Vacuum chamber lid shattered!!!

[Bucks]

Just had the 20mm thick acrylic lid on our vacuum chamber shatter whilst stabilising some pen blanks, anyone have any suggestions on where we could purchase a piece of 30mm or even 40mm thick acrylic & have it machined? Not sure on trying to machine a piece myself as if it goes wrong it's a expensive mistake!

 

[Phil Dart]

Bloody hell Paul!! That doesn't sound good. If you were working within tolerances, does the manufacturer/supplier not have anything to say on the matter? - like sorry, here's a replacement.

 

[Bucks]

I've just emailed HVAC store the supplier of the vacuum chamber, see what they have to say tommorow, but I recon a replacement 20mm lid will probably go the same way! That's why I'm trying to get a 30-40mm lid made from somewhere.

 

[Penpal]

In America the main dealer in stabilising fluid recesses his units down to the lid height following the implosion of tops etc over time. Seemed like a good idea to me. Many users had made Corian tops that fractured also. Recommended pressures are important to follow. On the IAP in their library these probs etc are covered in detail. What may appear substantial can be deceiving when subject to stress. Mesquite Man is the expert. Curtis Seebeck.

Peter.

 

[Bucks]

To make matters even worse we also use the vacuum chamber for degassing the silicone for our moulds so, getting something sorted it pretty urgent

 

[Bucks]

Yeh Peter, I've been chatting to Curtis @ Turntex this evening for quite a while, he's been very helpful & made me realise that the 20mm acrylic lids on a 260mm diameter pot aren't suitable for the constant vacuum that stabilising requires, as I found out earlier this evening!

 

[wm460]

Found this in the UK.

Thick Acrylic Sheet | Thick Perspex Sheet | Clear
30mm, 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 70mm, 80mm, 90mm and 100mm thick

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...WupALcSelIQhlL4PZJP7nA&bvm=bv.151426398,d.cGw

 

[sfurini]

You might be able to get what you need from here:
DTR Newnham Plastics

 

[wm460]

Nother one.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...vYcoEFRqiylfNxbRCNjvYQ&bvm=bv.151426398,d.cGw

 

[Bucks]

Thanks guys for the links I have managed to order one from here £70 delivered for 30mm thick machined round with polished edges & drilled, so hopefully that will be a lot stronger than the origionaly supplied 20mm

 

[Bucks]

Snippet from a conversation I had with Curtis last night, as predicted the person I spoke to at HVAC Store tried blaming the CJ, i've emailed them this snippet from Curtis & waiting to here from someone higher up.

 

[Graham_C]

Flipping heck. Just looked at my BRAND NEW lid - used twice and there are tiny fractures around the hole!

 

[Bucks]

I've just put a hold on the order for this 30mm lid & got someone looking into the possibility of a glass lid!

 

[Bammer]

HVAC lids are crap, the stress points where they drill through do not help with this. They offer to replace them with the same stuff ...

DO NOT ever pick up the lid using the fittings, this will add to the stress

 

[Bucks]

HVAC lids are crap, the stress points where they drill through do not help with this. They offer to replace them with the same stuff ...

DO NOT ever pick up the lid using the fittings, this will add to the stress

Thanks for the warning Brad, do you recon 19mm thick glass 280mm diameter with 2 10mm holes in will be suitable?

 

[Bammer]

Thanks for the warning Brad, do you recon 19mm thick glass 280mm diameter with 2 10mm holes in will be suitable?

No Idea about glass, I got one machined out of 20mm Ali ... overkill, can't see whats going on but then I know whats going on

 

[Bucks]

Wow the 19mm thick glass was going to cost £225 so I'll stick with the 30mm thick acrylic for £70 that I had ordered earlier.

HVAC store admitted it was probably due to dodgy drilling, as it has hardly been used for cactus juice & there would be signs of crazing (my words as can't remember exactly what she said over the phone lol) they are sending a foc replacement lid out, so hats off to them for not blaming the cactus juice on this occasion! She is adamant that she's seen quite a lot of reports stating that cactus juice & similar products are known to atack acrylic though.

 

[Treeesa]

Try Lexan or any other polycarbonate Paul, it's what they use for Police shields , Windows etc - I wouldn't pay to have it cut either as you can easily cut it on a bandsaw and it won't shatter when you drill it. It ain't cheap but then it ain't acrylic. I used 12mm and left the polythene scratch film on

 

[Penpal]

Quite a crusade this, a lot to be considered along the way with claims and counter claims in every direction. Full marks to HVAC for the replacement lid.

Peter.

 

[Bammer]

It's their standard answer ... sorry but we'll send you out another crap lid ...