Hi,
I am planning to build a vacuum table for CNC routing of flat material. I need some advice from those of you who have made the mistakes already.
The table would be 5x10 feet, and I believe I would make chambers so that only the region(s) I need to hold down the material would be active. I am NOT an engineer, and I do not play one on TV. So I am willing to spend some money and "do it right" but I do not know what that means yet.
What should I use a the source of the vacuum? I would think first "a shop vac" but I am not sure that would produce enough vacuum to work properly. Also, a shop van relies on the flow of air to keep it cool, so using a shop vac to produce the vacuum seems illogical, since it would heat up and die an early death.
Is there a dedicated vacuum machine that can produce the proper amount of vacuum? I know Harbor Freight Tools sells something, but I am not anxious to "Go Chinese" for this project.
For the surface, I am told that 1/2" MDF is porous! That surprises me, but I was thinking more of a sheet of material with holes drilled pegboard style. But what diameter? And how close together? Should the hols be conical shaped? I would block off the holes that are NOT covered by the material with strips of plastic or whatever.
My thought was to make the chamber perhaps two inches thick, with internal ribs to prevent the surface from caving under the vacuum stress, but would a thicker chamber work better? Thinner? I just don't know! I am guessing that a manifold with ball valves would work to create zones on the table surface that would have vacuum while others are turned off.
All advice and suggestions from the pros will be greatly appreciated. I want to do this ONCE, and do it RIGHT!
Joe