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   Rich Felker (dalias@hachyderm.io)'s status on Saturday, 11-Jul-2026 22:18:17 JST Rich Felker

   in reply to

   • Tim 🎮

   @timixretroplays A suitable vacuum pump can easily be had for like $50. In a $500 kit you're paying for the kit not the equipment.

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     Tim 🎮 (timixretroplays@digipres.club)'s status on Saturday, 11-Jul-2026 22:18:18 JST Tim 🎮

     in reply to

     Okay, V2 of the epoxy window #3DPrinting got painted inside with superglue before filling. The other difference is that I only sanded one side to see if that would allow leaks or have adhesion issues, but it came apart just like the first.

     There's an order of magnitude fewer bubbles in this one, suggesting the superglue seal worked. The bubbles left here will have been in the epoxy - a pressure or vacuum pot would definitely solve this, but look how clear a window it is despite the bubbles!

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     Tim 🎮 (timixretroplays@digipres.club)'s status on Saturday, 11-Jul-2026 22:18:18 JST Tim 🎮

     in reply to

     Vacuum and pressure pots seem to be what everyone on YouTube uses to get bubble-free epoxy projects, but they start at AU$500ish.

     However, there apparently exist little gadgets with tiny vacuum pumps you put your cup of mixed resin into and it buzzes away for ten minutes and gets most of the bubbles out before you pour, and basic ones cost about AU$100.

     That's not terrible for a hobby tool, so I shall research and consider.

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     Tim 🎮 (timixretroplays@digipres.club)'s status on Saturday, 11-Jul-2026 22:18:19 JST Tim 🎮

     A slow #3DPrinting experiment for me at the moment is making a clear, solid window through a 3D printed part.

     This test piece is 40x40x5mm in size, has a 10mm hole bored through it, and then a square fill hole in through the top.

     I'm using Glasscoat 2-part epoxy, which doesn't adhere to plastic, so I clamped the part between two shiny bits of acrylic and poured it in from the top.

     A ton of bubbles came out of the print during curing - I will try sealing V2 with something before epoxying it.