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Has anyone ever built a vacuum easel?


Daniel D. Teoli Jr.

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I want to build one that is strictly vacuum with no glass on top for copy stand use. I was going to use perforated sheet steel for holes. They have a 1/8 or 3/16 inch hole option on the steel. Some companies have smaller holes. I'm thinking 1/8 should do it. I plan to mask off areas with plastic that are not being used to increase suction. I will use a shop vac for suction. Frame to be wood. I may have to use some metal strip in the center to support the steel sheet. Will have to see how much it sags.

I was thinking of 24 x 24 inches, but may go 18 x 24 to increase suction. Steel comes in 24 x 24 as standard size. If you want max suction the best would be to build specific size easels. But it is time and $$, although the payment is mostly time as the smaller you go the cheaper it is and $$ is not a big deal. I'd rather buy one instead of making one as long as it was affordable. But all these old school tools are slim pickings trying to find them to buy.

Here is one like we used back in the 1970's for graphic arts use. Ours was bigger and more robust. It was on a stand and swiveled for vertical use with process camera or horizontal use. They were called vacuum frames. The glass did not heat in them. They were not hot presses.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1190287-REG/drytac_hgp360_hot_press_heated_glass_top.html?ap=y&ap=y&smp=y&smp=y&lsft=BI:514&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0dy9-SOcFEBlb25UvFhqGcp3TS1_nnlJiUNJ5Yf8SyCy74G58boykBoCoiUQAvD_BwE

They had an old thread at Large Format forum on a home built vacuum easel. Sadly, all the links are dead.

Here is some videos on YT.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vacuum+easel

I had built a vacuum easel when I was a kid, but it did not work good. The holes were far apart and too big.

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Hi Daniel, my ears point up, I've been obsessing over vacuum systems for dust in the composites and woodwork shops for ages. But it may not help much...

One thought. Bump heads with folk who have been developing systems for themselves recently.

My guess is it is a high vacuum low volume (HPLV) application, so something like a shop vac may be in the right direction.  Some of the CNC router guys used to have their work sucked onto an MDF wood surface...they sucked straight through it. I'm wondering, if the work area is small, the vacuum power is moderate, and the "easel" has an appropriate porosity...could work well.

If you just have holes in the easel they may need to be very tiny, and a lot of them. So my thought was to use a porous medium for the "easel". Not sure what...Some medium density cardboard might work, sitting on a perforated steel or MDF sheet.

With low flow (ie HPLV)  you should be able to site the vac unit away from the dark room.

Cheers,

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Must be only those sustaining member member chaps that have edit privileges now. wanted to add...If you do it yourself...

What I'm suggesting is just a box with a vac outlet, with drilled holes in the MDF top. Maybe try 5mm holes at 10 or 20mm centers. Lay a piece of low density cardboard on top, 1/16 to 1/8" thick. Not hard, dense card, not corrugated obviously.

Use the minimum vac that will hold down your work. Just check that you aren't straining the vac unit. Use the most porous material you can that will still keep the print surface flat

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