When to Use a Pressure Pot or a Vacuum Chamber | Alumilite

[@GoldenEdgedGreg]

Opening intro is so on spot, I wish every single KZbinr knew to say what the video holds

[@islamadli]

This guy literary saved me tons of hours of searching, reading, and experimenting on my own in only under 10 mins. You're a real-life hero, Thank you

[@MileyonDisney]

I've used them both for a few years, now. This was a great explanation. There's a new self-contained vacuum chamber spamming all of the resin channels, recently, telling people to use it for their resin. It's too small, and there's just not enough time to work with the resin. Don't fall for the perceived convenience.

[@ladghemmonaim2145]

I'm using polyuréthane who is better vaccum chambre or pressure pot ? I have just 2 min for degassing

[@Later2u]

@@ladghemmonaim2145 I'm using Smooth-On Polyurethane and they recommend using a pressure pot. No time to degassing with only 2 1/2 minutes to pour it.

[@qvisionstudios]

Thank you! Finally a video on why one is used over the other. Very helpful for us newbies.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We're glad you found it helpful!! Thanks for watching!

[@csldc]

Thank you! There are oodles of videos that start at the intermediate level to explain how to use one or the other, but a scarce few on the difference between the two. Those that attempt to explain the difference are so overrun with jargon that they aren't useful to beginners like me. I very much appreciate your short, straightforward, audience-focused explainer.

[@RICDirector]

Hint from Nick Zametti: use a plastic bag to line your pressure pot, or at least to wrap your mould, in case of leaks!

[@mallarysangel]

Thank you brother. That really couldn't have been much better. Why can't everyone be so easy to understand? I often give tutorials on other subjects. I am the commissioner of a top 100 league in madden mobile, and it's imperative to keep it simple when teaching my guys how to play the game and organize their teams. They don't all have the time or experience I have to figure it out, so I just teach them and tell them why we do things the way we do as I go. That part is so important, and you did that. The only thing that may make this any better would be to show more visuals such as examples of failures vs successful casts and pours. You had some visuals, and you were clear about the others. I think your target audience is following you very well though, and understand exactly what you are talking about. I think you knew that when making this video, so kudos. Have a good day.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thank you so much for all the kind words - we appreciate the honest feedback! If we decide to take this topic to the next level and delve deeper, we'll definitely keep your recommendations in mind! Thanks for watching!

[@rdyer8764]

Years ago I worked at a R&D company where we used vacuum chambers to remove air bubbles from small mixed batches, of long-cure-time epoxy before we applied it to our parts. So I always wondered why the guys working with resin mixed with wood for (lathe) turning always used pressure pots instead of vacuum chambers. NOW I KNOW! Thanks.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thats super cool - glad we could share some knowledge! Thanks for watching!

[@William_Mobley]

My roommate just gifted me a pressure pot as a late birthday gift. I didn't think it would be so easy to find such great info for it. Thank you so much!

[@Aguilo.Designs]

BEST video on the topic ever. Very well explained, not a boring moment. I wish I saw this before I bought both, but at least now I know that ONE process is good for either resin or silicone. Good job.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Mike! So glad to hear the video was helpful to you. Reach out if you ever have any questions!

[@newt7263]

Perfect, thank you! I ordered a pressure pot a couple days ago. I was concerned about my choice but now I know I ordered the right tool.

[@thelovacluka]

what kind of work will you do? I want to do resin pedants and necklaces and what not. I already made a northern lights one but it had bubbles....

[@markelson4658]

This is probably one of the most informative videos I have found on the subject of using both the vacuum and pressure pot. I recommend this to all new starters. Thank You Mark UK

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the awesome feedback, Mark - we appreciate it!

[@honestabe6841]

Is there anyone I can go to so that I can build a custom made vacuum pot. The one I need has certain requirements that I can't find online. Should I just seek out any engineer or mechanic? Anyone got a direction they can point to?

[@RhumpleOriginal]

Best video. Literally showed one specific thing no other person has been discussing. Liked and subbed

[@1957Ramboat]

You Rock!! You are friendly and very personable. I recently retired and am outfitting my new workshop with all the basic woodworking tools, including a new lathe, which I’ve always wanted. I’m going to enjoy learning about working with resins from your videos!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That's high praise, Tim! If you have any questions feel free to give us a shout!

[@darksi226]

Very, very helpful. No one starts with basics when it's things they know. So simple, but there were things that really helped me decide on the pressure pot, confidently.

[@MakingArt.DoingStuff]

Great video, thanks. I'm in the process of casting a part that has a closed mold, there's a small opening in which I end up putting a bolt, the part is casted on the bolt and that's that so there's little space for any air to move around. My question is, if the pressure pot compresses the air, does a closed mold collapse, reshape etc and will the air inside the closed mold shrink just the same? I'm about to pick up a pressure pot but thought I'd ask to see what your take is on this.

[@vaughanza]

Thanks for the great video, thanks So I want to cast a vehicle tail light and by watching your video you saying is I have to buy both tools to do the job. Vacuum pot for the silicon mold and pressure pot for the resin. thanks

[@crackerjack3359]

Thanks for that. I'm a wood turner. Most of the voids I fill are on curved and vertical surfaces. I use plastic hot glued to the wood to make a mold. If I seal the mold completely with no vent does the pressure pot still work

[@Berkana]

What are your thoughts on casting in vacuum? As in pouring 3/4 of the way up the mold, putting it in the vacuum chamber, de-gassing it, then pouring the rest of the resin, then degassing that and letting it set in vacuum? Would that work? I'm asking because I have a vacuum pump and chamber, but if I can make it work with that, I prefer to not buy a compressor and pressure pot as well.

[@GC_Glassworks]

Hey, great video. Would you guys consider doing a video showing the differences between a clear resin cast in the vacuum chamber vs pressure pot?

[@ironbomb6753]

Rybonator has videos showing this.

[@CaptMarkSVAlcina]

@@ironbomb6753hi , can you please send me the link to it because I can not find it

[@HeltonTyson]

I just have to say that I love you. I had that question unanswred in my mind for a really long time. Ty soo much

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You are so welcome - glad we could help!

[@My52PickUp]

Great video, very helpful. What kind of cilcone are you pouring into the base of the pressure pot?

[@nobodyshome8726]

Absolutely a very well spoken man with a superb way of explaining the difference in the vacuum tank and pressure tank usages...I was wondering which I needed most ? And now I can stop wondering. I definitely need a pressure pot first and foremost . Thank you so much for the information, I am now subscribed to your channel .

[@bases4war]

Been casting for years and have had great success pressure casting resin and using pressure on silicone moulds. I have never needed vacuum. Super crisp details for wargames bases.

[@al-oh8fq]

Ok i know it is a foolish question but will not pressure squeeze your silicone along with the liquid resin? your cast should become smaller in scale and a bit squashed no?

[@calv.io.n8080]

Super informative, I guess I have to heat the pressure pot to room temp for cold weather?

[@thedjkay]

What if I put the final resin mold in a vacuum chamber and leave it until it hardened instead of vacuum first then put it in the mold, will it work? I just bought a vacuum chamber and I thought it's best for resin. So again if I mix my resin pour it in my mold then put the mold in the vacuum chamber suck the air out and leave it for few hours will it work? I'm using silicone mold and deep epoxy resin!

[@debthompson534]

Great video. Totally helped me understand the differences between the equipment. Glad I found this video, it saved me hours.

[@m.g.7828]

This was a really good video, but what I needed from it could be summarized in few words: vacuum for silicone, pressure for resin

[@Felipe-tw1wg]

Quick question, can you use the pressure tank as a vacuum chamber? Since they are relatively small, their surface is also small. Remember pressure = force x area... the atm pressure on the walls might not be that hard and hence, you could do both pressure and vacuum with a single tank. Is it a bad idea?

[@Think_4_yourself_plz]

If you use a slow cure resin, would you still be able to use the vacuum tank instead of the pressure pot?

[@bigdaddy7670]

Great video, but I have been using Alumilite clear for 2 years and I vacuum de-gas the mixture before pouring it into the mold. Alumilite TDS recommends this. I use a 1-gallon pot, which degasses quickly. Usually under 1 min. I then have about 6 min to pour.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Great tip!

[@SnyderTools]

Will a pressure pot help push the resin in the smaller gaps of a silicone mold?

[@melosense84]

Hello! Could you please advice - no matter how hard we try, we still couldn't get bubblesfree cast. I suspect that plastic gets hard just too fast, after hardener is added it would take just 5-8 mins for it to get already hard and I just can't securely close chamber and add 4 bars of pressure in that time😅 Should we consider "longer living" plastics?

[@adamswitlak1242]

Great video, pal. Quickly and easy you've just explained the whole story.

[@johnhoffman9413]

Just curious, that tip you gave where the mold would not fit into the pressure pot. Could you not just set the pressure pot on its side, secure it so it can't roll, and use it that way?

[@ulyssesbejarano1847]

what vacuum pump do you recommend, what CFM should I aim for?

[@ODGuitars]

Couple of questions: I'm using a 24 hours epoxy for sealing burl woods, building a vacuum chamber for it now. Is it better to build the pressure chamber instead? Also, can it be made out of playwood (17mm thick) ?

[@brianlindsay9097]

This was very clear, thank you! My biggest confusion is that the internet is super divided on whether "pressure-potting" the silicone before casting is appropriate, with advice ranging from "never pressure cure your silicon because the bubbles will spring back" to "it's perfectly fine, I do it all the time". I'm not going to lie, money is a huge issue to me, and I can't afford to buy both a pressure pot AND a vacuum chamber, with their associated pumps. If I need a vacuum chamber (and pump) to make the pressure pot work, then I best not invest in a pot right now. But... I really need to get these bubbles out of my casts. I may be SOL, but any thoughts you might have would be appreciated.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We totally understand! It's tough because every maker has a different method. If your castings have bubbles in the resin and that's what you're most concerned with, pressure pot all the way. It entirely depends on what you're making and what preventative steps you can take. For example, mixing slowly, pouring into one corner, etc. all helps bubbles in silicone molds release, so that when you cast with resin you'll have smooth castings.

[@DellAnderson]

@brianlindsay9097 Regarding your old question about being unable to buy both a pressure & vacuum pot, I just watched another great YT video by a pro doing without his favorite vacuum/pressure tools while creating at home during lock down. Two parts with some good tips you might find helpful Part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ7VcqBsnZ2dsLc & Part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jovRlpeGpdGsapo

[@voiceofreason1629]

Any recommendations for small concrete statues?

[@cjadams7434]

Since UV resin has a mostly unlimited working time..can it be used in either pressure pot or vacuum chamber? .. to just get rid of bubbles before curing with UV?

[@BobBlarneystone]

Good advice. One thing I've never seen is the use of a magnetic laboratory stirrer with a teflon coated magnet bar. One could add the resin in the mixing container, turn on the stirrer and then slowly add the hardener, being careful to avoid making bubbles. I imagine that it would be thoroughly mixed with few or no bubbles. Of course, when filling in around small objects such as wood blocks or pine cones, that air may become trapped under/around the objects, so a pressure pot may be till necessary.

[@bjornml.08]

Thanks for a great explanation! I was just trying to figure out the differences between the two.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Glad it was helpful!

[@elzakaiumova9818]

Many thanks, that's a brilliant video! Is a vacuum chamber applicable for sodium alginate to make impressions? I know how to make sodium alginate curing process longer (up to 20 min), but I don't know how sodium alginate will "behave" in a vacuum chamber, if it will raise 4x times or even more.

[@GimmieMoBeads]

One of the best videos I've seen so far. Thank you!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We're glad it could help - thanks for watching!

[@shaniquashinankelfeat8487]

Okay this was helpful, so thank you! But I mostly use UV Resins NOT 2 Part Resins, (mainly because the cure time is so much faster and it's easier to keep things suspended in place in my resin) And I don't know how what you taught me in this video correlates to the use of UV resins...? Any and tips or tricks, for the use of UV resin in these two devices would be helpful.... And is there such a thing as a clear pressure pot? That might fix my issue because then I could UV light cure while my molds are in the pressure pot?

[@s44577]

Super helpful video and so well explained. You just saved me time, dollars and frustration. Thanks so much!! Glad I found your channel!

[@nachomcb2825]

Great Video! Vacuum or pressure pot for removing bubbles from resin ( slow cure) for pouring into large molds that wont fit in chamber?

[@tracybrislin]

Great video ! How and why ,what to do and not to do, clear explanation! Just don't get any better. Thanks.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the feedback, Tracy!! We're glad you liked it!!

[@rodolfolourenco7502]

Hi there, great video! Do you think that is it possible to build a pressure form 8' long x 4' wide x 3" deep, put the wood and epoxy inside to build a river table ? Is it sounds crazy ?

[@autumnjeserich2689]

I'm casting really tiny parts(needles for instrument clusters) and due to the size I have found running air vents in my mold makes them unusable because they break by the time I can sand it and polish it back to smooth. One piece molds have the issue air being trapped in the small needle shaft, the pressure pot is able to overcome it for the small needles but the RPM and Speedometer needles that are longer the pressure pot can't overcome it. Is it practical in my use case to fill my silicone mold in the vaccum chamber and to run it in vaccum to force the trapped air out of the needle shaft in my mold so resin can fill that area before going to the pressure pot? I'm using alumilite amazing clear clast and my molds are platinum cure silicone

[@waterlilly62lori]

I use large molds, can you put mixed resin into the pressure to be poured?

[@znorman23]

Hey, where did you get the pressure relief valve for your pressure pot? Is it a 5/8”? I’m having trouble finding a chonker that big.

[@herocraftone5920]

Should we buy vacuum pump 1 stage or 2 stage for Vacuum Chamber?

[@Haditastic]

THIS IS WHAT I NEED, BIG THANKS TO THIS CHANEL

[@cedarandsound]

A vacuum chamber should effectively be about 10-15 minutes right? So that's fine for deep pour epoxies that take 2-3 days to fully cure right?

[@iaincullen7646]

The perfect KZbin video regardless of topic! Is using u pressure pot advisable if I'm layering resin? So, pour...Place object....pressurise...take out before full cure to minimise layering lines....pour....pressurise. Will the trapped bubbles expand again before a resin is fully cured? Thank you again for the video

[@elaineware3969]

Quick question..do you unhook the air compressor once you’ve reached 40psi or do you leave it on the whole curing time? Thanks

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Great question, Elaine! We typically keep our hose attached, just in case there happens to be a leak/loss of pressure we can quickly add air.

[@michaeldequatro1012]

Thanks for the video. I saw that your pressure pot is only $99 at Harbor Freight, but I also saw one on Amazon for $200. I didn't realize you had to make some adjustments to the HF one. Now I don't know what to do.

[@amandageyer795]

I have been debating if I need both or with one I need! I don’t generally make my molds so boom pressure pot for moi! Thank you!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

So glad this was helpful for you!

[@Azur3Rain]

So...if i am making resin art pyramids and I want all the bubbles out and a perfectly clear see thru product, I use a pressure pot right after pouring and run the pressute pot the whole time until it is hardened/cured? Im new to this but I want to make crystal clear no bubble art resin pyramids and other shapes. =]

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Yes, that is the best process for that! You could also try our Amazing Deep Pour epoxy if you're looking to make the pyramid clear in one pour :)

[@Joannime]

Hi guys! I want to start mold making, doni need a vacuum chamber? I have seen some people say that a pressure pot works fine, and others say that you need a vacuum chamber. I can't seem to find a definitive answer on the topic! Any advice?

[@WGPblackmagicSPECIAL]

Here's a question, I need perfect casts, and have both chambers. Should I vacuum my silicone master mold, then cure it in the pressure pot? And with the resin pour, repeat? What's a great method in getting a perfect cast?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Vacuums are great for silicones themselves - so if you're making a mold, that's the way to go. When casting, pressure pot will get you the best results!

[@WGPblackmagicSPECIAL]

@@AlumiliteCorporation no need to worry about spiking in the cast if a pressure pot isn't used in the mold?

[@glen3257]

thank you for this video. Like and new subscriber. I want to get into resin lathe turning and researching whether to buy a vacuum pot or pressure pot.

[@David-bc4rh]

So the compressed air bubbles that get trapped in the resin remain pressurized after curing? So the resin object will be slightly pressurized after curing?

[@MrA6992]

Hello there! first things first: GREAT VIDEO! it solved my doubts on the topic in a perfect way! thank you so much for it! then, I'm sorry to bother you, I would like to know one thing before buying a pressure pot: I cast reeeeeally small pieces for my miniatures (for example a head of a 28 mm miniature), so my moulds are often small (2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm).. my question is: if I put them in the pressure pot, isn't there the possibility that the mould collapses for the pressure, and the result is a deformed piece? or the pressure is just enough to make the air come out without deforming the "walls" of my mould? thanks for your time, and again.. great video!

[@wolfchan4389]

so a vacuum chamber should be fine then if you are using slow cure resins right? I have mainly been using art resins with a 24+ hour cure time so it seems like a vacuum pot should be fine to use on those and the silicone casts

[@rhoder2]

If you pour resin into the mold, could you put it into a vacuum chamber and let it set while in there?

[@CLeeMiller]

Question on the pressure pot .... if the mold does not fit as demonstrated in the video, can you set the pressure pot on its side and run it????

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You absolutely can put the pressure pot on its side to fit large molds. We want to make sure everyone's being smart and safe and make sure to secure the pot to a rig or something to keep it stable. And, as always, follow the manufacturer's recommendations first - if they don't recommend that for the pot you have, then we can't either.

[@dianac2031]

I can watch all of your videos!!! Thank you for packing lots of information in an easy to understand way. You make it fun to learn!!! Gotta love Alumilite! Best man for the job 👍

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the awesome words Diana!

[@blender_unleashed]

which would you use for casting aluminum?

[@zonedoutt6962]

I understand why you would not want to put your mixed resin in the vacuum chamber since it would likely cure before you could pour it again, but what if you've already poured it, can you put your mold in there? Like you did for the pressure pot?

[@THEFIFTHDIMENTION]

Yes

[@georgexanthopoulos6690]

Thank you for the video, one question, in the case of the pressure pot using resin do I wait until casting is cured which may take 24 hours OR I release the pressure much sooner assuming the bubbles are gone and not having to wait for so many more hours? Thank you Much George

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You'll want to have your poured resin in the pressure pot while it's curing. The pressure will minimize the bubbles in the piece but the second the pressure releases the bubbles will come back if the resin isn't cured.

[@TonyGarrett-p1c]

Hmm, I wonder if one of these could vacuum seal canning jars?

[@dmitriykozmin3091]

this is a perfect explanation. just what i needed! thanx. subscribed

[@jamesadams162]

is it possible to pour resin into a mould and then put in a vacuum chamber?

[@MrPapouf56]

Great video. I just received my pressure pot and my compressor. And I have a problem: omg the NOISE of the compressor. I also have a vacuum pump who is like yours. And I can tell the compressor is much MUCH louder. Do you have a silent compressor ? I will have to get mine reimbursed because of the neighbors. I would be interested if you would have a solution for that.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

That is definitely something to reach out to the manufacturer about!

[@MrPapouf56]

@@AlumiliteCorporation thanks for your response

[@RICDirector]

It is possible to build an enclosure to help muffle the sound; air pumps of either sort are going to be noisy, Im afraid.

[@christopherlee1673]

What if your resin is poured into the mold and then put the mold into the vaccume chamber? I'm doing turn signal lenses and cannot get the tiny bubbles out. Thought i wouod try this method

[@marklengal9990]

What silicone do you recommend for the bottom of the pressure pot? Great idea

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Any of them will work - the goal is to flatten the bottom and to catch any spills from overflow! In this video, I believe we are using one of our Plat products but any of them will work.

[@nikipo1376]

I have a 1.5 gallon vacuum pot, how do I get a lid seal/gasket replacement? My son broke mine.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

For this, you would have to reach out to the manufacturer of your vacuum pot! We typically recommend this site for vacuum chambers: shopbvv.com/products/best-value-vacs-10-gallon-aluminum-vacuum-chamber?variant=14482661310579&Google%20Shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjwlID8BRAFEiwAnUoK1Ugno6S_ChBX6eXP5nfXJPMVSfFI6p-xBg8ALHJbAwDbEC5pFbm-9xoC1t8QAvD_BwE

[@xavierdesaegher7353]

Hello, I discover your channel because I am interested to create my knife handles with wood and resin. I congratulate you for your videos and thank you already for your sharing. Also, I don't speak much English (I use an application for written English) and I would like to be sure of what I understood. the vacuum chamber allows all the air to be evacuated from an object such as wood. We dip it in resinel (which one?), colored or not, so that it fills all the free space. For the pressure pot, we can put the object in the prepared epoxy (mixture A and B, which one?), and this allows to trap the air in the object and to harden the epoxy around this object.no? so if I want to color heartwood, and marry it with resin, I first pass it in the vacuum, with a bath of colored resin, then in the pressure pot to make a handle with epoxy? thank you for your return, and your information on the products to use. good continuation Xavier

[@steinbierz]

I was very interested in your Pro Tip on pouring silicone into the bottom of your pressure pot. I hadn't thought about that and was recently watching another video where they recommended using an HDPE disc in the bottom. They linked to a relatively cheap one so I ordered one and, although I haven't used it yet, it should work fine. I am intrigued by the silicone though as I have another pot that I don't have a bottom for. Are there any downsides to pouring silicone in the bottom of the pot when my only use will ever be for casting? Thanks.

[@AZ-ui1gg]

Great video! I am wanting to cast a sphere in three layers, a clear top with object in it, the middle layer with alcohol ink and the final layer a solid color. Can layers be done in a vacuum or pressure pot? And will either of these methods move the object in the first layer and spread or ruin alcohol ink drop effect??

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Hey there! Yes - you can definitely do layers. You'll just pour one layer, put it in the pressure pot, let it cure. Pour the second layer, let it cure, and so on. I wouldn't recommend a vacuum chamber for this. For objects in the resin - they will move on their own if not held in place. For alcohol inks I am not sure the effect a pressure pot would have.

[@AZ-ui1gg]

​@@AlumiliteCorporation awesome, thank you. If I was to purchase a pressure pot, would it be good to go as is for resin Or will it need to be mortified?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

@@AZ-ui1gg you’d need to purchase one that is intended for resin or modify one for your needs. There are boatload of KZbin videos about this and if you need recommendations let us know :)

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

@@AZ-ui1gg It depends on where you purchase from! If you get from here: www.californiaairtools.com/air-tools-accessories/pressure-pots/ it will be good to go. Or you can take a paint compressor and modify it to be a pressure pot.

[@nicksmith1415]

Can they both be used on their side?

[@cinmarina]

sorry, may be stupid question, but can I use pressure pot for the cast made of plaster?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Hi Marina - we have not tried this, so I cannot speak from experience. You can do it, but plaster cures by evaporating water, so it being in the pressure pot may cause cure issues. Again, have not tried it.

[@cereal_wars696]

I have a question! So of I have a resin that has a cure time of like 45 minutes or so, then would a vacuum chamber work for my resin projects? Or would you still recommend i use a pressure chamber?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

It is possible to use the vacuum chamber in that situation!

[@cereal_wars696]

@@AlumiliteCorporation thank you!!

[@tlbx57]

Very helpful and comprehensive. Thanks!

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!

[@ObeliskDoon]

I had a question regarding silicone molds. I recently used Thi-Vex to thicken silicone and spread it over a master to save cost, but found air bubbles trapped between the mold and master. I have a pressure pot, but was wondering if it would be effective in forcing those air bubbles out of the mold while it cures. The vacuum chamber seems to expand the silicone which I would not want since it would already be encasing the master.

[@Crits-Crafts]

I am only just getting into casting and can only afford one, which would you recommend?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

If you're mostly using casting resins and urethanes then a pressure pot is a great place to start.

[@Jeffcontonio]

I’m experimenting with casting preserved chili’s in epoxy. The first attempts were ok but I’d like to remove more of the bubbles with either a vacuum pot or pressure pot. I’m not sure which would be better for my application. I’m worried that the soft walls of the chili pepper will collapse under pressure. Is this a legitimate concern with using a pressure pot for my application? Or will the pressure draw the epoxy into the voids of the pepper? Or is that what happens under vacuum? I really don’t know.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Hey Jeff - first of all, cool project! Second of all - what resin are you using? If you're using an epoxy (Amazing Clear Cast, Amazing Deep Pour) try warming your bottles in a warm water bath prior to mixing and pouring. This will make it a bit thinner so bubbles will escape easier. What type of mold are you using?

[@alexl8860]

I'm thinking of using one of these silicone degassing chambers to vacuum air out of metal that I'm casting because it's like $500 less than the products that are designed for that, but I can't find anything on that. Do you think it would work, or would the high temperatures ruin the machine?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

We would highly recommend reaching out to a manufacturer of vacuum chambers before attempting this! They'll have the most info!

[@ehonda2718]

If I attach a vacuum pump to a pressure pot, can it be used as a vacuum chamber? I don’t want to buy two tanks if one can be used for both.

[@delmar-9253]

Thanx for your explanations. Let's say I want some epoxy to fill in the pores of some dry wood. Am I right assuming the vacuum chamber will do a better job ?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

You got it!

[@delmar-9253]

@@AlumiliteCorporation Thx for the answer.

[@CoolThanks]

When you say Silicone do you mean a Silicone molding or a type of epoxy resin?

[@cat_city2009]

Can you use a bicycle or other manual pump for the vacuum chamber? I know they can be adapted to suck air out but I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble. I'd like to avoid buying a $60+ air pump if I can help it.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

It looks like you can rework a bike pump for a vacuum chamber. The fit I'm unsure of, and I don't think it will pull as strong a vacuum as an electric pump, but may be possible. www.instructables.com/make-a-manual-vacuum-pump-for-under-%2420-by-convert/

[@cat_city2009]

@@AlumiliteCorporation I appreciate you getting back to me. I bought a small vacuum chamber and figured out how to hook it up to the hand pump from a brake bleeder kit. It's hard as all hell to pump but it draws the air out.

[@vernonleeper]

Awesome video thanks for sharing. I was going to use the same pot for the same process.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for watching!!

[@PantheraPress]

I see two questions I don't think were addressed: 1. What do you consider a long working time/open time for resin? Hours? Days? Any resin I've worked with typically takes 8+ hours before de-molding - I've never heard of a brand (besides UV or something) that would cure in the 10-15 minutes it would take to degas (though I'm not super experienced and I'm sure fast set resins do exist) 2. If your mold is not going to fit in a pressure pot or you're doing large projects like river tables what are you expected to do? ( I assume the answer is to degas the resin in a vacuum chamber before pouring instead).

[@anullhandle]

Yes you can vacuum degas epoxy then pour. You'll likely still need to pass a propane torch over the surface to release trapped air that rises to the surface. Depending on viscosity epoxy can expand quite a bit while degassing.

[@rodrigopadilla832]

Hi, which comoressor unuse with the oressure pot

[@zachearley1906]

I am thinking of making a vaccuum chamber to put handles on for my ax's and hammers. I would be filling it up with Boiled Linseed oil. Do you think this would work? And if not, why.

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Hi Zach! I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Are you using a silicone or resin in this process? When does the oil come into play in this process?

[@zachearley1906]

@@AlumiliteCorporation Instead of wiping on the oil onto the handles to protect them from the weather, I was thinking about making a vaccuum chamber to fill with oil and put the handles in and Vaccuum it down to draw the oil into the wood

[@RICDirector]

Pressure pot, I think, would do it better, but I think you'd have to play with that one. Also...consider the heat generated as BLO dries....youay just be making very elaborate self-igniting firewood....

[@joecocktail]

I'm having an issue with casting resin in a pressure pot, where my parts are coming out spikey. Its like the bubbles are on the outside instead of the inside. It's destroying my silicone moulds as they are then spiked and covered in holes. Any help/advice you can offer?

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

This is a really strange issue! A lot of things could be affecting your project like this - we would recommend reaching out to our technical services team at [e-mail] with more details (like resin product & short process explanation)! They should be able to help you troubleshoot!

[@EvilhomerNZ]

This seems to happen when your silicone isnt de-gassed. What is happening is the pressure is popping micro bubbles inside your silicone mold itself. Then the resin is now 'forced' into those holes. You can stop this by degassing the silicone using a vacuum chamber before you pour/create your mold. THEN use the pressure pot for the casting :)

[@tiebei2548]

I haven't started yet, but on another video, I saw that you have to degas the silicone first and then use the pressure pot.

[@tipstricks8040]

super simple and amazing explanation, really loved the way you present and explain

[@AlumiliteCorporation]

Thanks for the feedback and thanks for watching!