Using fridge compressor for vacuum chamber?

[shinythingsstudio0484]

So, I'm trying to put together a vacuum chamber to get the bubbles out of my silicone and resin. Those kits can be a bit much $$$, you know? I found a chamber with the right hookups for about $85, which is a steal

Now, I'm thinking of using an old fridge compressor I pulled out from the garage as the vacuum pump. Has anyone ever tried this? Would it even work? Any advice would be great

 

[CanineChaos]

@shinythingsstudio0484 Yes, it can definitely work, I've done that before. The compressor is designed to move refrigerant, so it will pull a vacuum.
The main downsides are that it can be very slow, and it might not pull a super deep vacuum. For degassing silicone and resin, you probably won't need an absolutely perfect vacuum, so it's a great place to start. Just be patient with it!