doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com After effects of acetone bath on wood

I believe it's pretty common for folks who want to stabilize wood with some sort of curing liquid to draw a vacuum on the piece to remove moisture and natural oils, so there's little voids for the polymer to enter. It's pretty easy to rig pipe with threaded caps and a fitting to draw a vacuum inside. A brake bleeder could do it, but that would be painfully slow for a container large enough for a stock.

Interesting about the pressure tank. Five gallon units are sold on eBay for 150$, not sure if they would work or not.

Only thoughts, but the tank could probably be sourced from the scrap yard. Stuff like flanged pipe, cut open an old O2 cylinder, etc. With a perfect vacuum, which may not happen, the maximum force pushing in on the vessel would only be one atmosphere. It could collapse, but wouldn't burst outward as if it were pressurized. I'm familiar with things like this. You only really need to tap one little hole for a vacuum hook up. A ball valve will shut it off so the pump doesn't have to run constantly, and a tee off of it for a vacuum gauge is a good idea. With a little familiarizing, it could be a good time saver with likely little worry for the wood. Only thoughts.

I think I should mention the reason I never continued any further with this system when I returned home. The main problem was the expense of purchasing a quality vacuum pump and control gear capable of producing vacuums of 3 bar and over and keeping it stable for an extended period of time. The pressure vessel was not a problem to assemble from a length 6 inch diameter 3/8 inch wall steel pipe welded shut at one end having the vacuum pipe inlet fitted also a vacuum release valve and at the other end a bolt flange fitted with a steel closing plate and rubber gasket for access.

How about using a vacuum pump like those used to purge an A/C system on an automobile. They're pretty slow, but it is my understanding that they really are powerful. Like this:

https://www.harborfreight.com/25-cfm-vacuum-pump-61245.html

It is rated to 10 Pascals. That is .0001 BAR. Anybody understand all that enough to know if it would work, or if that is enough vacuum?

SRH

They've got a higher priced one that goes to 3 Pascals. I don't know if that is better or worse ................more or less.

SRH

Those things are a head scratcher Stan. There're probably a dozen different brands that label that basic machine. I'd consider seeing if the amp ratings are available. Chances are the truly stronger motor will get to where they can, a bit quicker. If a person had some confidence in assessing used machines, they seem to be available for pennies on the dollar.

I feel that I should give you folks the results of my enquiries about what type of vacuum pump is required to produce a good workable vacuum.
The pump needs be a "Rotary Vane Double Stage Oil Bath Vacuum Pump". I also found that gauges and control gear for compressors and pressure vessels are a very reasonable cost, but as soon as you enter the world of vacuum generation all price logic seemed to go out of the window and be replaced by high costs indeed. This is all the knowledge I have about duplicating the vacuum kit I used in the factory. I hope the prices are much lower for the bits and pieces needed to build it on your side of the pond, though here in the UK it is far to expensive.

The $149.99 one pulls to 22.5 microns. Can anyone help translate that into gunsmithing-ese? Specifically, is that enough vacuum to do the job? On a conversion table that translates to 0 bars. Am I correct that 0 bars is a greater vacuum than the 3 bars damascus mentioned? Or, am I bassackwards?

This apparatus could be a huge improvement over soaks if it will work and could be assembled for under $300. I believe I can make the pressure vessel from salvaged pipe, etc. It would be so easy to repeat the toilet tissue wrap, and let sit overnight in the container, as many times as needed to remove most of the oil. The possibility of picking up a used one cheap is a good idea too, craig, thus lowering the initial costs even more.

SRH

I feel that I may have made things a little difficult by using the word Bar. So to make it clear the gauge on the factory unit was in Bar the unit was put together by the factory them selves the gauge could have been sourced from anywhere. Now the Germanic logic!! Atmosphere is 14.27 psi so according to the gauge on the unit 1 bar is 14.5038 psi with this being the case the internal atmosphere inside the vessel was lowered by approximately 3 atmospheres.
I had to dig out my Diary and look up the notes I made at the time so I could make a unit when I returned home.
I hope this makes things clear for you all. I will now take my aching head for a sleep and to help things along a glass of Bison Grass Vodka should work just fine.