BACOENG1.5 Gallon 3.6 CFM Tempered Glass Lid Vacuum Chamber with Pump, Degassing Chamber Kit for Stabilizing Wood, Degassing Silicones, Epoxies

Let me start by saying that I tend to take horrible reviews on products like this with a hefty nugget of salt. I completely understand than any product has a chance to arrive in faulty condition in some way, and people love to freak out.With that said, I'll assume that the horrible reviews hovering around must have either received a bad item (....just return it. Amazon makes it a cakewalk to do so. These things happen.) or the purchaser didn't read the instructions.-The pump is more quiet than I expected, always a plus!-I haven't really pushed it to it's limit, but the pump achieved -25mmhg in less than a half-minute. The instructions clearly state not to leave the pump running any longer than necessary after the vacuum levels off (needle stops falling). At -25mmhg my rate of pressure change had slowed rapidly to a crawl, so I saw no sense to push the 3 minute limit "stalling out" so-to-say outlined in the manual.-Some reviews mention having to hold the lid for a moment to get the seal going. I've had no such issue. Make sure the gasket is clean and free of debris and it seals itself immediately.-I've seen mention of the pump spewing oil and/or oil vapors, as well as backflow bringing pump oil into the vacuum chamber. These issues are both clearly outlined in the manual, and how to prevent them. If you run your pump until it's screaming, or try to use it outside of its rated abilities, it's going to start smoking oil. If you open the valves in an incorrect fashion or order, and the pump-side of the system is higher pressure than the vacuum chamber....oil is going to backflow. It's physics.-yes, you may need to tighten the connections on first opening, as with any plumbing component.-Ive seen confusion as to where the small plastic filter goes. I will admit, the manual is a bit vague here. I'll let this lead into my final point that encompasses most issues I've seen:This isn't a toy...it's a piece of what I would consider specialized scientific equipment. In my opinion, if you're looking to buy one of these, you should probably know the theory behind it's use. The instructions for these types of products aren't written to hold your hand. Even with the rough translations all the info is there for you.Sorry, I'm a grump. Oh ya, that little filter I mentioned: It goes the only place it possibly fits, and if you think about it, do you want to pull debris into whatever you're de-gassing when you equalize? No.I hope this helps any skeptics. I'll be sure to update my review if I somehow blow this up or it implodes or something.*pic is several hours later holding vacuum right where I left it*

Product was well packaged and arrived undamaged. All documentation was present in packaging.Setup was easy requiring only open end wrench to align and tighten gauge/valve package mounting nut on inside of chamber.Glass top and top seal were clean and defect free. Stainless steel tub sealing surface was smooth without dents or scratches. Included hose has tool-free brass connectors w/gasketing. Easy and quick to install/remove. Hose has sufficient length.Liquid filled vacuum gauge was easy to equalize for ambient pressure prior to use with vacuum pump. Equalizing insures proper vacuum chamber readings.Vacuum pump was easy to fill with oil and initial startup was uneventful. Vacuum of 29.5 in.Hg obtained in <3 minutes. Chamber valves were closed, pump shut off and hose disconnected from chamber. Vacuum still at 29.5 in.Hg after 2+ hours. Impressive for a single stage pump.Would recommend to any other customer.

Utterly unusable. I added the oil that came with it. I hooked up the pot according to the "instructions" and started it up. The pump pulls NO vacuum whatsoever. The valves are in the correct position. The pump shoots a geyser of oil mist into the air that will quickly fill your room. Stay away from this pump until they fix this issue. This is the firs time I'm running it since I purchased it, so I'm outside my return window. DO NOT hesitate to make sure your pump is working properly when it arrives, otherwise you are stuck with an expensive oil mist geyser paperweight.

Works very well and pulls a vacuum fairly quickly. I've only had it for about a week or so, but I'm happy with it.My only complaint is that it puts out a lot of mist... So much so that I thought something was wrong. It filled half my shop in a misty fog in about 3 minutes. Not only was I apprehensive to be in my shop breathing in the fog, I was also wondering if it was sticking to my walls and tools in the area. I didn't notice any residue and was about to return the unit when I saw that people were saying that they drained the pump oil and replaced it with a non misting pump oil. I ordered a bottle of oil and replaced the oil today and I'm happy to report that there is no longer a cloud in my shop when I run the pump.They should ship this thing with non misting oil. It would literally cost them about $5.00 more to do this.Overall I'm happy with the pump and chamber, and would have given 5 stars if it wasn't for the oil issues.Do yourself a favor and order the replacement oil when you order the pump so you don't have to wait additional days to use it.