Vacuum Breather Mesh/Net

Price:

$14.95

Shipping:

Calculated Prior To Checkout

Customer Rating:

Based on 7 Reviews

Product Description

Breather mesh is a unique plastic fabric that is used in the vacuum bag to allow air to flow across the project being pressed and towards the vacuum port or valve stem. It is used in place of a top platen. Without it, the vacuum bag material will seal itself against the veneer causing pockets of air to form. These pockets have little or no vacuum pressure inside and therefore do not provide the even clamping strength required to keep the veneer flat during the vacuum pressing process.

Use this breather mesh to distribute vacuum pressure evenly throughout the bag. This is the key to successful vacuum pressing!

A bottom platen board is still required when breather mesh is used but there is no need to cut grooves in the platen with this method. The beauty of breather mesh is that it simplifies the vacuum bagging process. The platen is only used to provide a "reference" surface which keeps the panel flat while the veneer adhesive is setting up.

Breather Mesh Advantages

Re-usable
Light weight
Very flexible
Inexpensive
Only .061" thick
Can be cut to size
Easy to use and store
Simplifies curved veneer work
Does not fatigue vacuum bag material
Will not stick to most veneer adhesives
Lets you see the veneer as it is being pressed
Reduces bleed-through problems on open-pore and burl veneers

Breather mesh may have sharp edges but it will not damage your vacuum bag.

Made in the USA!

Tip from Joe
When your project is finished, store the mesh inside the vacuum bag. Then simply roll up the bag with the mesh inside. This will make it much easier to use on your next project.

Rolled/Folded Option
In the interest of minimizing your shipping costs, we fold the breather mesh and place it in the box with the other items in your order. Some users are reporting that it is harder to work with the mesh when it is folded so we now offer to ship the mesh rolled in a separate box. The additional charge for selecting "rolled" is to cover the additional shipping and packing costs.

If the breather mesh is the only item in your order, you do not have to select "rolled" since we would ship it that way anyhow.

Learn more about this product by clicking here.

Product Reviews

Happy Buyer!

Review by Ernie Cardin
Rating:

This breather mesh is superb. Its re-usable and it works. I've ordered from this website many times and the speed which they process an order is amazing. When I first ordered my vacuum press, I had a shipment notification and tracking number within an hour!
Great product

Review by Nicolas Goodman
Rating:

There isnt more I can add to the existing reviews other than to say that this mesh has changed the way I look at a veneer project. I used to look at a project and wonder how I would ever get the bag to lay flat on the surface without creases. I had trouble on any complex surface understanding how I would make the bag lay correctly where I needed it to be. A friend of mine had bought some imported hand pump and vacuum bag and it came with a "mesh" that looked like something that a sack of fruit would be pacakged with. After it failed him, he bought the mesh from here and never had to replace it. I tried it and it changed everything. From that point on, I was so not afraid of vacuum pressing a contoured shape that I started making projects for a local company because they could not figure out how to veneer the shape on their own.

Im not sure what else to say. This is a good item to have if you do any vacuum work at all.
Breather Mesh - Does What It Should

Review by Gordon Werner
Rating:

A lot of problems can happen if you dont use breather mesh. I've used the mesh sold here and several other meshes. This one is the best by far. Its very re-usable and that makes it more cost effective than the junky mesh sold by lesser companies.

You wont find a better way to vacuum press a flat or curved panel anywhere and you wont find a better mesh any place other than here. I highly recommend this no matter what kind of veneering you do.
Very Happy with My Purchase

Review by David Moreland
Rating:

For 3 years, I've been using a platen on top of my veneered panels in the vacuum bag. It works fine but it can be tedious. On the suggestion of a friend I tried this mesh and I have to say its well worth the cost. I've been using the same piece of mesh for the last 20 projects and it still gives me great results.

One suggestion, buy the largest piece offered because you'll end up cutting some of it down to various sizes if you have more than one vacuum bag. It's a bit cheaper to buy this way.
Great Productivity Aid

Review by David E
Rating:

I use a vacuum press instead of a vacuum bag. This has the vacuum port at the end of the press. Using Breather mesh over the top platten I do not need one that is cross groved and running a strip of breather mesh from the port to the top of the project eliminates any positioning issues and ensures full pressure to the project.
Great Product Very Useful

Review by Kirk Davies
Rating:

Great product to use in lieu of cauls etc. Can't find anything comparable. Produces great results on vacuum veneer items.
Happy to have found this one.

Review by George Jones
Rating:

I knew something like this must have existed. I searched every catalog I have and I spoke with every woodworker I could find (no one really understood what I was talking about).

I guess I dont need to repeat what the description says. Its self explanatory. But I will say that it does work nicely and its completely reusable.

My order arrived very quickly and the shipping was ok. What surprised me most is the quality to price ratio. This is a good deal for what it does considering its cost. This is another case of "its not what it IS... its what it DOES".

I will definitely be recommending this to my fellow woodworkers who are veneering their projects.

More Information

Why is the mesh not sold in a 54" width to match the size of the larger vacuum bags?
The manufacturer does not yet have the capacity to build the mesh any wider than 41 inches. Each time I order rolls of mesh, they tell me that they are continuing to add machinery and technology to improve on this width.

Can the mesh be cut?
Yes. The mesh is very easy to trim to size with a pair of scissors.

What if my project is wider than 41"?
Simply order enough mesh for two side by side pieces that you can lay inside the bag. Some users have reported success by joining the two pieces with duct tape.

Why do you charge more to roll the mesh for shipping?
In the interest of minimizing your shipping costs, we fold the breather mesh and place it in the box with the other items in your order. Some users are reporting that it is harder to work with the mesh when it is folded so we now offer to ship the mesh rolled in a separate box. The additional charge for selecting "rolled" is to cover the additional shipping and packing costs. If the breather mesh is the only item in your order, you do not have to select "rolled" since we would ship it that way anyhow.

If I opt to have the mesh shipped "folded", will the creases make it unusable?
Absolutely not. In time, the creases will become less obtrusive. Here's a tip from Dana Berggren: If your breather mesh has creases in it, make a quick pass over the area with a hair dryer. Reverse the crease while the mesh is warm and it will return to its original flat shape.

Do I need several sizes of mesh for each size project I put in my vacuum bag?
Most people have one piece of mesh that matches the size of their vacuum bag. This way, no matter what size your project is, if it will fit in the bag then the mesh will fit too.