TrevorMarcos
Plastic
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2022
Hello, first timer here. I have an old stainless steel bucket milk machine, probably 40 to 60 years old. The way it works is that a vacuum of about 13 inches of mercury is applied to the lid, which has a rubber lid gasket. This should seal the lid from the vacuum pressure itself. When milking a cow, the lid has to stay sealed. A lot of pulling goes on during the milking process, but at 13 in. Hg, there are several dozen pounds of force that keeps the lid sealed.
Unfortunately, the rim of the 5 gallon milk tank is slightly out of flatness. I therefore need to sand or grind off some 304 stainless, about 3/8 inch thick, where the lid sits. I probably only need to sand/grind 0.050" or less.
I can only get the seal to work if I press heavily on the bucket lid and vacuum seals it tight, but not tight enough. The seal tends to pop right off at the worst times due to the un-flat lip.
I need some pointers on what process and type of hand process might solve my problem. I know which sides of the bucket lip are high and low. I have some sanders, like a belt sander. But I am unsure what grit or if even a sander will perform adequately. Maybe I need a whole table sander or polisher to do this?
See pictures. Pencil for scale. It's called a Surge milker. The lip is about 7 inches in diameter. They don't make these tanks any more.
Unfortunately, the rim of the 5 gallon milk tank is slightly out of flatness. I therefore need to sand or grind off some 304 stainless, about 3/8 inch thick, where the lid sits. I probably only need to sand/grind 0.050" or less.
I can only get the seal to work if I press heavily on the bucket lid and vacuum seals it tight, but not tight enough. The seal tends to pop right off at the worst times due to the un-flat lip.
I need some pointers on what process and type of hand process might solve my problem. I know which sides of the bucket lip are high and low. I have some sanders, like a belt sander. But I am unsure what grit or if even a sander will perform adequately. Maybe I need a whole table sander or polisher to do this?
See pictures. Pencil for scale. It's called a Surge milker. The lip is about 7 inches in diameter. They don't make these tanks any more.