CNC routing, woodworking hold-down tables and vacuum lifting all need a pump that can quickly pull and hold vacuum against some leakage. The usual choice is a single-stage oil-lubricated rotary vane pump (such as the DVP LC series) for intermittent hold-down, or a dry claw pump for heavy continuous duty — sized to the table area or the load being lifted.
What vacuum do you need?
Hold-down and lifting work in the rough-vacuum range, so a single-stage rotary vane pump reaching around 0.5 mbar is more than enough. The priorities are fast pull-down and enough pumping speed to hold vacuum against the natural leakage of a porous workpiece or a spoilboard.
Sizing the pump
Bigger tables and more porous materials (MDF, timber) leak more air, so they need more pumping speed (m³/h). Undersized and the table won’t hold; oversized wastes energy. Tell us your table size and material and we’ll size it. A pump like the DVP LC 25 (25 m³/h) suits many small routers; larger beds need more.
Oil-lubricated or dry?
Oil-lubricated rotary vane pumps are cost-effective and reliable for intermittent hold-down. For continuous, dusty, heavy-duty work, a dry claw pump avoids oil maintenance. Girovac supplies and services both — see our DVP range and related packaging pumps.
Choosing a hold-down or lifting pump?
Tell us your table size, material and duty and we’ll recommend the right pump – like the DVP LC 25. Email [email protected] or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
What vacuum pump is best for a CNC router hold-down table?
A single-stage oil-lubricated rotary vane pump sized to the table area is the usual choice – for example the DVP LC 25 (25 m3/h) for smaller routers. Larger or more porous tables need more pumping speed, or a dry claw pump for continuous duty.
How do I size a vacuum pump for hold-down or lifting?
Match the pumping speed (m3/h) to the table area and how porous the material is – MDF and timber leak more air and need more speed. Give us the table size and material and we’ll size it.
Oil or dry vacuum pump for woodworking?
Oil-lubricated rotary vane pumps are cost-effective for intermittent hold-down; dry claw pumps suit continuous, dusty, heavy-duty work by avoiding oil maintenance.
Written by the Girovac technical team. Girovac Ltd has supplied and serviced industrial and laboratory vacuum equipment from its North Walsham workshop since 1983. Last updated: July 2026.