Resin Casting

[B-52 GUNNER]

Here's a close-up of the compressor.

The tube on the lower left is sealed with solder.

So I beleave the long tube curving around on the top and the short tube on the lower right are the ones in question?

Which one is the intake tube?

I may plug the holes in the lid and drill and tap a new hole in the side of the pot so it would be easier to open the lid.

Scot

[Valkyrie]

Valkyrie,

OK, Here's the REAL IMPORTANT QUESTION!!

Which tube is which?

You'll just have to power it up and find out

[B-52 GUNNER]

Now I'm worried

If you don't hear back from me...

It was nice knowing you

Will anything come out of the other pipe?

Scot

[Valkyrie]

Well, I've never used a refrigerator compressor, so I'm just making educated guesses here.

But it seems pretty safe to say that one tube will be spitting out air, just like any other compressor. The other will be the intake, wich will give you the suction you need for it to act as a vacuum pump. And I'm guessing that the third, sealed off tube is is what was used to add refrigerant to the system. But you won't have to worry about that one.

[B-52 GUNNER]

I'M STILL ALIVE!!!!

It was the one on the top that is the intake

It does leak oil from the exhaust.

I wonder if the oil can be left to leak or does the compressor need it?

What I need to do is to create a reservware to containt the oil and it should seep back into the compressor.

Scot

[B-52 GUNNER]

Valkyrie and Cobywan,

I attached the PIAB vacuum gauge to the compressor and I got 28 inches of mercury.

Is that enough to degas resin?

Scot

[Valkyrie]

Yep 28 is pretty good. It should do the job.

I'd be worried if it loses too much oil though. Those things need to stay well lubed.

[B-52 GUNNER]

Thanks for the help Valkyrie.

Now I'm going to find a gasket and the fittings to mount the two together.

So it may be a few days before I post any progress.

Scot

Man this is COOL!

[B-52 GUNNER]

Valkyrie or Cobywan,

Would you think I can drill a hole through the side of the pressure cooker pot in order to attach the compressor to the side?

Otherwise I would have to attach it to the lid.

Scot

[B-52 GUNNER]

OK, Guys

Here it is.

I got the two together and can get it to 28 inches of mercury.

However it has a very slow leak.

How do you find the leak and it there a easy way to stop it?

Scot

[B-52 GUNNER]

Here's the gauge at 27 inches of mercury

[YF-96A]

New to the forum -- old topic, perhaps I'll get a reply??

Prior references in this thread to vac gauge; where do I get one? I've Googled and cannot find any mechanical gauges. All I can find are electronic that cost, um, a bundle! Don't need one of those.

My vac is a regular canning pressure cooker with a 1/2" plex lid with a silicon ring for sealing. Currently have a Robinair 15100 vac pump, but it only pumps 1.2 cfm which doesn't do the job either quickly or well. Without a vac gauge, hard to tell what it draws. Planning to get a Robinair 15600; currently searching for best price, but need to add the vac gauge. Any recommendations appreciated.

My pressure pots (x2) are paint pots from Harbor Freight with hardware changed for casting purposes. They are currently on sale for about 40 bucks and well worth it (even at their "regular" price).

I someone will inform me how to post/link photos to this forum, I'll add photos of both. (Perhaps a "du-oh" -- is it the "attachments" thingy below? -- If so, what are the "max" photo specs?)

[THOR]

some helpful stuff i think i got off of these forums