VACUUM CHAMBER ADVICE

[Gotwood]

Hi all,

The expansion and investment continues. I am now in the market for a vacuum chamber kit that will allow me to stabilise blanks,scales,tips etc prior to working them or selling them on. The only problem, beyond process, I have no idea what I'm looking for re. Spec and capacity.
I will be stabilising scales mainly but not exclusively. I have seen kits at approx £300-400 which look good but again, I cant be sure. From my current research I can see that the capacity of the pump is key and that many kits dont come with a good enough on.

All thoughts, advice and feedback appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

You might find this WIP useful if you fancied making a vacuum chamber...

vacuum-chamber-wip-t113404.html?hilit=chamber


Also note a later post of mine where I changed the material of the top...

post1257461.html?hilit=PolyCarbonate#p1257461

 

[Lons]

That's a good link from sawdust.
Walter Hall also made one out of a pressure cooker a couple of years ago, that was for an article in one of the woodworking / turning mags I'll try to remember which one.

There have been a number of discussions on the pen turning forums so worth doing a search as a number of members use vac and or pressure pots http://www.penturners.co.uk/
I've though about it myself but never got around to it.

cheers
Bob

 

[Inspector]

Turn Tex makes the Cactus Juice that most use for stabilizing over here and he has lots of information on his site. It will give you an idea of what you might need. If you are making a chamber out of some kind of pot using a clear top, make sure the top is very thick and you put the fittings near the edge or better in the side of the pot.

https://www.turntex.com/product/build-your-own-chamber

Pete

 

[Gotwood]

Thanks for all the replies and links guys. Definitely going to buy rather than make. Time poor these days so the quicker the better.

 

[Lazurus]

Made mine from a new paint pressure pot and a couple of air fittings, less than 20 minutes to adapt cost under £100 in total. there is a video on You tube with the Harbour freight model which is available in many guises on the WWW

 

[Robbo3]

I made mine from a stainless steel saucepan from a charity shop, some 8mm polycarbonate for the lid, standard airline push fittings & a £50, 1.8CFM vacuum pump off ebay.

A 2.5CFM pump is now £36 on ebay.