A very inexpensive Vacuum Pump?

[avolanche]

I wonder if this item(used with a standard air compressor) will work as the pump to pull a vacuum when refilling inkjet cartridges? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92475

 

[mikling]

It should as long as the air compressor meets its requirement.

 

[InkMon]

As a thought would a cheap vacuum cleaner do the job, you would only require a minus atmospheric pressure, these get thrown away at cleanup time. The other possibility is one of those 12volt small car tyre inflators. They use pistons to achieve the pressure. If the input could be isolated they should achieve a good vacuum. I cannot see the one advertised being very cheap.

Just a thought
Terry

 

[ghwellsjr]

A vacuum cleaner cannot produce nearly enough vacuum to be useful at refilling. I don't know about your second suggestion.

I have modified the way I vacuum fill cartridges. In my article on the home page of nifty-stuff.com, I point out that with a good electric pump, you may not have to take two pump downs to do an adequate job but I routinely do that now. All you need is 25 inches of vacuum and the venturi pump claims to be able to do better than that.

My only concern is that my vacuum pump is rated at 1.5 CFM (cubic feet per minute) while the Harbor Freight device lists 4.2 CFM. I'm quite certain this is the requirement on the air compressor, not a rating on the vacuum capability. I looked through the compressors that Harbor Freight had and the only ones that could produce air pressure at that rate bring the cost up to about the same as a vacuum pump so unless you already have a good source of compressed air, I doubt that it would end up being cheap, even if it would work.

Still, if someone wants to give it a try, I'd like to see the result.

 

[avolanche]

I already have a cheap($79) harbor freight pancake compressor that is supposed to do 4.2cfm at 90 psi(though it may be over-rated).And,yes,the 4.2cfm definitely refers to the compressor's capacity(so the vacuum ability is what would be in question).I imagine a lot of folks already own compressors.
Harbor freight will match that price in local stores if you print out the online ad.It would sure be an inexpensive way to get vacuum if one has a compressor(and if the unit actually does what it says).

 

[ghwellsjr]

I found a compressor at Harbor Freight that appears to be the same one you are describing but it costs almost double what you paid for it.

Are you planning on getting one of their vacuum pumps to see if it will work?

 

[avolanche]

Not sure if I'm getting one or not.I'd have to decide to go the "vacuum fill route" instead of the conventional way (clean OEM cartidges>refill through hole in reservoir).Which would entail getting a vacuum chamber,too.I'd certainly have no other use for the vac pump.

 

[bemaponline]

What is the standard for deep vacuum ? How deep is the deepest ? as inkprocessusa.com claims :
"Inkprocess has the deepest vacuum in the industry! "

 

[ghwellsjr]

If you follow my procedure for vacuum filling, you don't need a really deep vacuum which I would assume is more than 28 inches of mercury. Two pumpdowns to 25 inches will completely fill Canon BCI-3, BCI-6, CLI-8 and PGI-5 cartridges.

Before anyone sends money to inkprocess, do a search on this forum to see that they are essentially taking money and not delivering.

 

[freddyzdead]

I have made very good vacuum pump for $0 using compressor out of an old fridge. Nothing to it.