tommyd
Member
what do you use the vacum side for and how much vacum do you use?[:I]
another pressure pot ?
- Thread starter tommyd
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sbell111
Member
I stabilize under vacuum. I use as much as my poor little vacuum pump will pull, right around 25 inches, perhaps a few more.
Honestly, I may as well not even have a vacuum gauge on the pot. Come to think of it, I may as well not have a pressure gauge on it either, since that is completely controlled by the regulator, but I am a curious person.
Actually, saying that I stabilize under vacuum oversimplifies it. I first pull a vacuum in an attempt to evacuate as much trapped air as possible. Then I put a pressure of about 60 pounds on it to try to force the goop into whatever I'm stabilizing.
Honestly, I may as well not even have a vacuum gauge on the pot. Come to think of it, I may as well not have a pressure gauge on it either, since that is completely controlled by the regulator, but I am a curious person.
Actually, saying that I stabilize under vacuum oversimplifies it. I first pull a vacuum in an attempt to evacuate as much trapped air as possible. Then I put a pressure of about 60 pounds on it to try to force the goop into whatever I'm stabilizing.
Fred
Member
Even a slight vacuum will work IF you hold the vacuum and let the material soak for some amount of time. The higher vacuum will 'boil' off the solution faster than you can move to turn the vacuum pump off. I try to hold 5"-10" of vacuum pressure on my woods for at least three days. I also work a few dozen blanks at a time. Avoid mixing light wood with darker woods as the darker resins will stain/discolor/change the lighter wood colors. Dark with dark and light with light is my rule. Ensure the blanks are submerged at all times by weighing them down if necessary. Pre-drilling also helps to get a faster soak. 
sbell111
Member
Whether the solution boils off depends on what the solution is, how deep a vacuum you pull, and the temperature. The mix I use does not boil at room temperature under the amount of vacuum that I can pull.