Acrylic friendly stabilising resin?

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5teep

Tenderfoot
Aug 6, 2017
92
17
Scotland
Just had the lid of my vacuum chamber go all starry with micro cracks while using WR90N from Jatagan. Does anyone know if cactus juice or a.n.other resin is less chemically aggressive?
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I made a chamber using a large glass jar, with a lid of thick acrylic. I made a seal out of a Polyether impression material.
I store the unused Cactus Juice inside it, and no visible change to the lid.
Been there now for almost a year, in room temperature. It is not in contact with the lid.

Is the rest of the chamber made from the same material as the lid, and is it damaged?

Cactus Juice is made from Methacrylate esters, do not know what your product is.
 
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5teep

Tenderfoot
Aug 6, 2017
92
17
Scotland
Just the lid and the damage is confined to the area directly above (and in the rectangular shape of) the container I had in the chamber. Shing over on Edge Matters suggested using clingfilm to protect the acrylic which is a good idea. I'm trying to get epoxy to seep into and fix the cracks but not sure if it will work. To get a replacement lid cut and drilled is not prohibitive but still pricey at around £40.
 

5teep

Tenderfoot
Aug 6, 2017
92
17
Scotland
I think the one I have will be ok (maybe) but I've ordered one anyway. It's near as cheap to buy one cut to size and shape as it is to buy and diy it Janne.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
I diy'ed the whole vessel. Cheaper for me that way. I sourced the acrylic sheet as offcuts from a sign and banner maker.

DHL/FedEx and our customs kill us here.........
 

5teep

Tenderfoot
Aug 6, 2017
92
17
Scotland
Aye, 25% of the replacement cost to me went on delivery, a 32cm diameter x 2cm acrylic plate weighs at 2 kilos.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
The sheets I got (for nothing) were about 6mm thick, so I glued and screwed a bunch of them together to about 3.5 cm thickness.

I did try first using metal but it did not work.
 
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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
5teep ? my eldest scrounged one of the huge laboratory drying vessels that I had acquired for dye baths. Enormous two piece ground glass sealed things. They have a hole in the top spigot that is used to extract air and to create the vacuum.
There's another one sitting in my shed that could go to a good home. It weighs in a least 5kgs though and there's no way I'm posting it.
Sort of like this, but a bit more rounded, and about 15" across.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/113010416522?chn=ps

If you look up vintage desiccator, they come up.
 

5teep

Tenderfoot
Aug 6, 2017
92
17
Scotland
That looks like a perfect solution once you work the magic with plumbing fittings to get a pump fitted and no worries about resin gasses affecting the top.

Mine is basically a stock pot with an acrylic lid and a pump and it was the cheapest I could find of a decent size.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
You're welcome to the drying vessel if you have use for it.
I live near Hamilton. I'm not posting it, but if you're near enough by I'm happy to meet half way.
Jamie's the one to talk to about the fittings because I'm pretty sure he was sussing his out.

There used to be china plates, with holes through them, that fitted inside to keep stuff off the base. The frost got to them, but I think there might still be one in the box of laboratory glassware. There's certainly a glass plate that would give you depth to hold resin, and lift out easily too.

Failing that, as a housewife I can tell you that pots come in standard sizes, and Ikea sell glass lids that fit them all :)

M
 

Trencakey

Nomad
Dec 25, 2012
269
11
Cornwall
Made mine from a propane gas bottle,used the glass from a bathroom scales as a lid.I drilled the sides of the gas bottle and epoxied the gauge and tap into the metal sides rather than the glass top.Silicon tubing as a seal between glass and tank.I can de-gas 10kg of resin at a time in it.
 
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