Vacuum Vessel

L6steel

L6steel

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
5,855
Just wanted to show you folks how I made a vacuum vessel/chamber for handle material stabilizing. It was cheap and easy to make and works great. I took a steel fire extinguisher tank (you can find for next to nothing at most scrap metal places)and cut the nozzle end off it and ground it as square and flat as I could. Then I took two pieces of plate and drilled 4 holes for 3/8" all thread.Bolt the all thread to thebottom plate. Drill a hole in the center of the top plate and silver solder a brass hose fitting in it. Get an old inner tube and cut a couple pieces large enough to cover one side of the top plate. I used daps weldwood contact cement and glued the two pieces of inner tube onto the plate. They need to be as flat as possible so I took a roller and worked the bubbles out. I bought a set of vacuum gauges at Lowes and vacuum pump off ebay. Just fill the tank and put the wood in, bolt the top plate on and vacuum away.
I use minwax polyurethane cut with lacquer thinner for the solution and fill the tank about 3/4 full. You can do alot of wood at a time with this outfit. I left some burl maple in it for 2 weeks and it came out great. Wish I could rig a small window in the top so I can watch the air bubbles in the solution but since I haven't, I just run the pump for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Heres a pic.
<img src=http://members.aol.com/l6steel/vacuum.jpg>
 
I been using mason jar, with a valve on the top of the lid. My girlfriend just got in the Foodsaver vacuum packing unit with the canister set, went she is not looking I plan on hooking one up to my Hi-test vacuum pump. They are made out of heavy walled plastic and have a vacuum release on the lid. They also have a mason jar sealer, that I just ordered. If it works I can do away with the valve on the lid.
 
I'm trying to do the same thing with the top 3/4 of a propane cylinder. I went to the propane cylinder because its big enough to put a plastic ice cream pail of wood hardener into and do multiple peices of handle material. Its also strong enough to preasurize to 150psi after the vacuum cycle.
Lets see some pictures of the minwax poly treated wood.
 
Michael, your creativity is inspirational. Nice job and much better than the Mason Jar routine, safer also. Your bandsaw idea also a light year ahead of what the original maker did. Thanks for sharing.
 
Thats great Michael,
I have an old antique brass fire extinguisher that has the screw on top with a rubber seal.All I need is an antique looking pump and some copper tubing and some gages. Funtional and good looking. Thanks for sharing the idea.
Mark
 
Originally posted by R Dockrell
I'm trying to do the same thing with the top 3/4 of a propane cylinder. I went to the propane cylinder because its big enough to put a plastic ice cream pail of wood hardener into and do multiple peices of handle material. Its also strong enough to preasurize to 150psi after the vacuum cycle.
Lets see some pictures of the minwax poly treated wood.
Click to expand...

I'm not exactly sure what you have in mind, but alot of the structural pressure capability comes from the rounded ends being welded together. At very minimium I would hydro-test the tank before adding very much pressure. I took a piece of 8" schedule 40 pipe and put a weldon flange on one end and capped the other. This way, I can put my Weck canning jar that I use for a vacuum chamber into the pressure chamber without the lid and pressure it up. I could use the pressure chamber for both, but I like to watch the bubbles.
 
great idea L6.i get most of what your doing,what size of vac pump do you need.sometimes my head doenst work so hot...got a hole in head*** in vietnam.thanks uncle.really now i am a patriot vet,,but if you can explain. a little better for me.just e-mail me please. thanks royboy. ps.just trying to get a bunch of great ideas,then one might just might spill out,
 
Roy, my vacuum pump is a little gast two cylinder. It will draw 30 inches of mercury and up to 50psi pressure.
 
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