We had a product where loss of vacuum could be serious. We used a vacuum switch to cut power if the vacuum dropped below a preset value. The same could be done with a vacuum chuck. The switch could be wired to trigger an E stop or light or sound an alarm.
Yes, you could do all that safety electrics for a related vacuum pump problem. But I think the bad day would come from knocking the part hard enough to break the seal. And then that part would fly off in the blink of an eye. Not enough time for any e-stop to trip or spindle to slow down and stop. You wouldn’t need an alarm, you would hear the part ricocheting around the shop! I took it easy. Not my usual, how fast can I go before I burn up a cutter kinda day. It worked great, but I used extreme caution...Good Luck, Dave
Whipped up a quick qnd dirty press to to collapse the slip joint under the spring to remove a split ring retainer on the shaft in order to change the pinion shim;
if you are getting a smooth weld I would guess yo are to hot or moving to slow for the heat. While the stack of dimes looks good it is not proof of a good weld. mig should look like the weld posted above. Stick welds will give this look also. I would not worry so much about the stack of dime as I would quality of welds. I've seen pretty welds break. And ugly ones pass a bend test.