[pianotech] OT vacuum press/vacuum clamping system

[Mike Spalding]

Shawn,

Don't know where you could go to "grope" a vacuum system, but here's a 
website where you can learn a lot about them, and buy kits and supplies 
to make your own. 
http://www.veneersupplies.com/default.php?cPath=60_64&osCsid=bef0b115fe3342f4542345489ff39dce
I learned abut this site in David Snyder's class on re-veneering a Stwy 
D.  I recently bought the V2 kit and supplies to make a 36" x 36" bag, 
and am very pleased with the results.
If you're not familiar with MIMF, you should be.  http://www.mimf.com/  
Register with them and search the archives for vacuum press info. 

Mike

Shawn Brock wrote:
> List,
>  
> do any of you have experience with the use of a vacuum press/clamping 
> system?  I am in the market for this product but am having a hard time 
> finding someone who sells it in the Cincinnati area.  More accurately, 
> I'm having a hard time finding someone who knows if they stock them.  
> You know how it goes...  Maybe they have it and don't know if they do 
> but they assume they don't because you want it...  I am going to get 
> back to my old hobby of building guitars so I need a system that will 
> handle something 15 wide and maybe 22 long.  I found one that has a 
> capacity of 14 wide and 47 long but those folks tell me they can't 
> order anything bigger.  I would rather shop for one in store than 
> online so I can grope the product in person.  I'm not trying to hide 
> my ignorance on vacuum press's, I don't know hardly anything about 
> them so...  I am planning to build either a double top guitar with a 
> nomex core or a lattice braced top using balsa wood and carbon fiber.  
> If you haven't got a chance to hear classical guitars built in this 
> modern fashion you should check them out.  The volume is tremendous!  
> You can't even compare them to traditional construction as far as 
> volume goes.  The tone is another  matter though.  You can check out 
> my page on myspace to hear traditional Spanish construction next to 
> this new sound offered by these guitars.  I have 4 songs posted at 
> this time and I used 3 different guitars.  Fields of Gold uses a 
> traditional Classical Spanish made guitar with Spruce top, The Call is 
> a lattice top guitar and New Moon and Golpe were played on a Spanish 
> Flamenco guitar with a Seder top.  I wonder if any of these new ideas 
> could become useful in piano soundboard construction? 
> www.myspace.com/shawnbrockmusic <http://www.myspace.com/shawnbrockmusic>
>  
> Regards,
> Shawn Brock, RPT