I have a book of art prints which has a big oil stain on it. When I bought it, years ago, I said to myself, “what I really need is to stick this in a vacuum chamber”. And just today I realized that our freeze-dryer would fit the bill! So I think what I need is a couple of days when it isn’t in use for anything else, so that I can run it without the chilling section operating.
Firstly, is there any obvious problem with this?
Secondly, is there any kind of queue for the use of the dryer?
Sorry to hear that, but the freeze dryer is leaving the space this weekend.
What? When? Why?
Argh!
We kept getting complaints and it wasn’t efficient enough for Science committee’s uses.
Well, I’m motivated to come up & put my book in, to run for as long as that’s possible.
sThe owner would probably object since he has specified it was only for food.
I remember that as being explicitly disclaimed. And I’m pretty sure it was cooking oil which was spilled on the book to begin with…
Then you heard incorrectly. The owner has said it is only for Food.
The reason we had to rebuild the vacuum pump was some goomba pulled a vacuum on some wood in the freeze dryer without running the freezer section. That pulled a ton of humidity thru the pump oil, turning it into mayonnaise.
That said, Matt (the owner) is boxing the dryer up to ship it to Minnesota or some such place.
I’m sad to hear that the freeze-dryer is leaving DMS!
If it makes you feel any better, I suspect the chances of the freeze dryer pulling oil out of your book is zero. Some of the more volatile components of the oil might come out, but you’d still be left with a resinous remainder.
As Stan said, running without the freezer section in is the fastest way to destroy the oil and/or pump. I’m glad it didn’t happen days before I shipped it to its new owner.