Just installed the HoldFast vacuum system on my 3520B

[Scott Bradley]

I've searched quite bit of late and found lots of opinions and several testimonies but not a lot of actual info regarding the noise level and how hard the compressor has to work. A friend, who is a professional turner, recommended this system to me. He has two systems that he uses. One was a larger pump and then this one. I never saw the pump. He had a plywood box over it and said he rarely uses it. He told me that he typically uses the Holdfast one because of ease of use and that it would hold just about anything that he typically turns. The setup took only a few minutes to do the first time. Cutting the lamp rod just took a minute and it looks like going forward, it will take about as long as setting up the buffing wheel and threading thru the headstock. The hardest part was that they've changed models and now have a stainless case and I'd planned to use magnets to attach it to the lathe like he did. While I like the stainless, I hate to use Velcro but that's what I did and it works fine. I'd seen some older comments in response to questions regarding the system saying that they were very noisy. I didn't find that to be the case at all. I had everything off including the radio and it just sounded a little louder than a leaky air line. Like you had a slightly loose air fitting. None of the squeal I'd read about. In comparison to machinery, it was quieter than my PM66 and the bandsaw. About the same volume as the drill press. The only machines that I have that are quieter are the lathes themselves. No way I'll hear it with the dust collector running and not obnoxious at all. So to me, the noise is a non-issue. I have two compressors and plan to test with both but the one I used tonight was a 6hp 60 gallon. I set the regulator at the compressor at 95 and just put a piece of Chinese birch 11ply on the 6" chuck. I could feel a slight amount of air pulling thru but not enough to hold a sheet of paper or another board as I sometimes do on a CNC router (not that I was trying to hold 2, just curious). The compressor starts its cycle when the gauge reading gets to 85 and shuts off at 120. The unit was pulling 19-20Hg when the gauge reading at the compressor was at 90 and above. It dropped to 15Hg once and sixteen on average at the lowest reading just before the compressor restarted it's cycle and I tried to pull it loose at that time and several points throughout the range but was unable to. Average time between cycle start to cycle start was 24 minutes. I've got a little cheapo compressor that I'll test with tomorrow if I get the chance. Turning will have to wait until the weekend. Very curious to see what kind of vacuum it pulls with hardwood. I didn't try the test with china either. Forgot to do that.

 

[Fred Belknap]

Scott I have one of the older models of the Hold Fast and it works pretty good. Mine will go to around 20 on the gauge which is good for holding just about everything. I like that it is easy to set up, just takes a few seconds. I use the J.T. Turnings couplers and that makes it even easier. The biggest drawback for me is the volume of suction. On porous wood the vacuum drops below 10. Sometimes the vacuum chuck may have some dirt and has to be cleaned to get suction. Using a plastic washer on the spindle helps. It doesn't use much air, it says on the case, and it is very quiet. With any thing running I can't hear it at all. On the Hold Fast website they have an upgrade to my system but so far I haven't been able to contact them. They have a phone # but no one answers. Haven't tried for a couple months.

 

[john lucas]

A lot of comments about venturi style vacuum adaptors were relating to the older very noisy styles. I played with them and it actually hurt my ears. The Holdfast is a whole new ball game. I was totally surprised when I played with one at an AAW symposium. Very quite and quite effecient. Porous wood is a problem with any vacuum system. Sometimes you can simply put plastic wrap aroudn the piece or if it has worm holes and your just reverse turning you can put tape over the holes if your turning an area where the tape won't be a problem. I have a vacuum pump and have built one using a car compressor. that being said I have no problems recommending the Holdfast.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Venturi tubes aren't a bad way to generate vacuum, but my main objection to the HOLD FAST™ is that it is extremely overpriced. The new version is quieter and has more flow capacity, but the real noise problem is the compressor. I think that the flow is still borderline acceptable, but as John said, you can do several things to reduce air leakage through porous wood. Some wood even gives my Gast pump a challenge. I usually use painters tape to seal wood that lets too much air through its pores.

The HOLD FAST™ is priced at $180 which is about $80 more than the HF 2.5 CFM real vacuum pump. They also have several 3 CFM two stage vacuum pumps for $155 which is still a lot less than the HOLD FAST™ venturi tube vacuum generator and performs much better. If you really want a venturi, HF sells one for $16.

 

[john lucas]

Bill The HF venturi vacuums are the ones that make the loud screaming noise that is so objectionable. Unless they've changed the models of course, it's been about 8 years since I played with them. The Holdfast is a whole different animal and hardly makes any noise. As you said the compressor is the most noise. At $180 it's less expensive than any of the motorized vacuum pumps. I got lucky and found my last one at a flea mkt for $35. The guy was asking $75 and I didn't have any more money left and to my surprise he took what I had.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Bill The HF venturi vacuums are the ones that make the loud screaming noise that is so objectionable. Unless they've changed the models of course, it's been about 8 years since I played with them. The Holdfast is a whole different animal and hardly makes any noise. As you said the compressor is the most noise. At $180 it's less expensive than any of the motorized vacuum pumps. I got lucky and found my last one at a flea mkt for $35. The guy was asking $75 and I didn't have any more money left and to my surprise he took what I had.

Did you notice that Harbor Freight has at least six different motorized vacuum pumps? Some that are rated at 2.5 CFM are as cheap as $100 and their most expensive motorized pump sells for $155 is a two stage and rated 3 CFM. Looking at the picture of the pump, it appears to be a diaphragm type so it ought to be very quiet. I mentioned their venturi mostly as a tongue-in-cheek comment since Harbor Freight has been known to sell trinkets now and then. I bought my Gast from a lab in North Dakota that makes orthodontics and the pump was essentially like new.

 

[Jeff Bennett]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but could this system be converted to use with a real vaccum pump? I might get one as part of a package with a lathe I'm looking at. I've got a homemade system now and but the chuck heads of mine are just so so. Was wondering if I could hook my pump up to it and go. Don't really want to listen to a compressor kicking on and off.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

I've searched quite bit of late and found lots of opinions and several testimonies but not a lot of actual info regarding the noise level and how hard the compressor has to work. A friend, who is a professional turner, recommended this system to me. He has two systems that he uses. One was a larger pump and then this one. I never saw the pump. He had a plywood box over it and said he rarely uses it. He told me that he typically uses the Holdfast one because of ease of use and that it would hold just about anything that he typically turns. The setup took only a few minutes to do the first time. Cutting the lamp rod just took a minute and it looks like going forward, it will take about as long as setting up the buffing wheel and threading thru the headstock. The hardest part was that they've changed models and now have a stainless case and I'd planned to use magnets to attach it to the lathe like he did. While I like the stainless, I hate to use Velcro but that's what I did and it works fine. I'd seen some older comments in response to questions regarding the system saying that they were very noisy. I didn't find that to be the case at all. I had everything off including the radio and it just sounded a little louder than a leaky air line. Like you had a slightly loose air fitting. None of the squeal I'd read about. In comparison to machinery, it was quieter than my PM66 and the bandsaw. About the same volume as the drill press. The only machines that I have that are quieter are the lathes themselves. No way I'll hear it with the dust collector running and not obnoxious at all. So to me, the noise is a non-issue. I have two compressors and plan to test with both but the one I used tonight was a 6hp 60 gallon. I set the regulator at the compressor at 95 and just put a piece of Chinese birch 11ply on the 6" chuck. I could feel a slight amount of air pulling thru but not enough to hold a sheet of paper or another board as I sometimes do on a CNC router (not that I was trying to hold 2, just curious). The compressor starts its cycle when the gauge reading gets to 85 and shuts off at 120. The unit was pulling 19-20Hg when the gauge reading at the compressor was at 90 and above. It dropped to 15Hg once and sixteen on average at the lowest reading just before the compressor restarted it's cycle and I tried to pull it loose at that time and several points throughout the range but was unable to. Average time between cycle start to cycle start was 24 minutes. I've got a little cheapo compressor that I'll test with tomorrow if I get the chance. Turning will have to wait until the weekend. Very curious to see what kind of vacuum it pulls with hardwood. I didn't try the test with china either. Forgot to do that.

Scott, for what it's worth, I epoxied rare earth magnets to the back of my holdfast. One on each corner near the foot pads and it'll hold on no matter what.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Some wood is very porous and I believe that the weak area of the venturi systems is where there is a high volume of air flow. If you have some ring-porous wood like red oak or ash, you could see how well they do when there is a lot of end grain.

 

[Roger Chandler]

I have a Hold Fast system for nearly 3 years now. I used it last week and my vacuum pull was 23-25 hg on that particular piece. The porousness of the wood affects the vacuum, but it is a good system. the compressor noise does not bother me........I use a 25 gal. compressor and it is fairly close to the lathe, but only kicks on to cycle at intervals that are not excessive to me.

One thing I found is that Rubber chucky products has a seal that goes over the chuck heads that come with the HF system.........they will fit over the entire head and I think make for a great protection as the hard edges on the heads have marked a couple of pieces back when I got my system.......the rubber seal on the heads can make them usable for a jam chuck where marring might be a problem........there are times I have just used the heads with the rubber chucky seals as a jam chuck without the venturi box hooked up.......the dual use is neat!

I would recommend the HF system. I also purchased a vacuum pump....... a two stage 3 cfm..........was going to build a system with it, but the HF has done so well, it remains in the box, new!

 

[Jerry Bailey]

I use the Hold Fast vacuum generator, V811, connected to my Ingersoll Rand 5 HP 80 gal. compressor
using 122 psi I generate a constant 25-27 Hg thru vacuum, has firmly held anything I've put on lathe (vessels as large as 16" diameter)
Have used both the 3" chuck (for smaller vessels) and the 6" chuck for larger vessels.....
Have held 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood (7 ply) & 3/4" Maple plywood (5 ply) with no issues.

Only issues I've had, like Roger, vacuum has created a "ring" when holding for longer periods of time because of hard outer edge (am now looking at the rubber chucky to resolve issue)

overall extremely happy with the system, that I now have 2, 1 for stabilizing only, and 1 for chucking only.