# Stabilizing Tank - Guess It SUCKED !!!



## RBcarving (Sep 22, 2013)

Anyone ever have this happen ?? 
Got a new vacuum pump and it sucked so good it shattered the bottom of my 1/2" thick tank !!

Brad


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## Wildthings (Sep 22, 2013)

WOW!!


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## Kevin (Sep 22, 2013)

What is the material? Did you make that tank yourself or buy it?


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## Cody Killgore (Sep 22, 2013)

That's crazy...Now I fear for my glass chamber!


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## ironman123 (Sep 22, 2013)

Was that tank glass or acrylic. Looks like glass to me. I would be too clumsy to use glass in my shop.

Glad you didn't get hurt. What pump you got?

Ray


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## RBcarving (Sep 22, 2013)

No, not glass. Used a new piece of 1/2" Makrolon brand acrylic. Made it myself...joints are still solid. Has been holding up at 28.5"Hg for quite a while, which is near perfect, as Im at a bit below 1000 ft in elevation. This pump was reading right at 29", then I left it for a while...when I came back, this is what I had. 

The pump is from a guy that I heard about on Ebay. He rebuilds generic pumps(HF/General??) ...I don't know what all he does, but I guess it works. My buddy told me the pump he got from him was a "Monster"...and apparently, works better than my old JB. I needed a new one, on a budget for now, and this was just $60. I cant testify to the longevity, but it sure seems to suck. Its a 3CFM Rotary.

Brad


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## Kevin (Sep 22, 2013)

Once you get into those last few percentiles of vacuum it doesn't make much difference, if any, when it comes to stabilizing wood. Maybe in a petri dish in the spacelab yes, but not with wood. I would say you got one of those rare pieces of acrylic that had a flaw. As far as taking a HF pump and turning it into some kind of magical vacuum pump for $60 c'mon man we are woodaholics but we aren't dolts.


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## RBcarving (Sep 22, 2013)

I agree that it seems odd...Could just be a coincidence I suppose, but I have run probably 20-25 batches in that tank without an issue. I think I will slice off & replace that bottom and try again to see what happens.

Brad


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## BangleGuy (Sep 22, 2013)

Stabilizing resin can cause acrylic to weaken or crack over time. My acrylic chamber has numerous cracks in it from long term exposure to resin. I mostly use polyethylene containers now to hold the resin and place them in the acrylic chamber to prevent further damage.


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## justturnin (Sep 23, 2013)

Man alive, that is crazy!!!!! I bet that was a mess to walk into. Need to start putting my chamber in a tote or something so when it goes out on me it will be more containable.


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## DavidDobbs (Sep 23, 2013)

I use a pressure / paint pot you cant see whats going on inside. But do you need to?
I have a have a air drier can on the outside so if it does pull something out. I have yet to see anything in it.

But its not going to bust either.

I also use the small buckets from Lowes or HD no mess to clean up in the pot.
Put a lid on the bucket you are good to go next time.

You can buy the pots cheap on CraigsList.



Dave


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