# Home made chamber



## Spinartist (Jun 22, 2016)

Someone set two aluminum Co2 tanks out fer bulk trash which I did a quick U-turn to grab. I was going to make hanging bells from them but reading this forum I think I'll made a vacuum chamber from at least one of them. I calipered the wall thickness at 5/16". 5 1/4" diameter.
I will cut top off on my wood lathe (did an aluminum scuba tank before with 3/4" wall safely) & true top. Maybe groove it for o-ring & use a 1/2" thick Lexan sheet for top. I have vac gauge & fittings.
Now if I only hadn't sold the Gast vacuum pump that I never used for woodturning........

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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## Schroedc (Jun 22, 2016)

Those would probably work just fine, Only drawback is not being able to see into them except through the lid.


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## gman2431 (Jun 22, 2016)

I've always heard .5 can be sketchy for lids and so forth. I have some .75 material if you need a thicker top.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 22, 2016)

Plastic shop 2 blocks away with almost every kind & size. 8" x 8" x 3/4" Lexan is $18


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## Spinartist (Jun 23, 2016)

How about 2" acrylic?? This should hold up!! Just a piece of extra sitting in a drawer till I decide what to do with it. 


gman2431 said:


> I've always heard .5 can be sketchy for lids and so forth. I have some .75 material if you need a thicker top.

Reactions: Way Cool 3


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## gman2431 (Jun 23, 2016)

Rip it half and ya got 2 lids!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 23, 2016)

Co2 tank mounted on lathe in my big stronghold chuck & live center in opened end. Was going to use steady rest but decided not needed. 
Used 1/16" parting tool ( not mine- used my buddy's ) to start slowly cutting off top making sure clean straight cut as I progressed. Drilled a small hole so I could see when getting close to cutting through.
When first sign of cutting through wall I stopped & hacksawed (with lathe OFF!!) till top came off.
Used a round scraper to gently clean up rough inner edge & sanded.
Perfectly flat smooth top ready for gasket & top!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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## Spinartist (Jun 23, 2016)

Retapped the leftover top of tank to 1 1/4" x 8TPI to make vacuum chuck to fit most 16" & larger lathes.
Inner diameter of chamber is 4 3/4" and is just under 11" deep. I plan to thread a fitting into side wall 1" from top of chamber to pull vacuum from so top clear Lexan lid is solid.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2 | Creative 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 23, 2016)

Great idea!!!! ::


gman2431 said:


> Rip it half and ya got 2 lids!


 Might just do that! Would save me $14 for Lexan lid.


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## gman2431 (Jun 23, 2016)

Nice way to repurpose the top of tank for a vacuum chuck!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 23, 2016)

Great job ingeniously accomplished! Now I see how the name "spinartist" comes to fruition!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 23, 2016)



Reactions: Like 1


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## Spinartist (Jun 23, 2016)

.

Reactions: Funny 5


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## wade (Dec 31, 2016)

Would like to see finished piece when you get it done. Great idea too.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson (Jan 29, 2017)

That's a heck of a street find! Great repurposing, BTW would aluminum tanks used for bells have a decent sound?


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## Spinartist (Jan 30, 2017)

barry richardson said:


> That's a heck of a street find! Great repurposing, BTW would aluminum tanks used for bells have a decent sound?




I'll find out when I cut the other one


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## Schroedc (Jan 30, 2017)

I'll be interested to see what aluminum ones sound like. I've made a few out of steel CO2 tanks....


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## Spinartist (Jan 30, 2017)

Schroedc said:


> I'll be interested to see what aluminum ones sound like. I've made a few out of steel CO2 tanks....




Steel tank prolly wood sound better

Reactions: Agree 1


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