"The Mini Mach Vacuum Table
Vacuum tables are essentially clamping devices and are invaluable for holding large, flat items securely in place in large workshops or on production lines. The Mini Mach is a small version of the professional vacuum table, intended for use in the home workshop, and is powered by a domestic vacuum cleaner.
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Statistics
Black and stylishly designed, it measures around 47 x 32cm and is about 3.5cm high. One end of the table has an inlet port with a tap, where the vacuum cleaner is connected, and the other end has a moulded carrying handle. The underside consists of a single cell, walled with a synthetic foam material, which holds the unit to the workbench by suction supplied from the vacuum cleaner. The upper side of the vacuum table consists of 12 separate cells, separated from each other by the same synthetic foam walls. Each cell contains a sprung ball-bearing valve.
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How it works
The inlet port attaches to the hose of a domestic vacuum cleaner via a tapered, fluted bung, and there is a tap which allows an object on the table to be repositioned, or removed, without switching off the vacuum cleaner. The fluted bung is designed so that the vacuum cleaner is always pulling air in, rather than sucking at a closed system, to avoid damage to the motor. The Mini Mach sits on a flat, solid surface, and is held in place by suction. Pressing an object onto the top of the table opens one or more of the valves and results in the object being 'clamped' in place by suction.
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In use
The inlet port did not fit the hose attachment of my ancient Electrolux upright cleaner, but the hose on my Hoover cylinder model fitted perfectly.
I could not use the Mini Mach directly on my WorkMate because of the holes through the WorkMate's vice jaws, which are part of its design. The holes let air in to equalise the pressure inside and out, and stop the unit being held to the surface. So I cut a rectangle of 18mm ply to fit the Mini Mach, screwed a baton to the back of it, and clamped in the WorkMate. The Mini Mach sat neatly on the ply and was ready for use.
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A domestic vacuum cleaner is not a powerful vacuum pump, and the open flutes of the connector limit the force with which the Mini Mach is held to the surface. It is relatively easy to break the seal, and let the air in, by lifting the unit from the surface. Similarly, it is easy to lift an object that is being held by suction to the table. This means that activities such as sawing and drilling, which exert a downward pressure beyond the edge of the unit, cannot be performed without conventional clamping because the workpiece will pivot on the curved edge of the unit, break the seal, and lift away.
Secure hold
The combination of low pressure and high friction holds the table quite securely against horizontal forces so that the unit does not slide or twist on the surface. An object, whose mass is great enough to overcome the force of the sprung ball-bearings, with a flat surface large enough to overlap at least one cell, is similarly held firmly in place, laterally. The unit performs best when you work directly over the table, making it ideal for routing, sanding and painting or varnishing.
Conclusion
The Mini Mach, at £87 (Now £65 RRP), seems expensive for what is in fact a rather limited number of uses. Nevertheless, if you need to hold a suitable object in place, but cannot use conventional clamps, then this is the ideal solution.
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