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Podz™ Vacuum Clamping Jigs
* Special Savings! *
Product Description
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Podz are simple vacuum jigs designed to affordably clamp projects to your bench top. Using the power of your vacuum press and clamping system, the Podz 26-piece kit allows you to configure the clamping jigs any way you choose to clamp projects as small as 4" x 4" and as large as 5' x 4'. Purchase additional Podz kits and you can expand the project size to panels of any size! With the Podz system, you can vacuum clamp work pieces to your bench top for routing, sanding, trimming, sawing, carving, dovetailing, staining, planing, scraping, and more. Each Podz clamping jig is made from high density polyethylene and is pre-drilled and pre-tapped. Assembly is quick and simple. Use one Podz jig for small work or link multiple Podz together for larger panels. A set of four Mach valves is included with each Podz jig which allows you to pre-arrange each jig on your work bench (with the vacuum source operating). The valve minimize the loss of vacuum pressure and keep the valves in place until you set your work piece onto the jigs. Kit Contents:
Assembly Time: 10 minutes Complete assembly instructions are available here. |
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Requirements:
To use the Podz jigs, you will need a vacuum press and a foot-operated vacuum clamping unit. For EVS and V2 vacuum press systems, the vacuum clamping add-on is required to control the flow of pressure from the vacuum reservoirs. If you own an Excel 1 or Excel 5 vacuum press system, you will only need an electric foot-pedal switch to control the vacuum pump system.
Notes from Joe:
- Podz clamping jigs work best on non-porous surfaces. This includes your bench top. If you have a porous wood bench top, the vacuum pressure will be diminished. In this case, I recommend applying several coats of oil based polyurethane to seal the pores and allow maximum vacuum clamping pressure.
- Porous woods such as oak and walnut will allow vacuum pressure to escape from the system. You can choose to allow this air to leak out and clamping pressure will be decreased. Alternatively, you can place blue painter's tape or even contact paper on the clamp side of the work piece. This will create a non-porous surface that can be clamped with vacuum.
- The Podz system is adjustable. You can cut the tubing to any size needed for the scope of your projects. I recommend using a 4-3-4 tube layout. This means four feet of tube from jig #1 to jig #2, three feet of vacuum tube from jig #2 to jig #3, and four feet of vacuum tube from jig#3 to jig#4.
- A set of four Mach valves is included with each Podz jig which allows you to pre-arrange each jig on your work bench (while the vacuum source operating). The valves minimize the loss of vacuum pressure and keep the jigs in place until your work piece in set on top.
- What can you do with your Podz? Send us pictures and we'll send you a coupon for 30% off additional Podz vacuum gaskets.
Select the appropriate end fitting based on your vacuum press.
- If you have the pnuematic foot pedal assembly for the V2 or EVS vacuum press
systems, select the "barb union" option above.
- If you have either of the Excel systems, select the "tube adaptor" option above.
Product Reviews
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Great Product
Review by Dwayne C
Rating:
I have struggled trying to clamp boards on my ornamental mill. The Podz do a great job holding my stock. Before I would lose 1 out of every 10 pieces. After using these clamps for 2 days I feel confident that I will not lose any pieces in the future making my job more efficient and profitable. They have already payed for themselves. I use these with my V2 auto-cycling vacuum press kit that I purchased here, another great product. Keep up the good work Joe.
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Well Worth the Money
Review by Lucas Brown
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I was skeptical when I decided to purchase these. I worked as a CNC operator in a large cabinet and millwork shop for a few years and we always had trouble holding down parts for machining, even with a huge $6500 vacuum pump. So I didn't really believe that my tiny (Excel 1) vacuum pump would have that kind of holding power. I couldn't believe how well these things work! They hold as well, if not better than our huge pump with the Nemi pods. I wish I would have bought them years ago. Well worth the money. Buy these now!
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I wish I bought this a long time ago!
Review by Jim Arnott
Rating:
My vacuum press system from Joe Woodworker has been in frequent use for nearly two years. All along I kept wishing there was a way to use it for clamping. A couple of weeks ago, I was surfing this website and saw the Podz kit and ordered it right away.
As always, the kit arrived very promptly. It took only a few minutes to assemble and shortly thereafter, I was using it on my work bench to hold down a table table while routing.
I cant say enough good things about the Podz clamps. It works as described and even better. I cant wait to take this to my weekend warriors club to show it off!!!
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Five stars!
Review by PJ Ballard
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I worked in a mid-size cabinet shop for a decade and we had a system similar to this one. The darn thing worked well but the individual pucks were super expensive and our CNC router would ocassionally cut into one. The boss would go nuts because they were a bit more high-tech (unnecessarily so). I'd venture a guess he was paying $50 per puck.
I was so delighted to find this vacuum puck system for my own shop. To think the whole system is under $70... well what more could you ask for? Of course, you already need a vacuum pump and a way to shut it off. I have a vacuum press system from a woodworking dealer here in California and it was no problem at all to get it to work with this clamping system.
Does it work? Hell yes! I can just imagine myself doing one of those old "Crazy Glue" commericials... hanging myself over a canyon supported only by a vacuum clamped board. Ha!
Everything else about my order is fine. Shipping prices were ok and it took about a week to get here. I had a tracking number so it was easy to follow the package. The instructions are clear and simple. This is a nice addition to my daily-use tool collection.
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Simple, effective, and cheap!
Review by Wendell H. Smith Jr.
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It's amazing how something so simple could work so well. The HDPE parts are nicely made and they are just the right size to work with any configuration that I could think of. I have an older V2 vacuum press and clamping option that I bought from Joewoodworker and this jig system is the icing on the cake.
My work bench was not porous so I had some trouble with getting the clamps to get full sucking power. So I put down a coat of polyurethane on my bench and wow what a difference that made. Now I am pulling the full vacuum on my project and the clamping is so strong that it would take an mule team to pull a project off the jigs.
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5 Stars!
Review by Eric K.
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I used Podz with my Excel 1 vacuum system and I thought it might be a bit under-powered. Surprise! It still works perfectly. It clamps down my project in a matter of 2 to 3 seconds. I cant begin to explain how satidfied I am with this set up. For the money, you just cant beat it.
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Just got them and I love them already!
Review by Doug "Grouch" Murphy
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Oh how I love simple things. The jigs are wonderful. I use them mostly for sanding and its wonderful to have full access to the project while sanding. No more rata-tat-tat of the project bouncing around on my workbench. No more holding my boards with a death grip to keep them from spinning out from the random orbit sander. For these two reasons alone I'm a better (and less grouchy) woodworker. Thanks to Joe for the great support, fast shipping, excellent product, great prices, etc, etc. I could go on and on!
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Vacuum Press Companion
Review by Kevin Hall
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My projects run the gammut from small to large and simple to complex. Clamping is never difficult but my bench clamps do seem to get in the way sometimes. What I like about these vacuum clamps is that they stay under the project so you can route all the way around the board without stopping and having to remove a bench clamp. The vacuum pressure is astonishingly strong (even from my little pump) and the grip is more than adequate. For what it does at this price, you cant complain. My kit arrived on schedule it certainly meets my needs. I highly recommend it if you have a vacuum source and a controller.
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I saved big time.
Review by Ray Sullivan
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These things are great. I use them in a production shop and we just screwed them directly onto our work bench top since they never need to be moved.
They work perfectly and I have to thank Joe for putting them in my hands. He sent me his very first Podz kit for testing and its been a perfect solution for my door assembly process.
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