Bubbles in CR ... Vacuum ?

[Willee]

Would this be worth buying to suck out the bubbles in CR?

http://www.fdjtool.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=21.806G

 

[freznel]

I wouldn't think that the price tag is worth it. When I used to work with 2 part epoxy for large fiberglass and carbon fiber projects we used two different methods to evacuate excess air bubbles. Depending on the cure time, the long the better, we would place an off center motor onto a small table that would vibrate the trapped air out. The second method was with a small vac pump, sheets of plastic, and liquid nails.

what you would do is take your resin and its container and set it inside the plastic bag. Then feed the vac hose into the bag and liquid nails the opening of the bag closed to create a vac seal. Work really well and you could then modify the size of your vac chamber. The one thing we cam across that was kinda cool but costly was that if you get a epoxy that boils at low vac pressure you get a wonderful fountain of goo.

 

[sbell111]

Most people around here just convert a HF paint pot for this purpose. I used a pickle jar for a while, but the paint pot is better.

 

[jttheclockman]

Would this be worth buying to suck out the bubbles in CR?

http://www.fdjtool.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=21.806G

For a man that makes pool cues I am surprised you are not set up to do casting. Do you not wrap your cues with linen threads and then coat with a clear resin?? Basically if doing small projects as pens and bottlestoppers you can get away with no vaccuum or pressure. There are articles in the library here that explain that method. Now if you are doing worthless wood type blanks and dyeing woods then a vaccuum would be needed and as mentioned a cheap Harbor freight paint pot is used quite often.

The device you show is overpriced for anything we do for sure.

 

[Willee]

Would this be worth buying to suck out the bubbles in CR?

http://www.fdjtool.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=21.806G

For a man that makes pool cues I am surprised you are not set up to do casting. Do you not wrap your cues with linen threads and then coat with a clear resin??

Only cue maker I know that coats his linen wraps is Bob Meucci.
http://www.meuccicues.com/
It is sort of his trademark style.

Most players that like linen wrapped pool cues want to feel the linen.
The players that do not like linen go for a Meucci style cue or one that has no wrap at all.

The finish on most pool cues is either automotive clear coat or UV cured clear.
There are a few cue makers that finish with Endro water based clear but not many.

Really havent started casting anything yet but I am looking at doing it.
I really like the watch parts pens.

 

[Willee]

Most people around here just convert a HF paint pot for this purpose. I used a pickle jar for a while, but the paint pot is better.

For the price I think you are right.

Still it would be nice to be able to see what the vacuum is doing to the casting resin.

 

[ldb2000]

You don't want to pull too much of a vacuum on PR or you will have problems with the styrene boiling away . There have been several threads lately about PR and vaccum usage , do a quick search to find them .
The best way to deal with bubbles in the PR is don't add any to begin with , mix the MEKP slowly and gently to avoid adding air to the PR and when you pour do it from one end slowly to avoid adding bubbles from the pouring . Also coat your blanks with some of the PR to prevent any bubbles from being trapped under the parts . Heating the PR before you mix will thin the resin and help any bubbles rise to the surface before the resin gels .
Look in the library here for "its virgil" (Don Ward) tutorial on "bubble free casting" without pressure or vacuum .

 

[aweiss44]

you could set up a HF(or other brand) paint pot, with pressure and vacuum for about a third of that price.

here is an 13 dollar vacuum pump(strip out the venturi block)
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-vacuum-pump-with-r134a-and-r12-connectors-96677.html

 

[alanv73]

here is an 13 dollar vacuum pump(strip out the venturi block)
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-vacuum-pump-with-r134a-and-r12-connectors-96677.html

I have one of these that I picked up for $1 at an auction. Why does everyone say to strip out the Venturi block? Doesn't it work as-is?

 

[aweiss44]

mine is arriving tomorrow so i can't say for sure, but as it comes, it should have a 1/4(or 3/8) NPT for you to screw in your air fitting. the other ends are vehicle refrigeration hose adaptors. 134 and 112. i think it would be a PITA to get those fittings back to NPT. will let you know in a few daysd and can take pics if needed

 

[its_virgil]

It sure is nice to cast without converting paint tanks, or in my cast dragging the thing out, setting up the pump, setting up the compressor, leveling the thing, stripping out venturi blocks (whatever they are), having hoses all over the place...my casting life is so nice now. I don't even know where my vacuum pump and paint tank are...in the back of the cabinet I think.:biggrin::biggrin:
That little ultrasonic cleaner just sits on the shelf taking up about as much room as a toaster.

Of course, if you are casting with alumilite then some casting apparatus is essential. (Hi Curtis):wink:

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Look in the library here for "its virgil" (Don Ward) tutorial on "bubble free casting" without pressure or vacuum .

 

[MobilMan]

When i was a young'n I helped my Dad make western belt buckles stamped out of stainless steel with a slighe curve. He would have inlaid torquise, slabbed stone & scorpion in them. 4-5 trips around the outside with masking tape to 'dam'' in the PR. Called 'Glarocast" at the time. After painting the inside & drying, would pour in some resin, dip inlay in resin then put in place. Then pour the thing full of remainder of resin. I can remember him taking them in the house & putting in the oven but have no memory of how long or temp. used. All work was done by hand. No grinders, sanders etc. Even the stainless steel was highly polished by hand. No pressure pot or vacuum of any kind. And of all the ones made [lots of them] I can only recall one cracking. So i don't see all the expense of equipment to make something as small as a pen--in 90% of the cases. Just take you're time & you shouldn't have bubbles.

 

[aweiss44]

here is an 13 dollar vacuum pump(strip out the venturi block)
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-vacuum-pump-with-r134a-and-r12-connectors-96677.html

I have one of these that I picked up for $1 at an auction. Why does everyone say to strip out the Venturi block? Doesn't it work as-is?

it just came. 1/4 female NPT on one end for your air line in. the a/c adapters are attached at a 1/8"NPT nipple that screws into the otehr end of the block. i tried real quick and couldnt get the adapters to come off the nipple, so i'm just putting a nipple and bushing into the end of the venturi. here's pics. all that's in teh housing is the venturi block, so i stripped it out to get the extra clutter gone.

first pic shows it as is outta the box. second shows the nipple with adapters removed.




yes virgil i'm going to be using alumilite so that's why i have the pressure pot.

 

[alanv73]

it just came. 1/4 female NPT on one end for your air line in. the a/c adapters are attached at a 1/8"NPT nipple that screws into the otehr end of the block. i tried real quick and couldnt get the adapters to come off the nipple, so i'm just putting a nipple and bushing into the end of the venturi.

I get it now, mine is bit different, but will still require some adaptation.