A vacuum veneer press is something I’ve always wanted to experiment with but they’re expensive. During a recent trip to a discount tool store, I found a Venturi-style vacuum pump and decided to build my own.
The press I made uses a roll of vacuum saver food bags and a handful of hardware. I cut the bag to the length needed and sealed the end.
Then, I made the hookup point for the Venturi pump out of a bolt-on tire valve (with the stem removed), a couple of rubber and steel washers, and a spacer.
Before cutting the spacer to shape with a hole saw, I drilled a counterbore and cut grooves in the bottom face (detail ‘a’).
Using the Press. I simply place my workpiece in the bag and fold over the end a couple of times and clamp it with some scraps of MDF to make a seal. The Venturi pump is hooked up to an air compressor and it generates a vacuum, pulling the vacuum bag tight.
