Pressure Cooker????

[kkwall]

Hi All,


I wanted your opinion on Pressure vessels suitable for using for Casting.


Having no HF pots available in the UK, I was wondering if a pressure cooker would work, or is the pressure requirements too great??

You can buy a selection of 10L Paint pressure pots, but they cost around £150 - 200 ($260 - 360)!

Any advice would be welcome.

 

[BRobbins629]

In some earlier discussions, some have recommended against pressure cookers. My feeling on the subject is that what ever vessel you decide to use, make sure you include some type of pressure relief valve in the system that will releive pressure before the rated bursting strength of the vessel. This is true for the HF pressure pot and any other system. If you can use one of the techniques to degas the resin before you cast, such as vacuum or ultrasonics, you can cast at quite low pressures without generating bubbles. The pressure is what keeps the trapped air and gases in solution and the less you have, the less pressure is needed. After I let the resin sit in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner for about 10 minutes, I can make bubble free clear casts at 5-10 psi.

 

[kkwall]

Thanks Bruce,


I will look at the rating of this pressure cooker, and not exceed the maximum! If anyone has any tips, or knows of a posting that would give me advice on converting the cooker, and what type of gauges, safety valves etc should be used, I would be very grateful.

The same vessel I will adapt to vacuum de-gas the resin before casting the blanks. This will help remove the formation of bubbles before adding the blanks for casting, and will enable me to work at low pressures.

If I can work at pressures below 20psi, I shouldn't encounter any problems. Will look at the rating of the cooker before I start.


I plan to use fabrics to create some highly coloured/patterned blanks using clear resins.


Thanks again.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Please be aware that there is a fellow over on a casting forum I used to frequent that was SERIOUSLY injured trying to use a pressure cooker. He had intentions of working within the pressure range like you and even had a safety valve. The safety valve failed and he accidentally overfilled it just a little and it blew up. You do not have to have a Horrid Freight to get a pressure pot. Just look around and you can find one, even in the UK I am sure. My first one came from a local pawn shop for quite a bit less than my HF pot and it is a much better pot.

 

[its_virgil]

Horrid Freight...now really Curtis, they are not that bad.[][]

As for the pressure cooker, I would say NO, don't use it. Practice safe casting.

And Curtis has a good suggestion...these pressure paint pots were one time very popular with painters and there should be several around a flea markets and junk dealers.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by MesquiteMan
<br />Please be aware that there is a fellow over on a casting forum I used to frequent that was SERIOUSLY injured trying to use a pressure cooker. He had intentions of working within the pressure range like you and even had a safety valve. The safety valve failed and he accidentally overfilled it just a little and it blew up. You do not have to have a Horrid Freight to get a pressure pot. Just look around and you can find one, even in the UK I am sure. My first one came from a local pawn shop for quite a bit less than my HF pot and it is a much better pot.

 

[kkwall]

Thanks Curtis and Don,


On reflection! My health is much more important than any pen blanks I could make. I'll have a look around, but will pay the extra if needed and get a good pot![:I]

 

[UKpenmaker]

Hi Kenny,
There are a couple on ebay at the moment, i just did a search for pressure pot. Don't know if these will do the job.

 

[kkwall]

Hi Andrew,


Thanks for the headsup!



I have done the search on ebay, and found the pots. There is a couple that could be useful. Need to get some information on size.


Thanks Again.[][]

 

[MesquiteMan]

Don,

I can't take credit for the Horrid Freight moniker! Someone else on here uses that all the time and I thought it was mostly accurate![]