Veneer press

[Dman]

Jimbo, you can buy DIY kits for 150.00 or so if you already have a pump.
Bags can be the expensive part, but they last a long time. I have a pump set up in the works but I ran up on a cheap 50.00 set up that works great for anyone with out pump. Its so cheap and easy its scary and includes a bag plenty large enough for work most cuemakers will use it for.

Dan

 

[Dman]

you wont need granite. Just good flat MDF will work fine. You want to round of all sharp corners so you dont tear the bag.

 

[Mc2]

Dman, my thoughts where that the epoxy would not stick to the granite surface plate. And the corners are already round. I have the ability to purchase them directly from MSC and they are cheap. Any chance of getting pictures or videos of your process?

thanks, jimbo

 

[cuebuilder]

I lucked into an old vulcanizing press for repairing rubber. Works great. Check out some tire places since innertubes have become somewhat a thing of the past. Also check places that manufacture or repair rubber goods such as boots or firefighting cloting etc.....

 

[Dman]

Jimbo, send me an Email and I will send you some info

Dan
dptmarco@sbcglobal.net

 

[bubsbug]

I have a new one in mind after breaking 3 toes this summer when my current setup was bumped off of the table into my feet. It will be air powered and apply the same force everytime. I am thinking of a horizontal unit with a few double acting air cylenders to apply and retract the plate. I have it in my head, I will post some pics when I get a chance to start on it. Chris.

Here are some pics of my air press. Really easy to build. They apply 80psi all the way down the blank. All I do is load, flip air switch, unload and use!

 

[Chris Byrne]

Were the air bags reasonable priced? I have several dual action air rams I bought a while back and will use them on mine but I like the look of the bags. Chris.

 

[olsonsview]

I have been using a vac press for a year

I bought the hand pump model with the bag that can handle a whole butt at once, I paid $50 from Rocklers. I use a vac pump with it, that cost me nothing! An old compressor motor from a scrap refrigerator works great. When I was an Auto mechanic in my youth I made one to pump down car AC systems, and it worked better than some I used at work. I use that same pump now with an adapter I made from delrin, and a stiff hose of braided rubber like they use in an AC system, you can also use that white plastic nylon tubing in coils. Well, it pumps down in seconds . I love it for my veneers and for butterfly Aarms. I also use that Veneer glue that Titebond makes, got that at Rocklers too.

 

[Cue Crazy]

I bought the hand pump model with the bag that can handle a whole butt at once, I paid $50 from Rocklers. I use a vac pump with it, that cost me nothing! An old compressor motor from a scrap refrigerator works great. When I was an Auto mechanic in my youth I made one to pump down car AC systems, and it worked better than some I used at work. I use that same pump now with an adapter I made from delrin, and a stiff hose of braided rubber like they use in an AC system, you can also use that white plastic nylon tubing in coils. Well, it pumps down in seconds . I love it for my veneers and for butterfly Aarms. I also use that Veneer glue that Titebond makes, got that at Rocklers too.

The vac pump I have/had came from a comercial refrigeration unit. It was a diaphram pump, and A DIY press kit online, showed the same pump, saying it was one of the better ones to use with the kit, but I seemed to have misplaced it, and can't find it. I'm hoping it's just packed away somewhere and didn't get tossed By accident, because it worked, and looked brand new. not sure if I could still get the replacement diaphram kits for it though, until I am able to locate it, and get the #"s off of It.

When I was young, and still working on cars, I had a buddy that's Dad owned an AC bussines, and My buddy worked in the field also. He built a unit for reclaiming freon like the one You mention. If I remember correctly it worked very well too.