Infusion tank

[RonB1957]

Well, I have been laid up a bit with some minor shoulder surgery. Tough to rasp a handle with my left arm. I am predominately right handed. So I do what I can. This is a project I started last year. I needed a vacuum tank taller than a 10 gallon pressure tank which tend to be around 16" tall. Just not so wide. So I got my hands on a 33 gal compressor tank and proceeded to have it cut in two. The top handle was welded on crooked. I still haven't figured out how that happened, but not worth cutting off. Although it may drive me insane before it is all said and done. The tank was blasted to raw metal and several coats of epoxy applied. Still some testing to be done to see how the epoxy holds up to the resin. The color gray was free as they had some left over from another job. So I went with the gray to save a couple of dollars. I also have a liner inside you can't see. I couldn't resist putting the logo on it. Just because. Hence, I can now infuse at least 24" tall. So far it has been holding a -30mmHg. And I finally got around to sanding and painting my vises. That green just didn't do it for me. :





The things we do to occupy our minds. :

Best wishes.

[Jonathan S]

The blue one with the gold lettering is sharp!

Jonathan

[Pedder]

Cool Projects!

This is the one tool I lust after.


Merken
[font="Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,sans-serif]Merken[/font]

[Arlin Eastman]

I am not understanding what the tank is for.  Is it used to do acrylics or taking wood and pressurizing it to make it stronger or what else?

[RonB1957]

Hi Arlin.
     They used to refer to it as impregnating the wood with epoxy, but now Acrylic resin infusing. Burls and punky woods in particular . Figured woods such as tiger maple, quilted maple, and especially birds eye maple turn much better with a lot less tear out. If you tint the resin you will have the same color all the way through. You can also just infuse the dyes to color the wood all the way through. That being said, you can use the vacuum tank to de gas latex or acrylic castings, etc. Pen turners, and wood turners in general have been using this system for years. That's where I first started using it. Just never on larger pieces of wood. Just one of those side projects I've had lurking in the closet.
  Hope that helps.

[Cloudy]

VERY cool- and, of course you should update the paint jobs! Spiffy!

[Arlin Eastman]

Yep I know what you are talking about now.  I have an old 3 gallon pressure pot and would like to use it as the same thing for us, but I have a lot to learn about it including what pigments to add to it for color.

[RonB1957]

VERY cool- and, of course you should update the paint jobs! Spiffy!

I would like to update this shoulder too. Maybe a newer more spiffy one? Well, I guess you can't have every thing.


Pedder: If you could find an aluminum one it would certainly cost a lot less to ship. About half the weight of the cast iron vises. Although I prefer the cast iron, myself. They are out there lurking in the shadows. Barns, basements, etc. Best of luck looking.