[Robotgroup] Building a vacuum forming machine need a good vaccum pump

[Edwin Wise]

On 15 Jun 2008, at 4:57 PM, Andre Lamothe wrote:

> Does anyone know of any local shops that have vacuum pumps? I am  
> going to build a vacuum forming system and need a good 25-30" HG  
> pump. I will probably end up using a venturi vacuum design and a  
> compressor since its cheap, but I am open to stand alone piston and  
> rotary vacuum pumps as well if I can pick one up for $100 or so.

I do have a vacuum pump that I want to use to degas silicon, plastic,  
this and that... someday... but I spent $150 on it so it's probably  
out of range (about half price, got it from a retired HVAC guy).  Try  
e-bay?

For a vacuum table, though, we've gotten good results with just a big  
shopvac, but we weren't trying to pull really fine detail either.

Also, pumps from old chest freezers should be able to work... check  
the thrift shops?

I have a few vacuum related links off of here:

http://del.icio.us/EdwinWiseOne/vacuum

> ALSO -- Any local plastic shops that you know of that stock large  
> sheets of styrene and/or ABS in thin 0.04 - 0.08" thickness?

We got our styrene from, I think, Regal Plastics off of Metric. I'd  
have to ask Paul.

http://www.regalplastics.net/locations.htm

Edwin!
---
Edwin Wise, Rogue Technologist
Simulated Reality Systems, LLC
www.simreal.com