New tool announcement: VAC SYS System coming March 1!

[TylerC]

[member=57769]TylerC[/member] How heavy and/or stable is it? It obviously can be used for sanding, routing, and with the Domino, but could it, for example, be used to hold a piece of wood that you might be using a spokeshave or chisel to carve an edge on?

Or would it be necessary to mount the clamping module on something can be clamped down to a firm surface to hold the base in place?

Is it even possible to mount the clamping module to another board?

The module needs to be mounted to a stable surface. There are three ways to do that:
1.    With the MFT Clamp
2.    Using clamps on the base fo the module
3.    Utilizing the green slide switch on the side that enables the suction clamp.  This will only work on non-porous surfaces.

 

[TylerC]

Can it hold pieces strongly enough to allow drilling large Dominos, hand planing, hand sawing, Rotex sanding with 60 grit, and drilling with a large Forstner bit? These are the type of operations I can envision using the suction unit to do.

The attached graphic should help with this. We'll also be releasing a set-up video in the next few weeks that should help to answer some of these things.

 

[promark747]

For this style of vac clamp, does the pump make noise only when establishing the clamping force and then stop (vs the compressed air style where it runs continuously)?

 

[Gordon Bombay]

I'm excited to watch the demo videos. Right now, it doesn't seem like something that I am interested in, but I am sure that watching guys like Half Inch Shy, Bryce, Erock, etc. using them will eventually make me want one.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

For this style of vac clamp, does the pump make noise only when establishing the clamping force and then stop (vs the compressed air style where it runs continuously)?

The vac pump runs continuously. The pump is very quiet, but not silent. You probably won't hear it when you have your hearing protection in place.

 

[Wonderwino]

Can the pump be used with vacuum bags or will Festool make vacuum bags available in the future?

 

[TylerC]

Can the pump be used with vacuum bags or will Festool make vacuum bags available in the future?

The pump can be used with vacuum bags, but we do not make the connections for this application.  We have no plans on making the connections or bags for this.

 

[mouppe]

Unless the pump has a setting whereby it shuts itself off when it reaches a set pressure (and then auto-restarts to bring it back every now and then) it is not a good idea to run the pump continuously for the time it takes to use it as a vacuum press.

My vacuum pump (VacuPress) has both settings, and one is advised not to run the pump in continuous run mode for more than 10 minutes at a time. The VacSys may differ, but I am sure it would still have a maximum run time far less than the several hours required to press veneers.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Unless the pump has a setting whereby it shuts itself off when it reaches a set pressure (and then auto-restarts to bring it back every now and then) it is not a good idea to run the pump continuously for the time it takes to use it as a vacuum press.

My vacuum pump (VacuPress) has both settings, and one is advised not to run the pump in continuous run mode for more than 10 minutes at a time. The VacSys may differ, but I am sure it would still have a maximum run time far less than the several hours required to press veneers.

I have no idea about veneer pressing, but for vacuum clamping I have run my Vac-Sys continuously for 7+ hours at a stretch with no obvious ill-effects. My understanding is that the pump is designed for production shops who can't afford to baby their tools.

 

[mouppe]

Unless the pump has a setting whereby it shuts itself off when it reaches a set pressure (and then auto-restarts to bring it back every now and then) it is not a good idea to run the pump continuously for the time it takes to use it as a vacuum press.

My vacuum pump (VacuPress) has both settings, and one is advised not to run the pump in continuous run mode for more than 10 minutes at a time. The VacSys may differ, but I am sure it would still have a maximum run time far less than the several hours required to press veneers.

I have no idea about veneer pressing, but for vacuum clamping I have run my Vac-Sys continuously for 7+ hours at a stretch with no obvious ill-effects. My understanding is that the pump is designed for production shops who can't afford to baby their tools.

Wow, that's impressive. Good to know. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it. Do you have to purge the machine after use?

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Unless the pump has a setting whereby it shuts itself off when it reaches a set pressure (and then auto-restarts to bring it back every now and then) it is not a good idea to run the pump continuously for the time it takes to use it as a vacuum press.

My vacuum pump (VacuPress) has both settings, and one is advised not to run the pump in continuous run mode for more than 10 minutes at a time. The VacSys may differ, but I am sure it would still have a maximum run time far less than the several hours required to press veneers.

I have no idea about veneer pressing, but for vacuum clamping I have run my Vac-Sys continuously for 7+ hours at a stretch with no obvious ill-effects. My understanding is that the pump is designed for production shops who can't afford to baby their tools.

Wow, that's impressive. Good to know. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it. Do you have to purge the machine after use?

LOL, to be honest, I just plug it in, use it, then put it away when I'm done. I think the manual describes operating temperatures, warns against allowing foreign matter (dust, debris, liquids) from entering the pump, and a service interval or ~5,000-8,000 hours on the vanes.

I know a lot of users here would have the attitude of "For that price it had better do more than just clamp", but for my money I'd rather not wreck an expensive tool by asking it to do things it wasn't specifically designed for...

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Can the pump be used with vacuum bags or will Festool make vacuum bags available in the future?

The pump can be used with vacuum bags, but we do not make the connections for this application.  We have no plans on making the connections or bags for this.

[member=3821]Wonderwino[/member] The connections are inexpensive.  Cost of a bag depends of size and material used, and they can be shop made.  See the joewoodworker site for details if you are interested.  I already have a vacuum pressing setup, but with this guy I could do two at the same time which would be a real game changer.

 

[Nat X]

How many inches of mercury does the pump pull?

Pump pressure is rated at 150 mbar. Capacity is 2.06CFM. 55dBA for noise level.

According to the random converter I found on the web, that's 4.4", which seems really low when this guy's $400:http://www.mcmaster.com/#4176k11/=10yby5z

Much louder, obviously, but yikes. Anything bad happen if you throw your own pump on the clamping heads and call it a day?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

How many inches of mercury does the pump pull?

Pump pressure is rated at 150 mbar. Capacity is 2.06CFM. 55dBA for noise level.

According to the random converter I found on the web, that's 4.4", which seems really low when this guy's $400:http://www.mcmaster.com/#4176k11/=10yby5z

Much louder, obviously, but yikes. Anything bad happen if you throw your own pump on the clamping heads and call it a day?

That's clearly a typo. I don't know what the current spec is, but it will be about 13psi, or .90 mBar. Anything much above that requires an oil filled rotary vane pump.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Hope this helps

 

[peter halle]

[member=57769]TylerC[/member]

Are the extra modules considered tools or accessories in regards to the 30 day trial period?

Peter

 

[TylerC]

[member=57769]TylerC[/member]

Are the extra modules considered tools or accessories in regards to the 30 day trial period?

Peter

Both clamping modules (SE 1 and SE 2) and the pump are tools. They are eligible for the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Everything else (vacuum cups and accessory set) are accessories.

 

[Nat X]

Hope this helps

That gauge seems to indicate it can pull up to 30", which would be a total vacuum, so I'm not too sure who to believe at this point. Where are people getting these other numbers from and why aren't they published anywhere?

 

[grbmds]

[member=57769]TylerC[/member]

Are the extra modules considered tools or accessories in regards to the 30 day trial period?

Peter

Both clamping modules (SE 1 and SE 2) and the pump are tools. They are eligible for the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Everything else (vacuum cups and accessory set) are accessories.

[member=57769]TylerC[/member] Does that mean that, if you buy the VacSys system with the pump, SE1 module, foot switch, and round clamping head, you could return the SE1 and pump but not the foot switch and round head within 30 days?

 

[Cheese]

Does that mean that, if you buy the VacSys system with the pump, SE1 module, foot switch, and round clamping head, you could return the SE1 and pump but not the foot switch and round head within 30 days?

The SE 1 "tool" consists of the clamping module, the round vac head and the foot switch.