Pressure Pots
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MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
I am one of the biggest Alumilite proponents here and I suggest you save yourself a bunch of money and buy one from Horrid Freight. The Alumilite pots are basically the same pot, I believe, but the cost is significantly more. The only advantage theirs has is that it is already set up and you don't have to do anything but use it. If you really want one already set up and are willing to pay for the parts and a little for my time, then send me a PM and I will buy and set up one from Horrid Freight for you and it will still be significantly less than Alumilite's.
sdlewis
Member
I just bought one off of ebay for 30 dollars. i still have to set it up, but it was 50 dollars cheaper that HF.
Jim Smith
Member
I just bought a DevilBliss Pressure pot off of ebay all set up with guages etc for $45.00. When I opened it up, it was like brand new. If you look around a bit I think you can get a better quality pot for cheaper. Just a thought...
Jim Smith
Jim Smith
Fred
Member
Stork (and others) ... IMHO since it is IMPOSSIBLE to pull more than a 30" vacuum - and probably you will not even get that close due to variances in altitude and equipment ability - I do not understand the expense folks go through to put gauges on these vacuum pots. 
A gauge on an air compressor yes, but not on a vacuum pot.
Most every pressure pot that is made states the MAXIMUM pressure to apply to it when used. If one chooses to exceed this pressure then they get what they deserve when it explodes.
One cannot create an excess vacuum using every day available 'amateur' vacuum pumps. AN excess vacuum does nothing to help us in our hobby. A much smaller vacuum held overnight does the same exact thing.
If you could set up a clear glass jar and watch the process then you might understand what happens under a vacuum. Volatile gasses actually boil at excessive pressures just like water boils when heated to it's boiling point.
At 10"/Hg MEK boils like crazy and is pulled out of the vacuum chamber as a dangerous gas and dispensed into the atmosphere. I pull about 5"/Hg and hold it for days. THEN after the wood has been drained of any moisture and the cells have been vacated I then inject my own brew of stabilization chemicals and then s l o w l y release the vacuum. I repeat if I feel it would be better.
NO gauges at all are used in my processes - to expensive just to give me the ability to see a useless number, Big deal!
Now, using pressure on my air compressor is an entirely different story. I definitely recommend the use of a very reputable pressure gauge if for nothing else than to guarantee that I do not exceed the manufacturer's recommended pressure level. :wink:
A gauge on an air compressor yes, but not on a vacuum pot.
Most every pressure pot that is made states the MAXIMUM pressure to apply to it when used. If one chooses to exceed this pressure then they get what they deserve when it explodes.
One cannot create an excess vacuum using every day available 'amateur' vacuum pumps. AN excess vacuum does nothing to help us in our hobby. A much smaller vacuum held overnight does the same exact thing.
If you could set up a clear glass jar and watch the process then you might understand what happens under a vacuum. Volatile gasses actually boil at excessive pressures just like water boils when heated to it's boiling point.
At 10"/Hg MEK boils like crazy and is pulled out of the vacuum chamber as a dangerous gas and dispensed into the atmosphere. I pull about 5"/Hg and hold it for days. THEN after the wood has been drained of any moisture and the cells have been vacated I then inject my own brew of stabilization chemicals and then s l o w l y release the vacuum. I repeat if I feel it would be better.
NO gauges at all are used in my processes - to expensive just to give me the ability to see a useless number, Big deal!
Now, using pressure on my air compressor is an entirely different story. I definitely recommend the use of a very reputable pressure gauge if for nothing else than to guarantee that I do not exceed the manufacturer's recommended pressure level. :wink:
Chuck Key
Member
I do not understand the expense folks go through to put gauges on these vacuum pots.
A much smaller vacuum held overnight does the same exact thing.
I pull about 5"/Hg and hold it for days. NO gauges at all are used in my processes - to expensive just to give me the ability to see a useless number, Big deal!
:wink:
How are you getting 5"/Hg without a guage?
MesquiteMan
Retired Head Moderator
He probably knows that that is about what his pump is rated to pull. The bottom line is that your pump will only pull so much. It is not like pressure where you can get too much and blow up a pot. Run the pump for a while and shut it off. You will only get so much and having a guage is simply for your own pleasure.
soccer2010
Member
HF Pressure Pot
What do you need to do to set one of these up?
What do you need to do to set one of these up?
GouletPens
Member
I've tried stabilizing punky wood with PR with no success. Granted, I'm not 100% confident I'm mixing my catalyst right, so that could be screwing everything up. I read you should to vacuum for 15-30 min, let the air out, then pressurize for a day or two. When I've done this, I end up with a nice solid block of PR that goes about....hmmm....1mm into the wood. It does a great job of stabilizing the wood that all gets turned away:tongue:
Skye
Member
I've never stabilized wood, so don't take me too seriously, but I really doubt you'll get any penetration with 30 minutes. You're going to need hours. Check this out (from the library at the top of the page)
http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/polyurethane1.pdf
He mentions leaving it overnight, so that's probably the first part of your prob.
http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/polyurethane1.pdf
He mentions leaving it overnight, so that's probably the first part of your prob.
GouletPens
Member
GENIUS!!! If it actually works.....Yeah the problem with stabilizing using PR is its too thick to go into the wood.....but PU....now we're talking. And its cheap! One thing I wonder though....do you think using high gloss poly instead would be a harder stablizer? I know high gloss on floors is more durable than satin...what do you think (esp. Skye)?
Skye
Member
Unfortunatly not esp. me as I've never done any stabilizing. lol
I think if you can track down some people who have stabilized corn cobs, see what they used, that'll be a good lead. The insides of those are soft as styrofoam.
I think if you can track down some people who have stabilized corn cobs, see what they used, that'll be a good lead. The insides of those are soft as styrofoam.