Thin Air Press Kit 20 x 70"

Thin Air Press Kit 20x70"

The Thin Air Press Kit 20x70 is designed for laminating custom skateboards using our uncut veneer sheets, including our uncut skateboard molds.

It can also be used to for woodworking projects such as archery bows, furniture parts, paddles, etc.

The kit can be re-used many times, and with a little care and maintenance, can last for hundreds of pressings.

The Thin Air Press Kit 20x70 contains:

• a 20x70" vinyl vacuum bag
• with a seal and a one-way valve attached
• a Thin Air Press Pump
• breather netting
• extra sealing tape
• illustrated instructions with maintenance sheet 

Position of the valve: The valve can be positioned in the center (for most wood projects) or off-set for wet resin (epoxy) pressings. Please specify your choice when ordering.

If you choose an "offset" valve for working with epoxy, you can also use your press with woodworking glues. The offset valve is simply to ensure epoxy does not go up the valve and clog it. 

How to use this product:

• insert your glued veneers (and mold) into the heavy-duty vinyl vacuum bag
• position the breather netting under the valve
• seal the bag
• connect the Super Pump and extract the air out
• wait for you project to dry in the press

Before you glue your veneers, a dry run is highly recommended!

FAQ

Is this reusable, and for how many times?

The kits are designed to be used many many times. With a little care and maintenance, the TAP Kits will last for years.

Will the glue stick to the bag?

PVA glue and epoxy will not stick to the bag.
Any dried glue can be loosened with fingers and either shaken or blown out with a shop vac.

How many boards can I press at once?

One board at a time. You are limited by how fast your glue dries. Once you start spreading water-based glue on the veneer sheets, you have about 7 minutes to get them pressed before the glue dries. Dry glue will not bond together.

How can I get the air out faster?

These larger bags have a lot of air in them at the start. A quick way to remove most of the air is to remove the top cap of the grey valve and hover a vacuum hose over the valve. Much of the air can be removed however vacuum cleaners are high volume but low pressure so they will not generate the pressure required to press a deck. Quickly reattach the cap onto the valve and finish the high pressure pumping using the Super Pump.

Why not use an electric pump system?

Because this is easier! The TAP valves are designed to work with the manual pumps supplied. The beauty of these one-way valves is that the pump does not need to be hooked up for the entire time the project is drying in the bag. The bag remains air tight, so that you dont need a constantly running pump. Once a project is pressed, it can be set aside while you go onto other pressings.

If the TAP Bag gets a hole in it, can I fix it?

Clear 2 packing tape seals up any suspected punctures. Use a length of the butyl tape to fix any side seam gaps or splits. See instructions for further details. 

Do the valves leak?

While many people assume air is leaking back through the valve, they are made of cast rubber and almost never leak. The most common problem with slow leakage is the open-end seal tape. If the seal is not properly closed up (check both sides) you will lose vacuum. If the top cap of the valve is not compromised with dust and debris, the valve will not leak.

Do you refund my veneer if the pressing doesn't work?

Sorry, we don't offer reimbursement for these types of problems.

What is a Dry Run and why should I do that?

It means to press your project in the TAP bag, without putting any glue on the veneer sheets. Stack the dry sheets of veneer over the mold, seal them into the press with the breather netting in place, and pump the air out. Check for 10 minutes to make sure the TAP bag is not leaking. This will help you become familiar with the process before you commit glue to your veneer sheets.