TorontoBuilder
Sapientia et Doctrina Stabilitas
Option D
This is what I shall go with. simple to make handles, only tiny holes thru the drawers to mount the handles. Attractive, enough depth to grip but not too much that I lose unacceptable amount of drawer space. Handles have flat surface that I could use to affix, or laser lasers onto.
The handles are made from a round dowel; thermally treated*, stabilized and dyed, then cut to length, milled flat on opposite sides.
*Thermally treated wood has undergone the torrefication thermochemical process which converts organic material to carbon and minerals under vacuum. The process involves heating the wood in oxygen free chamber in stages through temperatures from 150 - 400F so that the organic matter is eliminated. Since it is the organic matter that is hygroscopic eliminating organic matter leaves a more stable matrix. The longer the process (or higher the temperature) the greater the conversion of organic matter, and the darker the wood tone becomes.
The process is the same as making biochar for the long term carbon sequestration, except the lower temperatures prevent the total conversion to carbon. The wood must be kiln dried and below 6-7% moisture before it can be successfully processed. Commercial processors reintroduce some moisture in the form of steam before removing wood from the vacuum furnace to return wood to normal kiln dried levels.
I've heard some people try to wrap wood in tinfoil and bake it in their ovens. This seems crude to me. Foil wrap works in heat treating metals because metal wont combust in presence of oxygen.
I have a long 3" x 5" rectangular steel tube I epoxied nuts to the end of and used those to fasten a plate on each end. I used to use it for steam bending wood stringers for models. I can whack off the epoxied on nuts and replace with welded flanges, add a vacuum valve and use it as my vacuum chamber to go into the oven... Silicone sheet cut to make gaskets is good to 400F at least.
I think that will do the job well enough but I've thought through options to improve results if necessary. I can first vacuum the chamber, then add argon flush and then pull another vacuum. I can use higher temperatures if I pay for high temperature valve or find a free used oven I can drill a hole into and then extend the valve to outside of the oven. I plan to use a lot of torrefied wood to make this worthwhile.
This is what I shall go with. simple to make handles, only tiny holes thru the drawers to mount the handles. Attractive, enough depth to grip but not too much that I lose unacceptable amount of drawer space. Handles have flat surface that I could use to affix, or laser lasers onto.
The handles are made from a round dowel; thermally treated*, stabilized and dyed, then cut to length, milled flat on opposite sides.
*Thermally treated wood has undergone the torrefication thermochemical process which converts organic material to carbon and minerals under vacuum. The process involves heating the wood in oxygen free chamber in stages through temperatures from 150 - 400F so that the organic matter is eliminated. Since it is the organic matter that is hygroscopic eliminating organic matter leaves a more stable matrix. The longer the process (or higher the temperature) the greater the conversion of organic matter, and the darker the wood tone becomes.
The process is the same as making biochar for the long term carbon sequestration, except the lower temperatures prevent the total conversion to carbon. The wood must be kiln dried and below 6-7% moisture before it can be successfully processed. Commercial processors reintroduce some moisture in the form of steam before removing wood from the vacuum furnace to return wood to normal kiln dried levels.
I've heard some people try to wrap wood in tinfoil and bake it in their ovens. This seems crude to me. Foil wrap works in heat treating metals because metal wont combust in presence of oxygen.
I have a long 3" x 5" rectangular steel tube I epoxied nuts to the end of and used those to fasten a plate on each end. I used to use it for steam bending wood stringers for models. I can whack off the epoxied on nuts and replace with welded flanges, add a vacuum valve and use it as my vacuum chamber to go into the oven... Silicone sheet cut to make gaskets is good to 400F at least.
I think that will do the job well enough but I've thought through options to improve results if necessary. I can first vacuum the chamber, then add argon flush and then pull another vacuum. I can use higher temperatures if I pay for high temperature valve or find a free used oven I can drill a hole into and then extend the valve to outside of the oven. I plan to use a lot of torrefied wood to make this worthwhile.
