# Cleaning up from stabilizing



## kweinert

OK, so I'm not sure this is the right place for this. And it might better be a question asked directly to Curtis, but I'll expose my stupidity here so that all can benefit from my experience :)

The last time I stabilized with Cactus Juice (great stuff) I didn't get around to cleaning out the chamber right away after I poured out the majority of the CJ.

For a couple of days.

Maybe a week.

*shrug* Maybe longer.

At any rate I now have this gelatinous mess in the bottom of my chamber. At this point soap and water don't seem to be doing anything.

I'm looking for advice from Curtis (or anyone else who has already experienced this - I can't be the only one, can I? :) on cleaning this mess up.

Thanks.

@TurnTex


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## Schroedc

Which chamber? One of his square ones? If so, You gots a mess there (I did it once but not quite as bad) I scraped mine out with a plastic body filler spreader and then scrubbed it up and it came out pretty clean. I'll be interested to see what Curtis says for the proper way to clean it up


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## kweinert

I just saw this in the FAQs on his site (it was in a question about failing chambers, not about cleaning so I missed it earlier):

_Cactus Juice is chemically similar to the acrylic my chambers are made out of. Allowing the Cactus Juice to sit in the chamber longer than necessary for the vacuum process and 30-45 minutes of equalization time may cause a slimy film to develop inside the chamber that is hard to clean. It does NOT cause the chamber to fail, plain and simple!

A few months back, I forgot and left some Cactus Juice and blanks in my own personal chamber for 4 days. My chamber does not look as good as it did when new but has not failed! I took a razor blade and scraped out the slimy film and continue to use that chamber to this day with the same level of vacuum as before._

And yes "I gots a mess there" :)

So I guess a scraper is in order. I was thinking about a putty knife, but the plastic is a much better idea. Although it looks like he used a razor blade.


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## Kevin

Buy one of his glass chambers. Glass is the only way to go IMO. I have not used my acrylic chambers since I got my first glass one. I have 3 sizes of glass ones now and for me, they are the only way to go.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## kweinert

Must be missing something on his site - I only see acrylic and PVC - although the PVC one would eliminate my issue. As would paying more attention to what I'm doing :)


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## Kevin

Ah okay PVC - I was thinking he sold glass tubes. I have no experience with the PVC.


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## DavidDobbs

Ken
Buy a pressure paint pot. Now that you have done it with the see thru chamber you dont need to see it anymore.
Use your vacuum gauge to tell where you are and way cheaper and bigger.

I have 2 - 2 1/2 gallon 2 - 5 gallon 1- 10 gallon pots
Dave

Reactions: Agree 1


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## kweinert

I have one from HF to do casting. I suppose it works the same both ways :)

Thanks.


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## DavidDobbs

kweinert said:


> I have one from HF to do casting. I suppose it works the same both ways :)
> 
> Thanks.


Yes it will


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## ironman123

Kevin, if your chambers are glass you probably got them from Jon. That is ok, memory gets foggy in some old people. I know mind duz. I have 3 of Curtis's Round PVC chambers. I just rinse with water and dry with paper towels.


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## Kevin

Ray I got two from Jon and one broke so I still have one of his. I bought another one from a glass tube manufacturer. The third one I traded for with a member here. The PVC sounds like a better way if they don't fog.


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## Kevin

Ray I understand what you're saying now. You're thinking I was saying I got mine from Curtis. No I was never thinking that, I was just under the impression Curtis' round chambers were glass, I did not know they were PVC until Ken told me they were in this thread. I didn't forget where I got any of my chambers - my memory is bad but not that bad. Well I guess it is as I *have* forgotten who the manufacturer was that I bought that chamber from and I cannot locate the invoice.


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## ironman123

None of mine have fogged. I have have one that I know I have used at least 35 times and it looks brand new.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## kweinert

Well, scraping isn't the answer - it appears that I have a full chemical bond going on.

Unfortunately, a green chemical bond. It was my first attempt to dye during stabilizing.

Guess it's off to the paint pot for now for my next round. After I order some more Cactus Juice.


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## manbuckwal

I have left cactus juice in my clear PVC for months w no issues thus far of fogging or slime .

Reactions: Like 1


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## DavidDobbs

Ken
Something that I like to use in the pot is the cheap plastic Paint bucket. From one of the big box stores. Or a one gallon ice cream bucket fit real nice in the paint pot. Juice don't hurt them. And you can just put the lid on it and Let the blanks soak in them. Have a few with different colors.

Dave

Reactions: Agree 1 | Useful 2


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## TurnTex

Sorry I missed this earlier! Ken, if you are still having an issue, try the razor blade. If that will not work, you are probably out of luck there, unfortunately. Contact me and I will help you out with the price of a new JuiceProof chamber if you need one.


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## TurnTex

Kevin...my new chambers are made from clear PVC. PVC is very chemical resistant and is not affected by Cactus Juice at all. I have left blue dyed Juice in my chamber for 3 weeks straight. I poured out the Juice and sprayed it out with a water hose. I did not even use soap. (It was a 42" long chamber I used to do 80 pen blanks at once so the only way to clean it was with a hose!) The next weekend, I used that chamber as my display at SWAT and you could not tell it had ever been used.

I personally will not have any glass in my shop. Just way too dangerous for me. I am not so worried about implosion but more about it getting knocked off the bench and breaking. It is bad enough cleaning up spilled Cactus Juice. Take a glass chamber full of Juice and drop it on the floor and now you are cleaning up the Juice with glass shards in it. Murphy is alive and well in my shop and his laws prevail frequently! Professionally, I will not build chambers from glass due to the extreme liability. Especially when there are better options out there. I can drop one of my JuiceProof chambers on the floor and it will not break. I do not have to be careful when dropping blanks into the chamber either.

Reactions: Great Post 1 | Way Cool 1 | Informative 1


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## Tclem

I also dyed a little green batch a while back. Let soak for about 20 minutes and transferred. Cleaned out with soap and water. Have a little film. Nothing bad. I need to try the razor blade on mine. Of course I send 99% of my stuff to mel but will stabilize if I need something that week


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## Tclem

Well after all that I just used the blade and it is as clear as it was the day I got it. Hmmmm thanks for the suggestions


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## Kevin

TurnTex said:


> Kevin...my new chambers are made from clear PVC. PVC is very chemical resistant and is not affected by Cactus Juice at all. I have left blue dyed Juice in my chamber for 3 weeks straight. I poured out the Juice and sprayed it out with a water hose. I did not even use soap. (It was a 42" long chamber I used to do 80 pen blanks at once so the only way to clean it was with a hose!) The next weekend, I used that chamber as my display at SWAT and you could not tell it had ever been used.
> 
> I personally will not have any glass in my shop. Just way too dangerous for me. I am not so worried about implosion but more about it getting knocked off the bench and breaking. It is bad enough cleaning up spilled Cactus Juice. Take a glass chamber full of Juice and drop it on the floor and now you are cleaning up the Juice with glass shards in it. Murphy is alive and well in my shop and his laws prevail frequently! Professionally, I will not build chambers from glass due to the extreme liability. Especially when there are better options out there. I can drop one of my JuiceProof chambers on the floor and it will not break. I do not have to be careful when dropping blanks into the chamber either.



It's hard to find any downside to PVC if that is all the case, and I do not doubt it with all the feedback I am reading. Although I believe a properly annealed glass chamber will not break unless you actually do drop it, if PVC has all those benefits plus invincibility, I will go with PVC if my glass ones ever break. What sizes do you carry?


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## TurnTex

Sorry Kevin, Did not see your post. I currently have 4" ID x any length up to 10' on my site and will be adding 6" shortly.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Schroedc

TurnTex said:


> Sorry Kevin, Did not see your post. I currently have 4" ID x any length up to 10' on my site and will be adding 6" shortly.



Good to know, I'll wait for the 6 inchers before placing an order for a couple


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## kweinert

So, here's my new chamber all set up. Clever idea for fastening down the chamber.



 

Thanks Curtis, really great service.


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