I just finished converting a 2.5 gallon paint pressure pot, and I wanted to share my "poor man's" approach.
I found a bunch of great info online about converting these for casting, but I wanted to do it with the simplest, cheapest parts I could find.
First, instead of buying new, expensive gauges, I found an old mechanic's HVAC hand gauge set (the low side gauge can read both vacuum and pressure), which is perfect. I also used a cheap venturi type vacuum pump that runs off an air compressor. This setup handles both the vacuum for degassing and the pressure for casting without needing a bunch of expensive, specialized equipment.
Now, after a few modifications to the pot's lid (adding some quarter-turn valves for the pressure and vacuum lines) it was ready to go.
I used a pressure regulator to dial in a safe 50 PSI and made sure to test all the joints for leaks with a real leak detector fluid, not just soapy water. It's a crucial step that you don't want to skip.
Here's the Process. the whole point of this rig is to get perfect, bubble free casts every time. I pull a strong vacuum on the liquid rubber to degas it, then pour the degassed rubber into the molds.
For the final casting, I put the molds under pressure to squeeze out any remaining bubbles, and the results are flawless
This project was a bit of a process, but it's a solid, budget friendly way to get professional quality casts.
It's been a game changer for me. What do you all think? Any other tips or tricks for a setup like this?
I found a bunch of great info online about converting these for casting, but I wanted to do it with the simplest, cheapest parts I could find.
First, instead of buying new, expensive gauges, I found an old mechanic's HVAC hand gauge set (the low side gauge can read both vacuum and pressure), which is perfect. I also used a cheap venturi type vacuum pump that runs off an air compressor. This setup handles both the vacuum for degassing and the pressure for casting without needing a bunch of expensive, specialized equipment.
Now, after a few modifications to the pot's lid (adding some quarter-turn valves for the pressure and vacuum lines) it was ready to go.
I used a pressure regulator to dial in a safe 50 PSI and made sure to test all the joints for leaks with a real leak detector fluid, not just soapy water. It's a crucial step that you don't want to skip.
Here's the Process. the whole point of this rig is to get perfect, bubble free casts every time. I pull a strong vacuum on the liquid rubber to degas it, then pour the degassed rubber into the molds.
For the final casting, I put the molds under pressure to squeeze out any remaining bubbles, and the results are flawless
This project was a bit of a process, but it's a solid, budget friendly way to get professional quality casts.
It's been a game changer for me. What do you all think? Any other tips or tricks for a setup like this?