Haha that’s the spirit! Looking forward to your results!
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That did work out, after all. Sooo much dust, even though the dust collection was working. I turned it off for around 4 seconds to try what would happen and all the stuff got blown all over the place. So it did work at least a bit. 
I am now going to buy the pipes I am missing. 
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Thank you for posting pics and updates! Following with interest!
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Black Box Vac’s Hurricane Vacuum System — with 4 vac motors for a full 4x8 table — costs about $3,680 when including 4 valves for zoning, and including an inline filter, and including shipping for residential addresses.
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Yeah, thanks, but I’ll pass. 
If mine works it cost me 12,45€ plus a few bits and pieces that I had lying around.
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Looks great @Tokoloshe!
Curious what your vacuum pipe/gate/sealing setup looks like inside the table/torsion-box. Were you able to make modifications to your existing bench, or have to pretty much completely rebuild?
Cheers!
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I had two layers of MDF for stability, 21mm bottom, 18mm on top. I just pulled the spoilboard off, the feet are on plywood anyway (the white strips you can see in the pictures). I just made the grid in the bottom board. I started to do the pipes today, might be able to finish it this weekend, will provide pictures.
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Today’s progress: Laid down the pipes, then put the original plate on again. Did suck a little through it, but not enough. Sealed the table with wood sealer. Hope that helps. If it does not I am planning to use some window-insulation strips to put on the outer edges to stop the air from escaping through the sides at least. I might also add three layers of paint or put some foil below the table to seal it. Not sure yet. The general idea does work though.
I guess another problem is the spoilboard itself, because it is a lot bigger than the actual cutting surface, I might have to paint it as well to not have air escape through the sides there OR cut out the cutting area and put some airproof insulation around the cutting area. That might be better actually in the long run. Or I just exchange the whole top with plywood and just cut out the area for the spoilboard. That might be the best but most expensive solution that I don’t want to try as of yet. Now, pictures:
Below the table:
Side of the table with two blast gates for the big areas:
All painted with the sealer:
edit: I just had an idea: I am going to cut out the spoilboard with my planing bit (16mm) so it’s wider than the actual size that I usually use, then I can build a plywood frame that is ~8mm around the actual spoilboard made of MDF. Most cost effective I guess.
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I now mixed wood glue with a little water and “painted” it again. Will see if that works this afternoon I guess. I still have the option to pour a layer of epoxy if all else fails.
To close the different zones of with a something subbery, like a window seal, is a good idea for sure. If you’re planning on using them separately. Maybe even a must.
Also we used to put a round of painters tape around the spilboard when I worked on a big machine. Made a huge difference, partly because no air could sneak in through the side but mainly I think because no air could sneak in from under the edge.
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New spoilboard with Plywood sides to stop the air from escaping.
/edit: Not using this spoilboard at the moment since it is too thick.
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The spoilboard is muuuuuuuuch too thick. I should have known that 18mm is waaaaaaaay too much (but hey, why think when you can just not. Ordered a 5mm board as well as some PE-insulation, will arrive in a week or so. Uff. Until then I have a fancy new spoilboard… Thinking of doing that thing with the pegs, you know? where you have holes and stuff and can put plastic in those holes. You know what I mean.
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I know, I know: Again, another post? This thing is a rabbit hole. Grrml. Iff (if and only if) the treated MDF should still not be airtight and working with the 3mm plate (and another problem is that my whole cutting area is in a 15mm hole then (does not matter too much if I don’t get close to the borders), I might buy a PVC Plate: PVC Platte weiß 10mm, which definitely does not let any air pass. This guy makes tables with it and a 3mm plate and it seems to work well: Vakuumtisch nur 16mm hoch - CNCWerk-Forum. It’s German, but TLDR: 3mm Alu-Dibond, 10mm PVC, 3mm MDF. I could be doing the same but with my MDF baseplate I already have. But only if it does not work with the 3mm. Will keep you posted.
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It woooooooorks! Without insulation yet. See the video, I’m pulling and pushing with all my strength.
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appreciate seeing your progress. What’s holding down the stock, I couldn’t figure out?
does that tell something about the holdingpower, or your strenght?
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Air. It’s an old vacuum cleaner.
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I am missing something. I am not quite following what the resulting final design is here. Do you have that painted with glue spoil board you were talking about sitting on top of that board with the square/channel/maze and holes in it? Do you then have mating holes in the spoil board so the suction can reach the work piece on top of the spoil board? In the previous picture of the spoil board I do not see holes. If no holes how is the vacuum getting to the work-piece? Thanks
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Hey Rick, the spoilboard that you can see a few posts above is 18mm MDF which was much too thick (though in theory that should not really matter, have to try later) so I bought some 3mm MDF. The MDF is not really dense so the air can flow through it (even more if you plane down the top 0.1mm which I didn’t do yet). So the MDF is sitting directly on top of the grid I milled and made airtight, the workpiece on top the MDF.
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Oh so no holes? I would not have guessed that worked due to the glue. Very interesting.
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