Pressure Pot

[Donovan Bailey]

I've been dragging my feet for some time now on buying a pressure pot and I'd appreciate it if you guys have any recommendations on a setup. It seems like a bunch of turners are using the Harbor Freight 2.5 gal. pot and, if you use one, I'd appreciate it if you would share the max diameter bowl/platter/etc. you can fit in the pot ...along with any feedback on how it is working for you, the best resin/epoxy, etc. Anyone using something larger than a 2.5 gal. pot? Thanks...

 

[Gary Beasley]

They use that pot because its cheap, not because its good. Safe pressure on them is only about 40 psi if I remember correctly. If you are serious and have the money go for a better quality one like Binks which has twice the rated psi.

 

[Bill Blasic]

I just was at Arrowmont for a class with Alan Trout for pressure casting, Of the many pots he brought were a couple Harbor Freight pots which worked fine. May not be your best choice for 2 or 3 fills a day for 365 days a year but for the normal use they work.

 

[Mike Johnson]

You can easily build a pressure or vacuum chamber for treating wood pieces. Many turners have fabricated vessels from aluminum, steel, pvc, wood, glass. A vacuum chamber is easy to seal off with a gasket on the lid, a pressure pot requires a mechanicals means of securing the lid to the vessel. There are a number of video's on YouTube showing typical fabrication for these vessels. A harbor freight pressure pot is a readily available cheap option. For a pressure pot application the seal and clamping system is critical for holding pressure in the vessel, you also need a vessel wall rated for the intended pressures to be used in the application. Depending on the pressures you use for your process you are creating a potential bomb if the vessel wall or gasket seal fails. Whereas vacuum chambers can use glass, pvc and hard plastic jars to hold the vacuum easily they are not designed for pressure applications unless they are designed properly to hold the pressure.