Thread: vacuum chamber

bought a pressure cooker yesterday. I'm going to play around a bit with vacuum impregnating wood scales. first I'll experiment with thinned varnish/japan drier.
I figure if I can find a mix that will jell in a few hours and dry completely inside the wood in a few days that would be about right.

I figure it'll go something like this: shape the scale, with the holes drilled, get it sanded to 120 grit or so. mix the varnish and the drier. put the mix and the scales in a ziplock bag, put that in the pressure cooker. hook up the vacuum pump and pull it down hard and hold it there for a while to give the air time to get out of the wood. then apply compressed air to drive the varnish in to replace it. if i can, hold it there until the varnish jells. now take it out of the cooker and wipe down to get rid of surface buildup and set aside for a few days.maybe do a bunch of them at once, if it works out.


thoughts/ voices of experience?

Interesting concept!

There was a post about this process but I can't find it.

I do hope someone will chime it!!

Some old designs will hold vacuum but most new designs will fail, due to the gasket. The ones that will most likely hold vacuum have a metal to metal seal, sadly they are much more expensive and marketed as pressure canners.

Good luck, post up a how to if you have success.

Jonathan

it's an older one, from a thrift store. it has a rubber seal, though, and I see what you mean- there's nothing to keep the gasket from being sucked in. drat.

Originally Posted by Datsots

Some old designs will hold vacuum but most new designs will fail, due to the gasket. The ones that will most likely hold vacuum have a metal to metal seal, sadly they are much more expensive and marketed as pressure canners.

Good luck, post up a how to if you have success.

Jonathan

Works very well

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...-products.html

If I build another someday I would design it to use way less product, a plexiglass rectangular box comes to mind, although the Pickle Jar does just fine

There are some commercial ones out there, but were cost prohibitive IMO

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Works very well

http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...-products.html

If I build another someday I would design it to use way less product, a plexiglass rectangular box comes to mind, although the Pickle Jar does just fine

There are some commercial ones out there, but were cost prohibitive IMO

Glen. how much vac are you pulling with you setup?

27-29 in/HG if I am reading the guage correctly...

There is a pic of the guage in that thread Bill I think I am reading it correctly almost as high as it will go hehehehe

Originally Posted by gssixgun

27-29 in/HG if I am reading the guage correctly...

There is a pic of the guage in that thread Bill I think I am reading it correctly almost as high as it will go hehehehe

Thx, going to start sourcing parts tomorrow,have you settled on one solution that you feel works best?

I have been using the Daly's for Dense Woods (Cocobolo, Lignum, Ebony etc: )
I have been using Polyurethane for all the rest.. I keep them in seperate Pickle Jars and just move the top around so far no issues with the finish going bad

I have a few Brush customers that have been updating me on their treated wood brushes along with my personal ones, and so far so good the finish is holding very well, I am pretty happy with the results overall..


The only downside is you better like Pickles I even found they same Jar with Jalapeno's hehehe we are well stocked on both


ps: There is a solution out there called "Cactus Juice" that gets very high reviews, but dang they are very proud of it

Originally Posted by gssixgun

I have been using the Daly's for Dense Woods (Cocobolo, Lignum, Ebony etc: )
I have been using Polyurethane for all the rest.. I keep them in seperate Pickle Jars and just move the top around so far no issues with the finish going bad

I have a few Brush customers that have been updating me on their treated wood brushes along with my personal ones, and so far so good the finish is holding very well, I am pretty happy with the results overall..


The only downside is you better like Pickles I even found they same Jar with Jalapeno's hehehe we are well stocked on both

Thx,I have 6 jars of pickles in the pantry as we speak Clausens orig dills.