PilgrimNukeGuy
Member
About to stabilize some spalted blanks for first time. Can you start the vacuum, pause overnight, and then restart to finish the next day?
Thanks,
Mike
Plymouth,. MA
Thanks,
Mike
Plymouth,. MA
1st time stabilizing
- Thread starter PilgrimNukeGuy
- Start date
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Larryreitz
Member
I'm not sure it's a very good idea. Any loss in vacuum in the pot would cause the Cactus Juice to fill up voids and it could get difficult to finish pulling out any residual air.
JohnU
Member
I don't stabilize a lot but I wouldn't be worried about doing that. Your not cooking it until your completely done with pulling the air out. When I pull a vacuum I release it several times during the process to force resin in. I've had no problem pulling air out the second, third or tenth time after releasing vacuum and restarting. It's just liquid your pulling air through, not solid resin. Just be sure to heat them prior to get the moisture out so you have room in them for the juice.
its_virgil
Member
Wood must be dry. Heat in an oven at 220 degrees until it stops loosing weight.
Seal in an airtight container until it cools.
Put the blanks in your chamber and pull vacuum until the bubbles stop. Vacuum pumps are designed for continuous running.
Release vacuum and soak for twice as long as the blanks were under vacuum. You CANNOT overlook.
Take out and wipe off the excess. Foil is not needed except to contain what little resin escapes. Use a drip pan. Foil will be required if the blanks need to be stacked because of limited oven space.
Do not place your pump next to or directly under the chamber on the floor.
Bake at 200 degrees until cured. Cactus Juice will cure when the entire blank reaches 190 and it will cure almost all at one time.
Excess cactus juice can be retrieved and stored for subsequent use.
Do not store in glass containers.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Seal in an airtight container until it cools.
Put the blanks in your chamber and pull vacuum until the bubbles stop. Vacuum pumps are designed for continuous running.
Release vacuum and soak for twice as long as the blanks were under vacuum. You CANNOT overlook.
Take out and wipe off the excess. Foil is not needed except to contain what little resin escapes. Use a drip pan. Foil will be required if the blanks need to be stacked because of limited oven space.
Do not place your pump next to or directly under the chamber on the floor.
Bake at 200 degrees until cured. Cactus Juice will cure when the entire blank reaches 190 and it will cure almost all at one time.
Excess cactus juice can be retrieved and stored for subsequent use.
Do not store in glass containers.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Don has given a great summary. A couple of comments:
Some vacuum pumps will overheat when pulling deep vacuum for long periods. In cooler climates it's probably not an issue. I had it happen a couple of times during warm weather in houston and now place a box fan blowing on the pump and don't have much trouble. I think most people use rotary vane vacuum pumps meant designed for HVAC, which to my knowledge will run for sufficiently long periods but are not technically rated for continuous duty (the more expensive ones might be, mine is a cheapy and obviously is not). The other type are the Welch style belt driven pumps which I believe use valves, these are designed for continuous duty and are often used in lab or small industrial settings, but unless you find one used they are quite expensive and probably overkill unless you are stabilizing as a business.
My understanding is that glass containers are ok BUT you need to let the container breathe, so either a pin hole in the lid or leave the lid cracked. Oxygen is needed for the polymerization inhibitor that prevents the resin from polymerizing at low temperature. If you put in an airtight container you run the risk of the juice consuming all the available oxygen and then it will polymerize in the container rendering it useless for stabilizing.
Some vacuum pumps will overheat when pulling deep vacuum for long periods. In cooler climates it's probably not an issue. I had it happen a couple of times during warm weather in houston and now place a box fan blowing on the pump and don't have much trouble. I think most people use rotary vane vacuum pumps meant designed for HVAC, which to my knowledge will run for sufficiently long periods but are not technically rated for continuous duty (the more expensive ones might be, mine is a cheapy and obviously is not). The other type are the Welch style belt driven pumps which I believe use valves, these are designed for continuous duty and are often used in lab or small industrial settings, but unless you find one used they are quite expensive and probably overkill unless you are stabilizing as a business.
My understanding is that glass containers are ok BUT you need to let the container breathe, so either a pin hole in the lid or leave the lid cracked. Oxygen is needed for the polymerization inhibitor that prevents the resin from polymerizing at low temperature. If you put in an airtight container you run the risk of the juice consuming all the available oxygen and then it will polymerize in the container rendering it useless for stabilizing.
its_virgil
Member
Some glass will give off free radicals which will cause Cactus Juice to cure. If I recall Mason jars for canning are ok. I have stopped storing CJ in glass.
Larryreitz
Member
Guess I was wrong. Good to hear your reply.
Todd in PA
Member
Is this something to do with the heat from the pump warming the juice, or the oil in the pump siphoning out?
I'm pretty sure my pump is not rated for continuous use, or so says the manual. Disregard that and just watch it's temperature? I cycled it repeatedly for a day, and had varied results with the different materials in the pot.
Todd