There are no fails, just learnings (so long as we do understand where we went wrong) and they are always correctable if we take the proper action steps.
I set this up today, but I rushed it.
1. The front right heater was not on for the 1st 10min of heating so the left side had started to get sucked in, but the right was not moving. I broke the seal too early resetting this.
2. I discovered a leak on the fitting that connects the main chamber to the surge tank. Thread tape should fix this. The surge tank Idea works a treat, but because this fitting sucks air, does not hold the vacuum in the main chamber long enough. I will need to spend time and test a full vacuum before I can continue.
3. I am using 4 x 500W lights for heaters. I had made a wooden spacer to raise the heater off the plastic. It was taking too long and so I removed it. The heaters were now too close and burned the plastic. Something about slow and steady wins the race? I noticed the other day there were 200W versions of the same lights I am using. Part of me thinks that 8 x 200W (1600W) is actually going to be better than the 4 x 500W (2000W) I have now as I will get more surface area coverage.
I will need to run a test to see just how long this Perspex takes to heat. It won't matter if I burn it again now that it aready compromised.
When I think back to the dome I pulled from 3mm, I am thinking that process was over 20mins now...
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