I attended a seminar last spring at the Oregon Woodturning Symposium about casting resin. One of the takeaways I got was that I needed to find a used pressure …
Great video. Nothing more expensive than something for free, or in this case $25.
I've learned a lot from your other videos, but a PLUMBER you ain't. Binks still exists, I would bet money that you can get a real seal for this pot. And just what is the tank rated for pressure wise? Maybe you should research that….. Be careful please.
Plumber here. Soapy water in a spray bottle will pin point any leaks with bubbles.
Great video as usual!
Edit: commented too early and see you already used that trick haha.
Always a pleasure watching your videos Frank! Good Luck with your future projects Buddy! Have A Super Week!…..Gus
Why not use vacuum it will remove the bubbles and is safer?
One tip for pneumatics the thread sealing tape when putting it on threads leave 1-3 full threads uncovered so threading other parts on is easy. Just makes your life a headache if they dont thread
I am a pressure vessel and pipe Inspector in refineries, what we use is a soapy water to test for leaks.
This video made me cringe. Use soapy water to find air leaks. Use a wire wheel to clean at least your seal area. Cut the tubes coming into the pot with your grinder. On and on and on. Next time study up before you jump into an unknown field or buy NEW. It could save your life or at least our body parts. Never ever do away with a relief valve.
To get rid of even more bubbles you can vacuum degas the resin and then pressure pot it
huh… to me i think it would be better to cast in a near vacuum… i could be wrong.
very cool. maybe you could apply the same technique again but make a handle out of the cast and use for the handle of your dust bin. that would be cool.
Frank, I loved this video.
Great work!
You're not supposed to do this under vacuum instead of air pressure?
Also the reason there was bubbles in your test piece was because there’s moisture in the paper of paper cups. Moisture causes problem with any resin, but especially Alumilite, which I could tell is what you used.
If you used a plastic cup, it would have came out perfect.
Have fun Frank, I know you’ll love it!
Have fun Frank! My whole channel is pretty much dedicated to pressure resin casting, so let me know if you have any questions.
Binks pressure pots are the best of the best. They are ASME rated for 110 PSI I believe. Obviously that’s voided with your aluminum contraption but regardless, you got a fantastic deal on yours.
Perseverance!….the behind scenes of your success))
Technically, you can put different valves and used a vacuum pump and you get a vacuum chamber.
I think we have all experienced projects that turn out like this, thanks for sharing
Frank, Stop pressurizing at 60PSI. I get bubble free, crystal clear castings with MAX 30PSI. My pot is rated for 80PSI but there isn't a need to go higher than 30. In addition, rather than driving yourself nuts by chasing leaks, consider the fact that the most important bubble pressurization takes place in the first few minutes of you adding air to the tank so losing a pound or two of pressure over the course of an hour isn't terrible. Also consider your resin's pot life and cure time. Pressure is doing nothing for you after your pot life cycle. The bubbles need to be taken care of before your resin gels. I use Smooth-On Smoothcast 327 resin which is close to the end of it's pot life by the time it enters the tank so I'm really only getting useful pressure for maybe 5-7 minutes but it's enough to give me a crystal clear casting. I of course let it sit in the pressure for the remaining cure time but by then the resin has minimized your bubbles.
Also, Your first casting example @ 14:02 doesn't look like a pressurized cast. Something went wrong. You shouldn't see bubbles like that in any pressurized cast. See my comment about the pot life of the resin and make sure your getting it in the tank before it starts to gel. You should be getting better results than that. I don't have a youtube channel but some of my casts can be seen on Instagram (at) retrotoypile. I hope this helps.
I like your handles you use to tighten the clamps, but have you considered perhaps making those for all of the handles and gluing them in place?
Why pressure instead of vacuum? I do a lot of vacuum molding at work. It's lovely how it pulls out any bubbles.
In SCUBA class, we learn about Charles' Law. Essentially that the volume of a gas is proportional to the pressure exerted on it. At the pressure you're working at, the bubbles are only going to be reduced to about 1/4 their size. Understandable why they're still visible.
If you use a vacuum and then pressure you won't need as much pressure. With an old pot like that I would keep the pressure on the low side anyway. I've watched more of your video…buy new, you really don't know what you are doing and are going to kill yourself treating a seriously dangerous tool like it is a fun thing to experiment with.
Frank, I really like how you use push sticks and such while running your table saw and such. There is another channel I watch once in a while that makes me cringe each time he uses his table saw with just his fingers mere inches from the turning blade.
To test for leaks in the future you can make a soap solution and put it around the threads and if the solution bubbles air is leaking in that spot.
Ramp down with endmills into aluminum, not plunge. Awesome video man!
I think you could make some cool things where bubbles are intended, but the size of the bubble scales with the 1/3 power of the ratio of pressures so i dont think it is a very efficient idea to make clear castings. You would need very high pressures to get anything small enough to not be very visible and then the casting might just look cloudy with a ton of bubbles scattering light in the casting..
When using teflon tape, you only need to do one wrap around the thread. Pipe threads are tapered and the teflon allows the mating thread to screw on further thereby making a better seal.
It was great seeing how you went through the trial and error process with this.
I love that you share your lessons learned. Thank you.
make a new cover using acrylic 20mmm, as its a vacuum chambers should it will not holdup to the pressure its just collapses, no biggy.
It's funny, I always thought that these pots were vacuum pots for the resin
My favourite part was when you headbutted the tree bowl at the start
Wouldn’t a vacuum chamber be better?
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles. This will also help present to penetrate the pores of whatever you have mixed with it, and will make for a better bond in the long run.
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles. This will also help present to penetrate the pores of whatever you have mixed with it, and will make for a better bond in the long run.
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles. This will also help present to penetrate the pores of whatever you have mixed with it, and will make for a better bond in the long run.
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles.
You have a fantastic shop!
Easily find leaks under positive pressure with soapy water in a spray bottle — the leaking air blows bubbles. Vacuum is better for the actual casting though… the tiny air bubbles find their way out and also, draws the resin into the fibres and cavities.
Would be interesting to run a vacuum first, even if just partial via a few portable vehicle compressors inline
Amen to a pressure safety valve. Make sure it doesn't leak "early. I think I'd try it with a vacuum pump !
What a patient guy. Great work!
Now you only need a vacuum pump so you can degas resin then cure under pressure.
Great content Frank is it "Artistic Engineering " ? Very interesting thanks 🙂
Great video. Nothing more expensive than something for free, or in this case $25.
I've learned a lot from your other videos, but a PLUMBER you ain't. Binks still exists, I would bet money that you can get a real seal for this pot. And just what is the tank rated for pressure wise?
Maybe you should research that….. Be careful please.
Plumber here. Soapy water in a spray bottle will pin point any leaks with bubbles.
Great video as usual!
Edit: commented too early and see you already used that trick haha.
Always a pleasure watching your videos Frank! Good Luck with your future projects Buddy! Have A Super Week!…..Gus
9:09 that was painful to watch
Why not use vacuum it will remove the bubbles and is safer?
One tip for pneumatics the thread sealing tape when putting it on threads leave 1-3 full threads uncovered so threading other parts on is easy. Just makes your life a headache if they dont thread
I am a pressure vessel and pipe Inspector in refineries, what we use is a soapy water to test for leaks.
This video made me cringe. Use soapy water to find air leaks. Use a wire wheel to clean at least your seal area. Cut the tubes coming into the pot with your grinder. On and on and on.
Next time study up before you jump into an unknown field or buy NEW. It could save your life or at least our body parts. Never ever do away with a relief valve.
To get rid of even more bubbles you can vacuum degas the resin and then pressure pot it
huh… to me i think it would be better to cast in a near vacuum… i could be wrong.
very cool. maybe you could apply the same technique again but make a handle out of the cast and use for the handle of your dust bin. that would be cool.
Frank, I loved this video.
Great work!
You're not supposed to do this under vacuum instead of air pressure?
Also the reason there was bubbles in your test piece was because there’s moisture in the paper of paper cups. Moisture causes problem with any resin, but especially Alumilite, which I could tell is what you used.
If you used a plastic cup, it would have came out perfect.
Have fun Frank, I know you’ll love it!
Have fun Frank! My whole channel is pretty much dedicated to pressure resin casting, so let me know if you have any questions.
Binks pressure pots are the best of the best. They are ASME rated for 110 PSI I believe. Obviously that’s voided with your aluminum contraption but regardless, you got a fantastic deal on yours.
Perseverance!….the behind scenes of your success))
Technically, you can put different valves and used a vacuum pump and you get a vacuum chamber.
00:09 auch!! Jajajjajaja
I think we have all experienced projects that turn out like this, thanks for sharing
Frank,
Stop pressurizing at 60PSI. I get bubble free, crystal clear castings with MAX 30PSI. My pot is rated for 80PSI but there isn't a need to go higher than 30. In addition, rather than driving yourself nuts by chasing leaks, consider the fact that the most important bubble pressurization takes place in the first few minutes of you adding air to the tank so losing a pound or two of pressure over the course of an hour isn't terrible. Also consider your resin's pot life and cure time. Pressure is doing nothing for you after your pot life cycle. The bubbles need to be taken care of before your resin gels. I use Smooth-On Smoothcast 327 resin which is close to the end of it's pot life by the time it enters the tank so I'm really only getting useful pressure for maybe 5-7 minutes but it's enough to give me a crystal clear casting. I of course let it sit in the pressure for the remaining cure time but by then the resin has minimized your bubbles.
Also, Your first casting example @ 14:02 doesn't look like a pressurized cast. Something went wrong. You shouldn't see bubbles like that in any pressurized cast. See my comment about the pot life of the resin and make sure your getting it in the tank before it starts to gel. You should be getting better results than that. I don't have a youtube channel but some of my casts can be seen on Instagram (at) retrotoypile. I hope this helps.
Resin is fun. Keep experimenting.
2:49 The rubber ring is a gasket
I like your handles you use to tighten the clamps, but have you considered perhaps making those for all of the handles and gluing them in place?
Why pressure instead of vacuum? I do a lot of vacuum molding at work. It's lovely how it pulls out any bubbles.
In SCUBA class, we learn about Charles' Law. Essentially that the volume of a gas is proportional to the pressure exerted on it. At the pressure you're working at, the bubbles are only going to be reduced to about 1/4 their size. Understandable why they're still visible.
If you use a vacuum and then pressure you won't need as much pressure. With an old pot like that I would keep the pressure on the low side anyway.
I've watched more of your video…buy new, you really don't know what you are doing and are going to kill yourself treating a seriously dangerous tool like it is a fun thing to experiment with.
Frank, I really like how you use push sticks and such while running your table saw and such. There is another channel I watch once in a while that makes me cringe each time he uses his table saw with just his fingers mere inches from the turning blade.
To test for leaks in the future you can make a soap solution and put it around the threads and if the solution bubbles air is leaking in that spot.
Ramp down with endmills into aluminum, not plunge. Awesome video man!
I think you could make some cool things where bubbles are intended, but the size of the bubble scales with the 1/3 power of the ratio of pressures so i dont think it is a very efficient idea to make clear castings. You would need very high pressures to get anything small enough to not be very visible and then the casting might just look cloudy with a ton of bubbles scattering light in the casting..
When using teflon tape, you only need to do one wrap around the thread. Pipe threads are tapered and the teflon allows the mating thread to screw on further thereby making a better seal.
It was great seeing how you went through the trial and error process with this.
I love that you share your lessons learned. Thank you.
make a new cover using acrylic 20mmm, as its a vacuum chambers should it will not holdup to the pressure its just collapses, no biggy.
It's funny, I always thought that these pots were vacuum pots for the resin
My favourite part was when you headbutted the tree bowl at the start
Wouldn’t a vacuum chamber be better?
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles. This will also help present to penetrate the pores of whatever you have mixed with it, and will make for a better bond in the long run.
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles. This will also help present to penetrate the pores of whatever you have mixed with it, and will make for a better bond in the long run.
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles. This will also help present to penetrate the pores of whatever you have mixed with it, and will make for a better bond in the long run.
Try pulling a vacuum on the chamber to get most of the bubbles out of the resin, and then put it under pressure to shrink the size of any remaining bubbles.
You have a fantastic shop!
Easily find leaks under positive pressure with soapy water in a spray bottle — the leaking air blows bubbles. Vacuum is better for the actual casting though… the tiny air bubbles find their way out and also, draws the resin into the fibres and cavities.
Would be interesting to run a vacuum first, even if just partial via a few portable vehicle compressors inline
Amen to a pressure safety valve. Make sure it doesn't leak "early.
I think I'd try it with a vacuum pump !
What a patient guy. Great work!
Now you only need a vacuum pump so you can degas resin then cure under pressure.
Great content Frank is it "Artistic Engineering " ? Very interesting thanks 🙂
The Selector.