Mark Kronquist (mak@teleport.com)
Sat, 29 May 1999 09:59:08 -0700
I have a 5 x 8 vaccum frame less pumps if anyone is interested
-----Original Message-----
From: Sil Horwitz <silh@iag.net>
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Date: Friday, May 28, 1999 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: vacuum contact frame
At 99/05/27 09:33 AM -0600, John Melanson wrote:
>I'm going to try to make my own vacuum frame, a really light one made out of
>plexiglass. I was sondering if anyone had done such a thing. Also if
>anyone knew a supplier of vacuum pumps that could be had without breaking
>the bank.
The best supplier for mechanical and electro-mechanical devices at decent prices is Surplus Center, 1015 West "O" St., P O Box 82209, Lincoln, NE 68501-2209, phone 800-488-3407. They have an Oilless Vacuum Pump (4 CFM) for $69.99, their item number 4-1421. For your purpose (as, indeed, for all vacuum pump lab uses) to have an oilless unit, but this pump is truly overkill.
My suggestion is to try to find an aquarium pump (pet stores, aquarium stores) for just a few dollars, that has both an inlet and an outlet. You can use the inlet for vacuum, as that will provide more than enough to hold the small minus pressure you need. Alternatively (and to me, more desireable) is to use the air output to force a positive pressure to press a flexible backing against the glass-neg-paper "sandwich" as it is easier to get even pressure positively than through a vacuum, which requires an air input evenly over the surface, a precision requirement. With pressure, precision is not all that critical. And an aquarium pump (diaphragm or piston) will do the job.
Have fun. The fun IS experimenting!
Sil Horwitz, FPSA
Technical Editor, PSA Journal
silh@iag.net
Visit http://www.psa-photo.org/
Personal page: http://www.iag.net/~silh/
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