Using a Vacuum Bag . . .

[Dwight]

2 hours ago, 327fed said:

Do you think the hydraulic press is safe for SA revolvers ( won’t crush them)? 

i have a couple of presses available. 

I can only say that I did not have any problems with the hydraulic press . . . other than being scared I was going to crush somebody's plastic fantastic lover pistol

Wood and steel guns never were a problem for me and the latex rubber pieces I used to get the forming done.

I do think though that the vacuum press does a better job . . . quicker . . . and I can see what it is doing . . . 

With the hydraulic press . . . if something gets out of alignment you will not know it until you lift the press.  With vacuum bag system . . .  you look thru the bag and you can see what is going on all the time.

And for the price I paid for the latex rubber pieces . . .  I could have bought the whole vacuum system . . . complete. (IIRC)

May God bless,

Dwight

[jrdunn]

8 hours ago, Dwight said:

. . . other than being scared I was going to crush somebody's plastic fantastic lover pistol

Dwight,  Do I detect a little Jefferson Airplane?

Jim

[Dwight]

3 minutes ago, jrdunn said:

Dwight,  Do I detect a little Jefferson Airplane?

Jim

He-he . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[rktaylor]

Dwight, 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I finished my bag today with 12 gauge (12 mil) plastic from JoAnns. I have the same pump from Harbor Freight that you linked above, though I bought it before I saw the link. I made the bag fitting with parts from Lowe's. After this photo was taken,  I drilled a hole through the bushing on the inside to keep the bag from blocking the vacuum. Thanks again for sharing. 

Randy

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, rktaylor said:

Dwight, 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I finished my bag today with 12 gauge (12 mil) plastic from JoAnns. I have the same pump from Harbor Freight that you linked above, though I bought it before I saw the link. I made the bag fitting with parts from Lowe's. After this photo was taken,  I drilled a hole through the bushing on the inside to keep the bag from blocking the vacuum. Thanks again for sharing. 

Randy

 

 

You are more than welcome, Randy . . . have fun with it . . . 

I did a couple of intricate radio boxes last spring and summer . . . would have been some kinda tough without the vacuum help.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Hags]

Love my vacuum set up. Harbor freight pump is still going strong in its second year. And I dont worry about crushing a plastic fantastic.

[327fed]

Bought this big ol Robinair vacuum pump off Craigslist today. Hope it can handle some vacuum wetforming.

[327fed]

Got too many leaks in my homemade vacuum bag, mostly around the valve. Gotta find an inner tube to cut a gasket. 

[rktaylor]

Make sure it's sealed on the edge of the valve. I punched the hole in my bag a little small so it would be tight on the fitting. Good look. 

Randy

[327fed]

Don’t use this style of valve. I ordered it off Amazon a year or so back. Would not seal well in my homemade bag. I made an inner tube gasket, put Vaseline on it, no luck. I cut up a commercial sweater vacuum bag and put the valve in it. It sucked down good one time, then wrung off. I have a smaller brass one but I need to drill some bigger washers to make it  work. At least I know my new pump is OK. Even Snoopy Santa was disappointed.