Vacuum Chuck Extension

[Emiliano Achaval]

After watching Wayne Omura's video that we made for Akaku TV, I liked how he extended his vacuum chuck. I have a chuck extender, something I can't even remember buying. Since it was solid I had to drill it, very easily, since it's made out of aluminum. I have a problem, the rod doesn't go all the way thru. I have other pipes and connectors, but the little brass connector does not fit through the hole. Believe it or not, I use a little bit of duct tape to add the second rod. Worked ok, sort of, till I lost vacuum, LOL. I was able to finish the job, carefully and keeping an eye on the gauge. I'm looking either for a longer rod, needs to be 6 inches longer, or I could go to an all hose system. I see that the new units from the frugal vacuum guy are made with the hoses. I bought a hard 3/8 hose at Ace, but I can't find a connector that can fit the inside diameter of the hose and the 3/8 pipe, which is slightly bigger. I will ask the Frugal vacuum guy if he has a longer pipe or how to convert to a hose system, meanwhile, if you have run into this problem, I like to hear how you solved it. Aloha

 

[Bill Boehme]

I presume that you are talking about threaded lamp rod (also called lamp pipe). The size is 1/8 IPS which is actually very close to ⅜" diameter and 27 threads per inch. It comes in length ranging from about a 2" nipple up to about 36" pipe. Once upon a time lamp rods were most often brass, but brass has become so crazy expensive that steel is mostly taken over. Sometimes the steel is electroplated with nickel or brass. Lamp rods, couplings, washers, and nuts can all be found in the electrical department of good hardware stores.

IPS threads aren't compatible with tapered NPT fittings.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Thank you BIll. That's what I needed, some info on what to look for. I'm hoping that Lowe's or Home Depot might have it. If not, I'm sure I can find it online. I appreciate the help. Aloha

 

[john lucas]

Lowes has lamp. Cant remember If they carry the long lengths. You can also get lamp rod connectors. But those will.be too large to go through your headstock. You could always silver solder 2 pieces together.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Emiliano, I went back to the Omura video and if I understand your goal correctly you want the vacuum chuck to be able to reach further inside to accommodate very deep bowls.

From your photo it looks like a Frugal Vacuum Chuck, or something very similar.

I have a Frugal Vacuum System and am facing a similar problem (or at least hope to be soon). In my case the piece I plan to be mounting is shaped like a pointed hat. The point is long and slender, too much so to fit in the standard PVC chuck without bottoming out.

According to Bob Lenard (we are members of the same club) the PVC chuck cup is a 4" coupling (sewer & drain pipe) so I am simply going to add a short section of 4" sewer and drain pipe to the existing PVC coupling to make the chuck cup deep enough for my purposes. You could add pipe to make the chuck cup long enough for your purposes.

The dry fitting of components seems snug enough to transmit adequate torque, but I may need to seal the joint with tape or caulk to reduce vacuum leak. I want to keep this reversible, though.

The Frugal System I have does have a long stiff plastic hose which passes from the chuck through the head stock and is probably 3 feet long.

 

[john lucas]

I simply extended the chuck itself. I took some 4" PVC pipe and cut it about 8" long. Glued it to a piece of plastic decking. The tapped.it for 1 1/4 x8 and it was ready. Fantastic for deep.natural.edge bowls.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I simply extended the chuck itself. I took some 4" PVC pipe and cut it about 8" long. Glued it to a piece of plastic decking. The tapped.it for 1 1/4 x8 and it was ready. Fantastic for deep.natural.edge bowls.

But that sounds like a permanent extension. I want to be able to use it close to the headstock whenever possible. I could make a new, longer one, but the extension works for now...

 

[john lucas]

I have about 6 or more vacuum chucks in different sizes and lengths. I dont need the lamp rod. My chucks have a foam seal that seats against the spindle nose. Then I have a bearing that fits in the hand wheel. There is a foam seal in the handwheel. So it's very quick to install my vacuum system and any chuck I need.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

The lamp rod is at Home Depot it is all thread tho and comes with connectors to make it longer. I slipped a piece of the vacum (actually air hose ) he sends with his Frugal Chuck over the rod to stop the clatter in the headstock.

As to extending from the chuck like John does Is also my solution. My longest may be 8 inches and like all vacum chucks requires care. I use coupling to reduce the opening into narrower openings (only go as far as 2 inches as smaller may not have enough vacum). If the fit loses vacum just use painters tape around it. Oh that 8 inches with the chuck makes it over 13 inches from the headstock to bottom of the bowl. To use a reducer insert a short sleeve piece of pipe into chuck and add a reducer either down to 3 inch or 2 inch.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I have about 6 or more vacuum chucks in different sizes and lengths. I dont need the lamp rod. My chucks have a foam seal that seats against the spindle nose. Then I have a bearing that fits in the hand wheel. There is a foam seal in the handwheel. So it's very quick to install my vacuum system and any chuck I need.

I forgot what lathe do you have. I wish I could have something that convenient for my Stubby!

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

The lamp rod is at Home Depot it is all thread tho and comes with connectors to make it longer. I slipped a piece of the vacum (actually air hose ) he sends with his Frugal Chuck over the rod to stop the clatter in the headstock.

As to extending from the chuck like John does Is also my solution. My longest may be 8 inches and like all vacum chucks requires care. I use coupling to reduce the opening into narrower openings (only go as far as 2 inches as smaller may not have enough vacum). If the fit loses vacum just use painters tape around it. Oh that 8 inches with the chuck makes it over 13 inches from the headstock to bottom of the bowl. To use a reducer insert a short sleeve piece of pipe into chuck and add a reducer either down to 3 inch or 2 inch.

That's a good tip! Amazing how many different ways we can solve a problem.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I presume that you are talking about threaded lamp rod (also called lamp pipe). The size is 1/8 IPS which is actually very close to ⅜" diameter and 27 threads per inch. It comes in length ranging from about a 2" nipple up to about 36" pipe. Once upon a time lamp rods were most often brass, but brass has become so crazy expensive that steel is mostly taken over. Sometimes the steel is electroplated with nickel or brass. Lamp rods, couplings, washers, and nuts can all be found in the electrical department of good hardware stores.

IPS threads aren't compatible with tapered NPT fittings.

I took the day off from the shop today to play some polo. Tomorrow I will measure to see what size rod I need. Amazon has some brass ones for only 9.99! Thank you to everyone that took the time to help me. Aloha

 

[john lucas]

I have a Powermatic. I had Vic at Bestwoodtools. Mill the opening. I have also done the handwheel on my Delta Midi. I had a Nova 3000 and that is how Nova did their handwheel to use a bearing with a shop vac for vacuum chucking. I liked that idea of being able to attach and detach the vacuum instantly. This method does not work with lathes that have a.hole in the spindle. I think maybe Stubby was one of them. I will. Be back home on Wednesday and I'll try to remember to take some photos.

 

[Mike Brazeau]

I have a Powermatic. I had Vic at Bestwoodtools. Mill the opening. I have also done the handwheel on my Delta Midi. I had a Nova 3000 and that is how Nova did their handwheel to use a bearing with a shop vac for vacuum chucking. I liked that idea of being able to attach and detach the vacuum instantly. This method does not work with lathes that have a.hole in the spindle. I think maybe Stubby was one of them. I will. Be back home on Wednesday and I'll try to remember to take some photos.

When you take those photos John, I am interested in see the adaptor for the Delta midi. When we ultimately downsize I am hoping I will at least be able to keep my Delta. Time will tell!

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have made a couple rotary couplers, but when I got got my Robust AB I got the one made by JT Turning Tools and it is the best that I have seen. It just plugs into the handwheel side of the spindle and uses O-rings for a tight seal.

 

[Tom Gall]

I forgot what lathe do you have. I wish I could have something that convenient for my Stubby!

If at all possible I would eliminate all lamp rod and use the spindle itself as a vacuum tube. Does the Stubby have a solid spindle? If so, maybe you can tape over it.

When I got my “new” larger lathe (1996) I didn’t want to remake all of my vacuum chucks so I adapted them by cutting the lamp rod on the chucks to just enter the spindle by an inch or so. A small piece of 3/8” ID tubing slipped on the rod will seal off the spindle (can be temporary). All new vac chucks that I made eliminate the lamp rod and simply screw on the spindle. On the hand wheel side my rotary union (homemade) has a short piece of rod (2-1/2” or so) covered with tubing and simply slides in and out in about a second. A nice looking commercial rotary union is sold by CSUSA (Precision Machine?) but none of the options would fit my lathe.

Another rotary union I made for my mini-lathe (small spindle ID) uses a disc that uses 4 rare earth magnets to mount on the steel hand wheel with a foam seal around the spindle hole. This type may be useful in some applications.

 

[Ron Vasser]

The new frugal has a fitting that is barbed x threaded. A short piece of hose is stubbed out and a 3/8" od x 1/4" id slips into that stub as long as you like. I have a threaded spindle with the Lugana adapter and don't need this bearing. If you could use it I'll mail it to you.
.

 

[Fred Belknap]

Hold Fast makes an extension for their vacuum chucks. It is simply a spindle extension that threads on the lathe spindle. Works great, I do use the plastic washers with it.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

The new frugal has a fitting that is barbed x threaded. A short piece of hose is stubbed out and a 3/8" od x 1/4" id slips into that stub as long as you like. I have a threaded spindle with the Lugana adapter and don't need this bearing. If you could use it I'll mail it to you.
.View attachment 30691 View attachment 30692 View attachment 30693

Thats a great solution! I could definitely use it. I can make a new chuck with that. I can pay you for the shipping. Do you have paypal or Venmo? My address is 300 Kealaloa Av Makawao Maui Hawaii 96768
Thanks!

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I have a Powermatic. I had Vic at Bestwoodtools. Mill the opening. I have also done the handwheel on my Delta Midi. I had a Nova 3000 and that is how Nova did their handwheel to use a bearing with a shop vac for vacuum chucking. I liked that idea of being able to attach and detach the vacuum instantly. This method does not work with lathes that have a.hole in the spindle. I think maybe Stubby was one of them. I will. Be back home on Wednesday and I'll try to remember to take some photos.

Sadly my Stubby has a vacuum port. Problem is, it doesn't work, leaks. She's from 2006 vintage, I'm told Omega Lathes fixed that problem since then. That's why I have to go with a lamp rod type of system.

 

[Ron Vasser]

Thats a great solution! I could definitely use it. I can make a new chuck with that. I can pay you for the shipping. Do you have paypal or Venmo? My address is 300 Kealaloa Av Makawao Maui Hawaii 96768
Thanks!

It's on the way. It should arrive on 10/19/2019, tracking # 9500110325049288340064 First-Class Package Service. No charge, pay it forward or give someone some good advice.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

If at all possible I would eliminate all lamp rod and use the spindle itself as a vacuum tube. Does the Stubby have a solid spindle? If so, maybe you can tape over it.

When I got my “new” larger lathe (1996) I didn’t want to remake all of my vacuum chucks so I adapted them by cutting the lamp rod on the chucks to just enter the spindle by an inch or so. A small piece of 3/8” ID tubing slipped on the rod will seal off the spindle (can be temporary). All new vac chucks that I made eliminate the lamp rod and simply screw on the spindle. On the hand wheel side my rotary union (homemade) has a short piece of rod (2-1/2” or so) covered with tubing and simply slides in and out in about a second. A nice looking commercial rotary union is sold by CSUSA (Precision Machine?) but none of the options would fit my lathe.

Another rotary union I made for my mini-lathe (small spindle ID) uses a disc that uses 4 rare earth magnets to mount on the steel hand wheel with a foam seal around the spindle hole. This type may be useful in some applications.

Sadly she has a vacuum port. And I have heard that the vacuum sucks up the grease from the bearings on top of the leak.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

It's on the way. It should arrive on 10/19/2019, tracking # 9500110325049288340064 First-Class Package Service. No charge, pay it forward or give someone some good advice.

Thank you very much Ron. I have some very nice pieces of super curly Mango wood. Please send me your address and I will send you some. You can use it for inserts on the lid of a box. Or, if you are a pen maker, I can send you some Koa pen blanks... I really appreciate it. Aloha

 

[john lucas]

Here are my vacuum chucks and a photo of the bearing and hand wheel of my powermatic. I loaned out my Delta midi so can't take a photo of it but what I did for that was to turn a wooden plug that fits the Delta handwheel. It has a hole bored to fit this bearing and a closed cell rubber gasket on the inside.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

@john lucas , what did you use for gasket material on the rims of your chuck cups? O-rings?
How did you fix the material to the narrow rim?

 

[john lucas]

I found some vacuum gasket material one day while cruising a site that sold materials for vacuum bags and jigs for flat wood working. That was a long time ago. You basically cut it to length and glue the joint with clear silicone caulking. Then glue it down to the chuck with the same caulking. I see one of them needs to be reglued and I think I've done a few others over the years. The downside of this stuff is it's fairly soft so when you pull a full vacuum it will sometimes pull the bowl off center. I used to use closed cell foam sheets that I got from Walmart or Hobby Lobby. They are thin and have very little give so they don't pull the bowl off as much. However if your bowl has warped any at all the foam sheets tended to leak and not hold. I would keep a second loose square sheet with a 1" hole in the middle for this problem. When I had a leak or not a good seal I would put this over the chuck before putting the bowl on. That would give enough thickness to give a good seal. Another good thing about the foam sheets was you could wrap them over the edge a little. This made them fit more bowl shapes.
I just did a quick search and found this.
https://www.zoro.com/e-james-rubber...nOgKx81KhP_BaOz_gBsagT9In_tVx3nkaAm7vEALw_wcB

 

[Mike Johnson]

They make O-ring continuous length rolls of various diameters and various materials that would work for vacuum chuck seals.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Here are my vacuum chucks and a photo of the bearing and hand wheel of my powermatic. I loaned out my Delta midi so can't take a photo of it but what I did for that was to turn a wooden plug that fits the Delta handwheel. It has a hole bored to fit this bearing and a closed cell rubber gasket on the inside.

John, we will have a lot of fun in my shop if you come for a vacation. I have a little cottage for you. You are the Wikipedia of Woodturning! Thanks for the pictures. Great set uo!

 

[john lucas]

Would love to but can't even afford to go to the coast closest too me. Maybe after I win the lottery tonight.

 

[Timothy White]

I have made a couple rotary couplers, but when I got got my Robust AB I got the one made by JT Turning Tools and it is the best that I have seen. It just plugs into the handwheel side of the spindle and uses O-rings for a tight seal.

JT turning tools also has “vacuum hubs” that thread onto your lathe spindle and accept schedule 40 PVC couplings for the chucks. https://www.jtturningtools.com/vacuum-chuck-hubs The vacuum adapter. Which Bill mentions should found here. https://www.jtturningtools.com/vacuum-adapters
I have the vacuum adapter and hand wheel for my Nova DVR. It works great.
This adapter fits the robust and powermatic lathes without any adaptation other lathes require handwheel modification.
IMHO This is a better solution than hoses and lamp rods.

Tim

 

[Tom Gall]

JT turning tools also has “vacuum hubs” that thread onto your lathe spindle and accept schedule 40 PVC couplings for the chucks. https://www.jtturningtools.com/vacuum-chuck-hubs The vacuum adapter. Which Bill mentions should found here. https://www.jtturningtools.com/vacuum-adapters
I have the vacuum adapter and hand wheel for my Nova DVR. It works great.
This adapter fits the robust and powermatic lathes without any adaptation other lathes require handwheel modification.
IMHO This is a better solution than hoses and lamp rods.

Tim

Exactly....as I stated in my message (#16) above. My homemade "rotary union" works basically the same as the JT adapter (except mine is made from Dymondwood,brass & vinyl tubing) and has been working perfectly since 1996! Also, the vac adapter (rotary union) that I mentioned in the above message that is sold by CSUSA is very similar to the JT unit. But it is $65 vs $109.

 

[JeffSmith]

JT turning tools also has “vacuum hubs” that thread onto your lathe spindle and accept schedule 40 PVC couplings for the chucks.Tim

Been using one of JT’s vac hubs for seven or eight years now. It works great. Found sched 40 adapters in 2”, 4”, 6” sizes, use the thin foam sheets for a seal. Change them out as needed. Their vac adapter is also first rate; might be expensive, but will last forever.