An apparatus for automated chemical vapor processing. The apparatus includes a chemical vapor processing chamber to treat articles with surface-smoothing chemical vapor and an article loading chamber to receive articles pending treatment by the chemical vapor processing chamber. The apparatus further includes an automated conveyor to move the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber. The apparatus further includes an air lock to connect the article loading chamber to the chemical vapor processing chamber, and a controller to control the automated conveyor to move the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber, and to control the air lock to seal the chemical vapor processing chamber from the article loading chamber when the automated conveyor is not moving articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber.