What do I need to start Part 5 Pressure Pot

Hi

As we have mentioned a pressure pot is not strictly necessary for glass etching but and a very big but it does help enormously in a number of ways.

You use less electricity.

The amount of air you use is directly related to the size of the nozzle you use, with a pressure pot you can use a small nozzle either with a foot pedal pinch valve or in a pinch gun or attached to a valve, no need for a syphon gun with a huge nozzle. So obviously the less air the less running time for the compressor.

Maintenance.

Speaks for itself, the less running hours the less oil changes, filter changes and non-return valves wearing out (I've changed 2).

Smaller compressor.

As I mentioned the bigger the better but as you use less air you can get away with a smaller machine from around 2HP up.

More versatility.

There are a number of guns on the market specifically designed for use with a pressure pot such as the PAB I use. 
These type of guns are very versatile in that through the weight applied to the trigger, you can either increase or decrease the flow of the media, increasing or decreasing the distance from the glass directs the flow from a tight area to a large spread. You can increase or decrease the pot pressure via the regulator for deeper or lighter cuts.

Larger pressure range.

Different types of etching, frosting, shading and carving require different pressures, these are easily changed on your regulator, and quickly change at the nozzle.

So if you are going to get a little more seriously into etching / carving then look at buying a pressure pot as it has some distinct advantages.

I have linked a couple of tuition videos from AZ Glass Classes on the side of the page for future reference and here there are plus a PAB explanation.

Pressure pot 1  

Pressure pot 2

PAB pressure pot

A pressure pot works by admitting air into the top of the pot via a tee piece giving a positive pressure on top of the media, the air also travels down through the pipe past the choke valve and through another tee piece situated on the underside to the hose and nozzle, (basically). As it passes through the bottom tee piece it picks up the media and carries it along with it, simple eh!

Pressure pots are readily available on eBay and most are relatively cheap to buy, unfortunately the cheaper pots require a bit of modification to perform as you would like. 

These sell for around £68 plus £10 delivery and after the modification will I imagine work quite well.

At the other end of the scale we have the Rolls Royce of pressure pots from PAB and cost from $1100 to $1500 but you can bet there don't need any modifications.

The modification is described on the AZ Glass classes video and is basically a perforated tube glued into the top of the tee piece and inserted into the pot, this has the effect of separating the grains of media and prevent clogging at the top of the tee.

Unfortunately I have never owned either of these type of pots so I can't say how well they work but I have built 2 in my time and both of these have worked very well.

The one I use is a beast of a pot, I never actually made it my self but I designed it and the partner in the little stained glass business we had made it up.

It is relegated to the back of my shed for the time being until I get set up, it is made from 6" heavy steel pipe with 3/4" steel flanges on the top, remove and fill.

Watch the AZ glass classes videos to get a better idea of how to set the pot up for blasting.

Paul