Surviving Orbit the DIY Way by Sandy Antunes

Author:Sandy Antunes [Sandy Antunes]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SCIENCE / General
ISBN: 9781449310615
Publisher: Make
Published: 2012-08-23T16:00:00+00:00

The $100 Thermal Vacuum Chamber

The components (and one tool required) are:

A cheap 8qt (or bigger) stainless steel pressure cooker

A 1 foot x 1 foot sheet of Lucite or similar transparent plastic

A 1 foot x 1 foot 1/8" thick 60A smooth rubber sheet

A hand-pump auto/brake line bleeder vacuum pump

A brass hose fitting

Drill with spade bit able to make hole for hose fitting (typically 3/4")

Use of a tap-and-die to make screw threads for 3/4" hose hole

The main engineering required is that you’ll throw out the top of the pressure cooker to make your own, using the rubber sheet as a soft washer to make a seal and the plastic to provide rigidity.

You put the rubber sheet on top of the pot, then the rigid plastic on top of that. Drill a hole in the plastic and a corresponding hole in the rubber for where the pump will attach. Cut out an observation window in the rubber—but make sure to leave a larger border (at least 1") around where the rubber meets the top of the pot. Drill, thread, and install the hose fitting into the plastic. Hook up the pump and you’re ready!

By the numbers:

Throw away the top of the pressure cooker and just keep the pot.

Lay the rubber sheet on top of the pot.

Lay the Lucite on top of the rubber. Decide where you want to drill for the hose fitting, and where you’ll want to have a see-through observation window.

Cut a hole in the rubber sheet in the places corresponding to the hose fitting.

Cut the rubber sheet to make the observation window, again keeping at least a 1" border around where the rubber meets the top of the pot to ensure a good seal.

Drill the hole in the Lucite for the hose fitting, thread the hole, then screw the hose fitting in (including a rubber washer, which is usually included in the vacuum pump kit).

Using the hoses provided in the vacuum pump (and following that kit’s set-up instructions), attach the pump to your new hose fitting.

Make sure everything is clean and dry.

Lay the rubber on top of the pot, the Lucite on top of the rubber, and begin pumping (Figure 5-3)!

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