Thread: Vacuum&pressure pot experiments

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Pretty damn cold outside this weekend so in the shop messin around with these scale blanks some more.
Didn't like how easily the first one snapped so thought I should run some destructive tests before investing in a razor.
I pulled out my digital scale and sacrificed the thinnest set to some force testing. Basically I placed the end on the scale and flexed down, against the weighing surface until the scales snapped and recorded the gram force required.
Didn't have the phone handy for pictures but they broke at around 85 grams force. Or about 3/4 of an ounce pressure. Not enough as far as I'm concerned. Sure they might get stronger after final finish and sealing but I decided maybe another go throug the stabilizer and vac pot might help, or might not hurt anyway. Plus I was curious.
So I used a sandwich baggy as my solution tank and put a pair back in the pot and pulled 28" of vacuum on them again.
Much to my surprise a boat load of air started coming out of the wooden parts of the blanks once again despite already been stabilized as a solid block of wood before casting.

This looked promising so I proceeded to leave them in there till no air was being drawn out, then I shut down the vacuum and slowly balanced the pressure, but left the blanks in the bag submerged for an hr before moving them to the oven @200f. Turned them every ten minutes for 40 minutes and let them cool.

Did the same process to all five remaining sets and they seem much more 'stable', Unlike me, hehe. Harder, stiffer and the wood just looks more 'filled'.
But are they any stronger?

Actually snapped at around 530 grams force then spiked as I took the pic.
So I think the double soak in stabilizer helped.
And I also am trying that stacked on brass idea with the set I already started as they are to far along to rebake.

Cheers gents.

Those are pretty awesome looks skin's Mike...gorgeous.

And yea...it's ferkin' freezin' today....took my SOTD picture as a Bass and walked back inside as a Soprano....lord Thunderin', have to stop taking pics in my shorts outside!

Originally Posted by Phrank

have to stop taking pics in my shorts outside!

I think that qualifies as an overshare!

Originally Posted by RezDog

I think that qualifies as an overshare!

Originally Posted by RezDog

I think that qualifies as an overshare!

This might make for an interesting 'Winter Photo' Contest

Originally Posted by cudarunner

This might make for an interesting 'Winter Photo' Contest

Not quite cold enough for pant's...and BobH up in Thunder Bay is laughing at us...he's probably at the Beach having a swim, compared to Thunder Bay, we don't even get winter, let alone, "cold".

Originally Posted by Phrank

Not quite cold enough for pant's...and BobH up in Thunder Bay is laughing at us...he's probably at the Beach having a swim, compared to Thunder Bay, we don't even get winter, let alone, "cold".

I've posted this link before but I think it's time to post it once again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x768VAsOQSw

Working on a new set of castings of the bullet brush so wanted to put the new micro lathe to work.
Had to turn a uhmw wheel down to 19x 6.3mm id to turn a knurler into a spiraler.

Then to run a few test passes on the acrylic rod I use for my bullet spacer before the cast set up.

And mocked up before jigging to final height etc..

I try to set these such that the bullet is just about to enter the upper handle. Throws a nice shadow effect in the brush.
Anyway, happy with the results of both the lathe, and the spiral mod I made to the knurling tool as well. Hope to find a bunch of uses for that going forward.
Cheers men.
Stay warm.

Cool Mike. What calibers you got this time?

Sent from my LG-K121 using Tapatalk

Way to go Mike. Can't wait to see the new brushes

Thanks gents.
The ones a 454 CASULL, and the other a 44 Mag with silver hollow point.
Both for Outback, once complete.