Homemade pressure vessel.

[bc.gold 3,403]

Not really homemade it's an old Webster pressurized paint pot that's been slightly modified. using the existing threaded ports was able to install a pressure relief valve, pressure gauge and the bobble head.

 

The pressure cooker holds 16 quarts of grain, which is being sterilized before inoculation.

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

I ran out of mason jars, yesterday did a practice run with a plastic bread bag in the smaller pressure cooker and the bag survived.

 

Today I used plastic Clamato jugs and the darn things shrunk to half their original size, coming out of the cooker the lids now fitting loosely so I've tape wrapped them to keep foreign spores out.

 

Started with eight jugs, cap came off one so were good for lucky seven.

 

The bench top sandblast cabinet was purchased to have a sterile place to do the inoculation, should have saved my $$$ and used a large clear plastic bag.

 

Tomorrow using the soldering gun each cap gets a hole melted into it then it's filled with upholstery batting, allows carbon dioxide to escape while keeping the bad guys out.

 

Once the grain has fully colonized you don't have to be so fussy adding it to an old stump or compost pile and even a bale of straw purchased for the purpose of growing a few mushrooms.

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by bcgold

[bc.gold 3,403]

The pressure vessel may also be used to de-gas RTV resin.

 

I haven't done any metal casting for about five years, one of the last projects i did was to make a pattern from a borrowed fence finial. Similar to how this steering wheel was cast using RTV.

 

The two halves after completion were used to pour in wax to make a copy of the original pattern, the wax copy then encased in plaster then melted out leaving a void in the plaster to accept molten metal.

 

Old Abe, the Case tractor company mascot has quite the history behind it, anyhow the Case Co. gave out a cast iron fence finials to the dealerships.

 

Using RTV to make a pattern from an original is non destructive, ever wonder how they find a distributor or magneto cap for a very old vintage engine - RTV to the rescue.

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by bcgold

[bc.gold 3,403]

The upholstery batting used to vent the carbon dioxide and keep foreign spores out, two of my jars are producing gas. A good sign, the mycelium is alive and producing.

 

The jars on the left contain Blue Oyster mycelium, the other to the right is Golden Oyster. The liquid is just potato water with a tablespoon of light corn syrup. With 2 cc of mycelium added from the purchased 10 cc syringe.

 

If there's a next time I won't be so stingy and add the full 10 cc's into a jar.

 

Could also have used an air lock like the beer and wine brewers use.

 

Bottom grain jars are showing signs of growth, once I'm satisfied with growth I'll mix the grain into hardwood sawdust from the sawmill that i brought home several weeks ago.

 

Maybe spread some grain around in the hardwood forest.

 

I'm using a 50 cc syringe to inoculate the grain jars, what i found is the mycelium is like snot and it's difficult the break up. Some of the early jars only received baron liquid.

 

Next time I'm going to insert a small ball bearing inside the syringe to help break up the contents.

 

 

Edited May 11, 2020 by bcgold

[bc.gold 3,403]

How to get some mileage, once the mycelium has a strong hold on the grain rinse it off then pour the rinse water onto the medium to be inoculated. Refill the jar with water and let the residual mycelium get back to work.

 

The grain is likely impregnated.

 

 

 

[bc.gold 3,403]

Unbelievable amount of mycelium from two 10cc syringes.Not hard to guess which container has the Golden Oyster mycelium.

 

I've already given three 20 litre inoculated sawdust pails to a neighbour and have prepared another six to gift.

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by bcgold