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View Full Version : Homemade vacuum chamber made from Propane tank for de-airing epoxy



John Blazy
02-25-2016, 11:27 AM
I thought this would be useful for boat builders or bar top finishers that mix epoxy and need to get the bubbles out - assuming you have a vacuum pump. It will hold a one gallon can and will de-air completely any medium viscosity mix - you an actually watch the bubbles come out viewing through the clear lexan top.


I took an old empty (very important that its empty) propane tank, drilled two holes in top to fill with water to displace any remaining gas, then I drained it and mounted it on my lap disc (or any slow turn table) and while it spun, I marked a line, then cut the top off with a cutoff wheel on my grinder. Then I put a 100 grit diamond disc on the lap, and planed the edge flat, although it doesn't need that great of precision - likely belt sanding would have worked.


Then I solvent laminated two pcs of 1/2" lexan (Polycarbonate) into a thick 1" panel, and routed a circular groove into it, and filled the groove with 1/4" x 1/8" weatherstripping, although flat rubber would work better.


Then drilled the hole for a vac hose fitting, and it worked the first time. You can see the lexan flex a little, but it held full vac, and have used this many times.

Jim Ritter
03-02-2016, 1:40 PM
If anyone wants to make this I have some 1" bullet resistant polycarbonate. I'll cut the size you want, you pay the shipping that's it. PM me if you are interested.
jim

Malcolm Schweizer
03-16-2016, 1:35 PM
Very nice! So you are vacuuming your batch before use, ie mix the batch, put it in the pot, and vacuum it? This could also work as an in line trap when vacuum bagging layups.