# Vacuum Pallet



## Friday's (Jan 20, 2008)

Has anyone built their own vacuum pallet before? If so do you have any photo's or info you could supply me with.

Thanks


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## inkitup (May 12, 2007)

Did you ever end up making your own vacuum platen? I have also been looking for DIY plans. The local home improvement store sells hard pvc pegboard. I was thinking you could attach it to plywood with a hole in the plywood fitted for a shop vac hose. Since the pegboard is plastic it would facilitate easy loading/removal of coroplast, etc. What do you think?


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## Friday's (Jan 20, 2008)

I'm building one myself but still haven't had time to finish it as we are a busy. 

That will work. I'm using 2 pieces of plastic, top one with the holes and then a spacer all round then the next piece of plastic for the bottom piece. I will bond all these together and then place a hole in the bottom piece of plastic for my shop vac. Also going to build a foot pedal for an on off switch. Wont be to hard.. I think HAHA


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## tpope (Oct 3, 2007)

I built one from plexiglas plates with a spacer and a shop vac on a foot switch... Platen bracket to fit my press..
Start with small holes that are spaced out evenly. Drill more small holes if needed. Open them up more a little at a time if needed. Remember that a shop vac has gotta suck some air in to work. Do not block all the holes. Use tape to block some holes if ya get too many.


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## ino (Jan 23, 2007)

one way of doing this is.
1.make yourself a wooden frame the size of the platen you wish to make.
2. glue a piece of 12mm mdf on the bottom side with a hole the diameter of the hosepipe of the vacum cleaner.
3. on the other side glue a piece of plexiglass.
4.cover the plexiglass with graph paper,and drill 3mm holes every 4cms checker board. ( the use of the paper is just to make the holes neat)
do not make the holes too big as the suction could effect the levelness of the paper.
5.seal off the sides of the frame and the hosepipe with tape or preferebly silicone.
6. and the best of luck to you.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

This is a very old Post, but has anyone else built a Vacuum Platen? Anymore directions? Could you use more plexiglass as spacers?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Thank you, but I can buy one from Ryonet for much cheaper. 

Really wanted something I could make.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

A box with small holes in it with a shop vac attached, shouldn't be that difficult.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Doesn't have to be plexiglass? Seems like a bunch online.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

DIY Vacuum Former – Part 1

I would rig it with a microswitch so that when you bring down the screen it starts the pump otherwise you'll get tired of turning the vacuum on and off for every print.


edit: http://www.pnwcnc.com/proddetail.php?prod=Vac18x24


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## Flash Gordon (Mar 28, 2011)

www.TK560.com :: Index 
Different style of vacuum butt look's like a cool DIY site.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Sounds good guys. I'll take a look at those.

I'd prefer to use the Plexiglass to seal the spacers between the top and bottom Plexi.

I've never worked with that so I'm going to have to get creative.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Wormil,

That looks pretty cool. I guess I have to buy it to see how it works. It looks like the hollowed out the MDF cause the board looks pretty thin. 

I don't care what they did as long as it works. The price is like $100, plus $15 for shipping. 

They recommend a Footswitch from Woodcraft, but Harbor Freight has it cheaper. Like $14. 

Flash I couldn't see yours or understand where to find what the forum was talking about. Looks like it has some interesting topics that I'd like to revisit.


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## pnwcnc (Oct 22, 2010)

selanac,

You are absolutely correct about the construction of our vacuum platens. I keep the MDF a full 3/4" thick except for a couple 1/8" deep channels and v-grooves. I then use a void-less plywood that's about 3/16" thick to "cap" the back and create that vacuum chamber. The back and the vacuum port are glued with silicon and screwed on.

Just thought I'd take the guessing out of the construction.


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## Flash Gordon (Mar 28, 2011)

3 layers all 1/4", top and bottom cut to same size, top piece has holes drilled all the way through, bottom piece has a hole for vacuum and the middle piece will be flush to the top and bottom's outside edge. Middle could be made from four 5/8"x1/4" rip's or be cut out of one piece in the shape of a frame.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

PnwCNC,

Thanks, will hopefully buy later during the day.

Not sure of bolt pattern though I have a generic screen printing press.

Will work it out.

If I like it, I'd like to sell them.

Paul


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## pnwcnc (Oct 22, 2010)

Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks sleeps over rated. 

Sounds good Paul.


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## 34Ford (Mar 19, 2010)

You might want to look for polycarbonate instead of plexi (acrylic).

Plexiglass is VERY easy to crack where as polycarbonate is hard to break even if you try.

Or UHMW is a good plastic and cheaper.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Dennis, 

I keep forgetting to bring my spare Platen Bracket from the shop. Don't have internet access at the shop or at my Night Job. The platen bracket I have is from Logos Screen. Is there anyway to order the Vacuum Platen by just knowing the company I bought it from?

Paul


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## pnwcnc (Oct 22, 2010)

Yes. I can create a mounting area in the middle of the platen that will be more then large enough for a bracket.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Do they normally sit in the middle of the Platen or toward the back?


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## pnwcnc (Oct 22, 2010)

It's really up to you. I get orders for them in both locations. I recommend the bracket at least 3-4" in from the edge, but this is typical for even the non-vacuum platens.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I'll look at the website when I get home and see what I need to fill out. Maybe i'll stop by the shop and pick up the extra platen and take it home so I can fill out what I need.


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## Brantgoose (Sep 7, 2008)

Anyone ever try this with an old, like 110 mesh screen flipped over?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

No, the Vacuum couldn't hold the substrate down with that many wholes.


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## infopub (Aug 29, 2010)

pnwcnc said:


> It's really up to you. I get orders for them in both locations. I recommend the bracket at least 3-4" in from the edge, but this is typical for even the non-vacuum platens.


Dennis

Do you still offer these platens, I checked your website and didn't find them?

Thanks
Dan


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

That's terrible. I just ordered a bunch last summer.


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## infopub (Aug 29, 2010)

I just went to the pnwcnc.com website and it says "Sorry We're closed". Does anyone know if they are out of business or their website is just down?

Thanks for any help.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Here's his phone number I found on Google. Maybe you can call or text him: 
(425) 422-1514


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## Brantgoose (Sep 7, 2008)

If you find out I might want one also.


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## infopub (Aug 29, 2010)

selanac said:


> Here's his phone number I found on Google. Maybe you can call or text him:
> (425) 422-1514



I found his number also, I plan to call him next week.

Thanks
Dan


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## mikehammer (Aug 8, 2012)

Did anyone ever reach him. I've been checking back here every so often. Really wanted one of his vacuum pallets.


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## infopub (Aug 29, 2010)

mikehammer said:


> Did anyone ever reach him. I've been checking back here every so often. Really wanted one of his vacuum pallets.


I kept trying to call him but never got an answer. I finally bought one off ebay. Got a great price on a new aluminum one.


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## starchild (Jul 22, 2009)

I do not own a homemade vacuum pallet, I bought mine from vastex and it's made of all metal.. 

Productivity is increased on press when doing multi color images or even if you're doing a first down or last down base on a single color image because you can use a flash for gelling and not remove the stock from registration to conveyor and re registor for the other screens.

So in choosing the materials for your project, consider if it can hold up to flash temperatures.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SII


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I've never heard from the guy again myself. However, find a local company that works with wood using a CNC router. Tell them what you're doing and you can make them for yourself, and sell some to the others on this site.


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## MimosaTexas (Oct 31, 2010)

I have made two vacuum platens/tables so far. They are incredibly simple to build and can be done in two basic ways. one option is to use a base of 1/4 to 1/2 plywood, then create a box with support using 1/2 inch square wood (located by the dowels in home depot or lowes, then top with a sheet of pegboard and finally a sheet of 1/8 plexi. Glue everything together with wood glue and use caulk or putty to seal all of the seams. I used two part epoxy to adhere the plexi to the pegboard. be sure your supports (the 1/2 square pieces) run parallel with your print stroke to prevent any waviness if you use tons of pressure on your squeegee. Essentially you are building a kind of tortion box with a single connected chamber instead of a grid or multiple chambers. There are 3 advantage to the plexi and peg board vs just another piece of plywood. First, no measuring out a million holes, just use the pegboard as a guide. Second, plexi is super easy to drill through with a 1/16" bit. I found with plywood and mdf the bits would heat up and break occasionally. Third, if the plexi gets damaged in any way, it is relatively easy to replace without messing up any other part of the platten. Took me 2 hours to build one capable of printing 25" x 19" with room to spare. I use the $20 bucket shop vac from home depot and packing taped the hose into a hole in the bottom. Works amazingly.

Another option, which is how I built my 36" x 60" table is to use a router to create a grid in the surface of a thicker board. I actually used an old drafting table I found for free on craigslist and the top is just 2 1/2" pieces of plywood glued together. I used a 1/4" router bit set at a depth of 1/4" and created a grid with vertical channels the width of the holes on a pegboard, and horizontal connecting channels every 6 inches. I also got fancy and created four separate chambers by leaving a gap in the connecting horizontal channels every 15 inches, then drilled four holes centered in each chamber for vacuum hoses, then used some pvc with simple pvc valves and a few T shapes to control the flow. Depending on the size of what I'm printing on, I can have vacuum areas as small as 15" x 36" or as big as 60" x 36" by turning a few valves on or off. 

I used hinge clamps on both versions to hold the screens and use a bucket with a weight in it tied to a c-clamp as a counter weight to hold up the screen between prints.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

This is old, but just to let you know my Vacuum Platen works really well. I wish more people were interested to have kept Dennis in business. 

The Vacuum attachment isn't great. If you turn the vacuum on the hose stays in. Once you turn it off it falls off. I taped that portion with duck tape. Also use a foot pedal to turn it off and on. 

I use mine for transfers right now. Anyone making Transfers? Would like to brainstorm for best tips.


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## jcprinting (Oct 10, 2010)

Any pics on the palet?


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

I'll have to take one. 

Also hoping others will chime in about what they're doing with it. Transfers, signs?

On the Transfers, how do others apply the Adhesive Powder? I use a plastic cup and sprinkle it on the design, than flash for 7 to 9 secs to gel. Presses great.


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## jcprinting (Oct 10, 2010)

We use a strainer to put the the powder onto make sure no clunks or put on, the we just use a large cookie pan to shake the powder on to, then we put in in our vaztex D-100 we bought at the nbm show dor a decent price. Getting ready to make our vacumm palet, have a couple of ideas on how to do it, but havent decided exactly what i want.


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

jcprinting said:


> We use a strainer to put the the powder onto make sure no clunks or put on, the we just use a large cookie pan to shake the powder on to,


This basically how we did it except into box lid.


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

We use a cookie sheet too. Bought it at Bed Bath and Beyond. Saw the strainer on a YouTube Video. Using a used Garlic bottle for now. Works great. 

Also put a Foot Pedal on the Vacuum. This way I don't have to keep it running while i'm applying the adhesive powder. 

I'm really getting a bunch of Plastisol Transfer Customers. I love it. Much better then screen printing on shirts.


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

I wanna get one made myself who makes them


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Took a picture of the top of our Vacuum Platen. The Platen is 18" x 24" so I taped off the top and bottom with paper. Never tried it without the paper so don't really know if that helped.


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## Stan Hoover (Jan 28, 2009)

selanac said:


> Took a picture of the top of our Vacuum Platen. The Platen is 18" x 24" so I taped off the top and bottom with paper. Never tried it without the paper so don't really know if that helped.


I rarely post here any more, but I'm Interested in this. Selanac, do you remember the size and spacing of the holes? I've got one of these builds in queue, although I've selected 1/4 inch aluminum plate for the base layer.

Also, shop vacs don't like restricted airflow for long periods. Does the intermittent operation allowed by a foot switch permit enough cooling?

Thanks!


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