OK, I've got my vacuum pump. Now what do I do with it?

[DougO]

I finally found a vacuum pump at a yard sale and don't know what to do next. Right now it has like a 1" reinforced hose connected to it. Could I step the 1" hose down to maybe a 1/4 or 3/8 clear plastic hose? I am just wanting to hold down parts for using a hand router and maybe to hold down small parts on the cnc. Would hate to have to have this 1" hose hooked up to one of the little vacuum pucks.

By the way, does anybody know what this thing was used for. Why such a large (and reinforced) hose? The people I bought it from did not know.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks,
Doug