Pressure pots?

Jim Niemi

Member
Messages
196
Location
Southwest Michigan
Ok. Got a few questions for you smart turning guys/ gals. I acquired 2 pressure tanks today that I would like to turn into pressure pots for resin. What would I need to do this. Vacuum pump or air pressure? Jigs? image.jpgimage.jpgwill these work? Both have 300psi max pressure capability.
 
Wow! Those are some serious looking pots. No actual experience, but those pots looked so heavy duty I had to say something. There is a HF pressure pot sitting on my to-do shelf waiting it's turn. I have read that resin casting uses vacuum.
 
I'm no expert but I've done a fair amount of acrylic casting for pens and bottle stoppers. I have the HF pressure pot that I re-plumbed for vacuum. I built a plywood frame to hold the forms inside it.
 
Jim the issue is think of here is not are they big or good enough but perhaps they are on the other side of too good as in too large. Unless you planning on going into production such that you plan to sell the output. Then you need the capacity.
 
Not sure the size of the pot is so much a factor. You just need enough room to insert a container containing resin and the pieces to be cast/stabilized. A larger container just means you have to pull vacuum on a larger space. A larger container also gives you the capability to stabilize larger pieces of punky spalted wood or other 'stuff'....maybe even experiment with a small vacuum kiln?
 
When my son got his acrylic he used the HF pot. The directions that came with the resin/acrylic said to use pressure. Squeezes out the bubbles I guess.
If stabilizing use vacuum to suck the resin into the material.
 
... The directions that came with the resin/acrylic said to use pressure. Squeezes out the bubbles I guess. If stabilizing use vacuum to suck the resin into the material.

Now, you get into philosophy, Bob. The basic instructions for casting resin say to mix it up and pour it in your mold - no mention of pressure or vacuum. Then, you have the pressure or vacuum camps. There are arguments both ways.

I should have clarified about my HF pot. I re-plumbed it to have both vacuum and pressure connections with a ball valve to choose which way to go. I use pressure for acrylic resin and vacuum for stabilizing. Since setting up the HF pot, I got a 1.5gal glass jar to use with vacuum for stabilizing so I can see when the bubbles stop coming out of the material.
 
Now, you get into philosophy, Bob. The basic instructions for casting resin say to mix it up and pour it in your mold - no mention of pressure or vacuum. Then, you have the pressure or vacuum camps. There are arguments both ways.

I should have clarified about my HF pot. I re-plumbed it to have both vacuum and pressure connections with a ball valve to choose which way to go. I use pressure for acrylic resin and vacuum for stabilizing. Since setting up the HF pot, I got a 1.5gal glass jar to use with vacuum for stabilizing so I can see when the bubbles stop coming out of the material.


This is the stuff that he used.
http://www.alumilite.com/store/p/1078-Alumilite-Clear-For-Wood-Turning-Applications.aspx

I have no clue as to which is better, I've just watched him.
 
Yes I noticed with the alumilite people are using pressure vs vacuum. It was mentioned that pressure makes any bubble small enough that it can't be seen. And have to be fast with the 7 min working time. Vacuum I understand takes to long with alumilite so pressure is recommended.
 
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