The Swan VacQube VCQ124 is a compact 12V vacuum pump built for the woodshop. This is a negative-pressure vacuum pump designed for vacuum workholding, vacuum bagging, and vacuum chamber work. It is the power source for Swan Tool Group's VacQ vacuum clamping system, and it works with any vacuum workholding setup that runs on 1/4-in. airline.

The numbers that matter: 75 kPa of vacuum, which is 10.9 PSI or roughly 22.1 inches of mercury, at a flow rate of 20 liters per minute (about 3/4 CFM). High vacuum with modest flow is the right recipe for workholding. Once the seal is made, the pump holds the part down hard and keeps it there.

Control is simple. A 1/4-in. push-connect air port on the front takes your airline in seconds. A master on/off switch sits on the back, power comes in through a 5.5mm jack from the included 12V plug-in supply, and the included RF key fob remote starts and stops the pump from anywhere in the shop. That means you can set a workpiece, press the fob, and both hands stay on the work.

Swan reports the VacQube has been tested past 1,376 hours of continuous runtime and is still performing like new. It also runs quietly, which matters when the pump sits under your bench running for an entire glue-up or finishing session.

The VacQube is the heart of the VacQ system. Pair it with VacQports (VQPT01) threaded through your bench, VacQpods (VBP200) for portable holding on any surface, the VacQparing Pod (VPA120) for through-cuts, and the VacQswitch (VTSRV2) for instant release. Every piece connects on the same 1/4-in. airline.

Buy this if you want clamp-free workholding on a woodworking bench, or if you need a small, quiet pump for veneer bagging or a vacuum chamber. If you want the whole system in one box, look at the VacQ Starter Kit or Complete Kit, which both include this pump.

The Pump the VacQ System Was Built Around

The Swan VacQube VCQ124 gives you real workholding vacuum in a quiet box you can control from your pocket.

• Who it's for: Woodworkers building out a clamp-free bench, and anyone doing veneer bagging or chamber work.
• Why it stands out: 75 kPa, a remote, and a 1,376-hour runtime test in a pump small enough to tuck under the bench.
• Worth knowing: On its own it is just a pump. You need ports, pods, or a bag to put it to work.

• Does it run off a battery? No. It runs on the included 12V plug-in power supply.
• Can I use it for vacuum bagging? Yes. Swan rates it for vacuum workholding, vacuum bagging, and vacuum chamber work.
• What airline does it use? 1/4-in. airline through a push-connect port on the front.