# Vacuum chamber



## Ben Shook (Apr 18, 2016)

Has anyone ever built a vacuum chamber out of sheet lexan? I'm looking to build one and I am leary of using glass, not the most graceful person in the world. Any thoughts?


----------



## Schroedc (Apr 18, 2016)

Clear round pvc would be my recommendation. That's what I've built mine out of. Just the ends to worry about and you can make it as tall as you want. Probably cheaper as well as if I recall 1/2 inch thick or thicker lexan is pretty spendy.


----------



## Ben Shook (Apr 18, 2016)

Thanks for the input. I wasn't sure if 1/4" sheet would be thick enough or if I would need to go thicker. I have priced 6" clear PVC and it's pretty pricey. Just exploring my options.


----------



## F.W.von (Apr 18, 2016)

PVC sounds like a good way.
I have 7 or so 15" diameter x 6' pieces of the stuff from some city work. Why not make a vac chamber?


----------



## Schroedc (Apr 18, 2016)

I use six inch schedule 40 pipe. For a chamber I probably would not use sewer pipe pvc as the walls are quite a bit thinner. I have a square chamber from a while ago I use as a back up and it's an eight by eight and the walls were made from 1/2 inch material. What walk thickness for the 15 inch diameter pieces?


----------



## Schroedc (Apr 18, 2016)

@Ben Shook , better to spend the money and be safe instead of having one implode.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## Ben Shook (Apr 19, 2016)

This is true @Schroedc.


----------



## F.W.von (Apr 19, 2016)

The 15" diameter walls are at least an inch. That stuff will never implode.

Currently I have all of them stacked and use em as a pipe rack by the welding shop.
Probly too huge to to the vac thing. By the time it was filled with stabilizer.,. You'd need a barrel of the stuff.

Some of those acryllic fish tanks are real tough. You know the ones with bent corners?
Seen em about half n inch thick.
Makin a vac tite lid seems easy.
After all whatfun is a vac chamber If you can't see bubbles foamin out?


----------



## Schroedc (Apr 19, 2016)

F.W.von said:


> The 15" diameter walls are at least an inch. That stuff will never implode.
> 
> Currently I have all of them stacked and use em as a pipe rack by the welding shop.
> Probly too huge to to the vac thing. By the time it was filled with stabilizer.,. You'd need a barrel of the stuff.
> ...



You could build a 15 inch chamber, just use containers inside it for whatever amount of stuff you need to do so you wouldn't actually have to fill it with resin. I have a couple 4 inch tubes I'll stick inside my 6 inch chambers if I only need to do a few blanks. I'm in the middle of building a 12 inch chamber right now that's over 3 feet tall.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


----------

