and leaves no residue. Its formula base in 1,1,1-trichloroethane. I have not been able to locate any of this solvent.

http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/SIE/SIE9034.html

Their website says they have 1 in stock... better hurry!

 

[Rob Wallace]

John:

Many thanks for the information on the cleaning solvent. I can understand why this product is becoming scarce, given that the bulk of its composition is a volatile chlorinated organic compound. We continually get updates on use and storage of these compounds from our Environmental Health And Safety office.

I think I have some 1,1,1 TCE in my lab (probably less a than a liter), but am reluctant to use it given it's known environmental effects. I certainly have acetone, but don't believe I have any heptane (I do have nearly 4 liters of mixed hexanes used for partitioning lipids from aqueous mixtures or for concentrating extracts by evaporation). I suppose I should do more research about possible environmentally-compatible replacements. I'll talk with my friends in the Chemistry Department to see what their suggestions might be. I think the main parameters for solvent selection are their low likelihood of flashing/burning/exploding (!), volatility, and compatibility with rubber seals/O-rings used in the pump's head. It is not likely that most solvents would interact negatively with the metal or the carbon vanes of the pump, so the O-rings and filters are what need to be protected with wise selection of any solvent(s) used.

I don't believe preventative maintenance should contribute to release of chemicals known to cause environmental damage. I think of this each time I spray lacquer or other aerosols, hoping that what I'm doing is generally 'OK'.

Chuck - thanks for the info on the Loctite product - sounds like a close cousin to the Gast solvent!

Have a great day!

Rob

 

[Bill Boehme]

The current Loctitite product is 22355 ODC Free Cleaner.

As far as I know, 1,1,1 Trichlorethane (aka methyl chloroform) has been off the market for a very long time -- more than ten years if memory serves me correctly although some old containers are probably still hanging around. Industrial users were required to get rid of the stuff years ago.

I hate to think about how my hands always had a strange tingling sensation after using the stuff in a lab for degreasing prototype circuit boards before conformal coating. I suppose that it also rendered all of the lard out of my hands, too. Now that I think about it, the manufacturing area had very strict handing rules while the labs seemed to be completely unregulated with respect to that sort of stuff -- no rules that I know of.

 

[John Lawson]

When I was a young whippersnapper computer operator, we used trichloroethane to clean tape drives. Just grab the lint-free cloth, pour it on, and wipe away. It dessicated your hands so much your fingers turned white. You had to clean the drives once or twice per shift.

 

[Rob Wallace]

Thanks for the posts on the cleaning solvent! Good discussion.

I just got off the phone with a guy who called me to ask if there were any more rebuild kits....(!).....

... I just want everyone to know that I am not the seller!! - just a reporter of their availability at a decent price!

I did just check eBay, and it appears the seller does have more of the Gast K 478 vacuum pump rebuild kits available for the 0523 pump. Look at this eBay listing HERE if you are interested.

Rob Wallace

 

[Gil Jones]

0523 Kit

I bought one a couple hours ago......thank you very much!!!
After checking with Gast for a kit price, which was $78 + $10 shipping.
Gil