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Don Weisman writes:

My opinion of a Vacuum press's frequency of use is that it is needed
as much as any other specialty tool. We like you, do virtually all manner
of repair work. Not having necessary tools and equipment makes
repairs more difficult, sometimes impossible, and at times not as well
done. Certainly more time consuming, which results in either higher than
necessary customer costs or lower shop profit if adjustments are made
due to inadequate equipment or know how.

I'd say I probably use my press about 20 times a year. If the bag is
protected, it also provides a nice area to lay things on. (See photo)

I use it for veneering, repair regluing veneer and more. Sometimes, a
component requires some form building, but usually...simple supports
work well to the keep an item from crushing to pieces. I have even
used the press once in removing a huge warp on an old headboard
panel by "breaking" the wood along the grain to relieve the stress
before glue and fill. Remarkable how flat it was then. It's also used for
blocking up thinner pieces of wood for thickness (no clamps needed).
One of the largest benefits aside from veneer work is in replacing
Duncan Phyfe back splats. We know gluing cross grain splat breaks (a
disservice) doesn't work. With the press, any plywood (which is never
the correct thickness of old splats) can be faced on both sides with the
correct specie and to the correct thickness.

I purchased a 55" x 105" bag of the heaviest quality I could get from
Vacu Press, and I'm glad I did. With the heavy plastic, I don't even
have to protect the corners while pressing. On new wood like table
leaves (a cinch to veneer to any thickness) I might take a couple file
strokes to the corners. The one mistake I made was buying the 105"
length. 4'-5' would have been adequate and that's my advice to you.
The only anomaly is, sometimes a shaped piece can be tall and that
uses up bag size quickly.

There's no question about making your own, as all you get in the
package is the pump, some hose and the bag. The board inside the bag
provides the drawdown air to be evacuated. We used a Drafting table
with top, over that a 3/4" 5' x 10' MDF trimmed to size, and inside the
bag a 4' x 8' x 1 1/8" Melamine (for ease of glue drip removal). I didn't
think it was worth my time to build one. Besides, I don't recall ever
making something that didn't cost more than buying one. I don't buy
anymore anyhow. I have everything I need for what I do.





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