Anyone built a vac platen from a honeycomb platen?

[ZooCity]

Just curious.  We have a handful of oversize honeycomb platens that don't get used and I was thinking of making an oversized vacuum platen or maybe a set for printing short runs on the manual, etc.  I wasn't sure if the honeycombed structure between the two layers of alum sheet had air gaps or not.  If they do I imagine it's a simple matter of drilling some holes through the top alum sheet and hooking up a vac somewhere at the bottom. 

[mimosatexas]

I would bet there are not gaps that would allow air to flow through the whole chamber since it would require more complex molding and offer no structural benefit, but I could be way off of course.

[Frog]

All of the honeycomb material I have seen is essentially  "closed cell". Each "tunnel" is independent.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

I've not seen honeycomb cores with connected air channels.

I used just 1/4" sheet aluminum for the base and made a sandwich with some strips of Sintra and double stick tape to allow for air channels. The top is .100' scrap aluminum. The taped strips only are only exposed to the base plate, and of course the little strips of PVC.

I didn't affix the top in any sort of permanent way. I just used high grade (commercial) 3M Electrical tape around the perimeter to hold the sandwich together. I wasn't sure I wanted it permanent. As it turns out, it doesn't really need to be. The 3M taped "band" is fine...at least for now.

BEST TRICK EVER came from Mimosa. I bought a scrap piece of Masonite peg board with a 1" X 1" grid with 1/4" holes. A 1/4 O.D. nylon bushing from Lowes fits loosly over a 1/16th inch drill bit, so I ran a little tape around the bit until the nylon bushing fit tight. I drilled 550+ holes with one drill bit and one bushing. The spacing was drop dead EASY that way. I just clamped the pegboard to my top plate and drilled away.

Thanks Mimosa!

I don't think your vacuum platen will work, but sure I wouldn't mind being wrong.

[Frog]

Here's the very basic diagram I used to post way back when

[mimosatexas]

My only suggestion would be to brace the top parallel to the direction of your print stroke, unlike what Frog posted.  If your top is thick enough and stroke light enough, it doesnt matter, but for my DIY version I found it helped with having any kind of uneven pressure  based on where the supports were.

[Frog]

My only suggestion would be to brace the top parallel to the direction of your print stroke, unlike what Frog posted.  If your top is thick enough and stroke light enough, it doesnt matter, but for my DIY version I found it helped with having any kind of uneven pressure  based on where the supports were.

The bigger the board/table, the thinner and/or less structurally sound the top, the more support needed for sure.

[ZooCity]

Got it, I'll keep the honeycombs for their intended purpose.  That's great advise on the drill jig.  Thanks y'all.

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

My only suggestion would be to brace the top parallel to the direction of your print stroke, unlike what Frog posted.  If your top is thick enough and stroke light enough, it doesnt matter, but for my DIY version I found it helped with having any kind of uneven pressure  based on where the supports were.

That's what I did too. I think though, that if your top is heavier guage than 100 thou, (like 125 maybe) it wouldn't matter much.