Mojo~'s DIY Skimmer Build - Page 2

mojo~ · 09/08/2009, 03:00 PM

well the cylinder is cell cast. the only extruded piece I have right now is the bubble plate pieces.

troylee · 09/08/2009, 03:18 PM

No biggie then....it does get kinda tricky welding cast to extruded and making it pretty...extruded is fine for your project, strength wise, it just sucks to machine and glue/weld...

mojo~ · 09/08/2009, 04:56 PM

thanks for the input. I am still not sure how I am going to attatch the pvc to the acrylic though. Any thoughts on this? As far as I see it, I can glue or weld it. Nit sure what glue to use. Weld on. I am going to play around on scrap first.

Sirhog66 · 09/08/2009, 05:33 PM

Looking good! definitly wanna see these things run

mavgi · 09/08/2009, 05:58 PM

you can use both : Weld On 16 Or 40 2 part.

mojo~ · 09/08/2009, 06:10 PM

I was going to use weld on 16 for most and 3 for Bubble plate items.

troylee · 09/08/2009, 07:12 PM

+1 weldon 16. Or 40 prefereably the 40thou....

gcam4 · 09/08/2009, 08:02 PM

I use WO 40 for pvc to acrylic. If you have the money get the 42, it is the same but it self mixes with the $300 static mixing gun.

mojo~ · 09/08/2009, 09:31 PM

Well here is phase one of the cylinder skimmer.

Jeremy B. · 09/09/2009, 09:53 AM

Get that neck on a lathe, let's go!

Fireworm · 09/09/2009, 10:49 AM

Can't wait to see this thing in person.

mojo~ · 09/09/2009, 06:34 PM

lol I did have it on the lathe to mill down the outside. Waiting on the neck piece so I have the exact OD to mill the ID on the neck. hopefully will be able to do more tomorrow. Been busy today.

RokleM · 09/10/2009, 06:40 AM

Very interested to see how you do the neck.

Personally having used 16 and 40 before, there's no way I would use 16. 40, although slightly more of a pain to deal with, is a much better product especially when gluing pvc and acrylic pieces together. I used about 1/2 cup of 40 this week on various projects

mojo~ · 09/10/2009, 08:56 AM

thanks for the input everyone. I still havent gotten the pieces for the neck. Once I get them I can machine out the neck.

The neck is pretty heavy. And it added a extra cost to my build. I Went to take it of my table and it slipped out of my hand. Caught the edge of the protective glass and broke it. The neck is still in one piece but their is another $90 to replace the glass on the table. lol.

I am also throwing around the ideas for the base of the skimmer. I can just put a plate on the bottom or make a small box that would help make the skimmer a little taller. One thing at a time. I didnt really plan on putting a ton of air into this one. somewhere between 700 and 900 lph. I will probably try it out the way it is first and just pres fit it together and go from there.

mojo~ · 09/11/2009, 05:45 PM

OK OK a couple pics to show progess on the neck. I did get my Cone body in yesterday as well. Thanks Victor (ATB) for that. I had to twist his arm but my cone skimmer will have a ATB 840 1.5 body. woot.
Ok back to my cylinder skimmer.

tcfab · 09/11/2009, 08:22 PM

Thats looking pretty good.

mojo~ · 09/11/2009, 08:40 PM

hanks I am actually pretty happy with it so far.

mojo~ · 09/14/2009, 10:16 PM

well here is the new bubble plate I have made Took the advice and put in more holes and a little larger diameter.
Bubble plate is 1/2 thick acrylic.

victor90 · 09/14/2009, 10:25 PM

Looks good especially for a manual machine

mojo~ · 09/14/2009, 10:27 PM

yea for doing everything manual I dont think its coming along too bad.
Thanks Victor

DFason · 09/15/2009, 05:33 AM

What type of pump will you be using on the cylinder one? Tunze?

-Dave

RokleM · 09/15/2009, 06:14 AM

It's hard to gauge the size of the holes, but are you sure there are enough? Most normal bubble plates have more holes than acrylic, and yours is the opposite. I just don't want to see you having to redo the plate later after it's assembled because it's heavily restricting flow.

mojo~ · 09/15/2009, 08:15 AM

The are 1/4" so they are actually pretty good size. and there are 41 holes. I have more disks cut so I can make more if I need to.
This skimmer will run a sicce motor block with a custom volute. IT should be a really nice sicce pump. Non directional volute, new reducer from marinesolutions. We will see.

RokleM · 09/15/2009, 09:07 AM

Cool. If you can swap it out easily after it's running (just in case), even better

mojo~ · 09/15/2009, 09:24 AM

The plate is 4 in round as well. I will actually check it with out a plate and then with. I did order some weldon #40 to glue the acrylic to the pvc.

09/08/2009, 03:00 PM	#26
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	well the cylinder is cell cast. the only extruded piece I have right now is the bubble plate pieces. __________________ Mojo~

09/08/2009, 04:56 PM	#28
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	thanks for the input. I am still not sure how I am going to attatch the pvc to the acrylic though. Any thoughts on this? As far as I see it, I can glue or weld it. Nit sure what glue to use. Weld on. I am going to play around on scrap first. __________________ Mojo~

09/08/2009, 05:33 PM	#29
Sirhog66 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Harlan, IN Posts: 92	Looking good! definitly wanna see these things run __________________ what up! Current Tank Info: 75 gallon & 26 bow

09/08/2009, 06:10 PM	#31
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	I was going to use weld on 16 for most and 3 for Bubble plate items. __________________ Mojo~

09/08/2009, 09:31 PM	#34
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	Well here is phase one of the cylinder skimmer. __________________ Mojo~

09/08/2009, 03:18 PM	#27
troylee Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: here. Posts: 2,509	No biggie then....it does get kinda tricky welding cast to extruded and making it pretty...extruded is fine for your project, strength wise, it just sucks to machine and glue/weld...

09/08/2009, 05:58 PM	#30
mavgi Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: queens n.y Posts: 2,209	you can use both : Weld On 16 Or 40 2 part.

09/08/2009, 07:12 PM	#32
troylee Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: here. Posts: 2,509	+1 weldon 16. Or 40 prefereably the 40thou....

09/08/2009, 08:02 PM	#33
gcam4 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 49	I use WO 40 for pvc to acrylic. If you have the money get the 42, it is the same but it self mixes with the $300 static mixing gun.

09/09/2009, 09:53 AM	#35
Jeremy B. Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Indianapolis, IN / Muncie, IN Posts: 8,219	Get that neck on a lathe, let's go!

09/09/2009, 10:49 AM	#36
Fireworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Ft. Wayne, IN Posts: 2,967	Can't wait to see this thing in person. __________________ Proud member of FWMAS. Current Tank Info: Empty 75g sitting in the garage. Needs to be up and running

09/09/2009, 06:34 PM	#37
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	lol I did have it on the lathe to mill down the outside. Waiting on the neck piece so I have the exact OD to mill the ID on the neck. hopefully will be able to do more tomorrow. Been busy today. __________________ Mojo~

09/10/2009, 06:40 AM	#38
RokleM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,687	Very interested to see how you do the neck. Personally having used 16 and 40 before, there's no way I would use 16. 40, although slightly more of a pain to deal with, is a much better product especially when gluing pvc and acrylic pieces together. I used about 1/2 cup of 40 this week on various projects __________________ -Eric-

09/10/2009, 08:56 AM	#39
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	thanks for the input everyone. I still havent gotten the pieces for the neck. Once I get them I can machine out the neck. The neck is pretty heavy. And it added a extra cost to my build. I Went to take it of my table and it slipped out of my hand. Caught the edge of the protective glass and broke it. The neck is still in one piece but their is another $90 to replace the glass on the table. lol. I am also throwing around the ideas for the base of the skimmer. I can just put a plate on the bottom or make a small box that would help make the skimmer a little taller. One thing at a time. I didnt really plan on putting a ton of air into this one. somewhere between 700 and 900 lph. I will probably try it out the way it is first and just pres fit it together and go from there. __________________ Mojo~

09/11/2009, 05:45 PM	#40
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	OK OK a couple pics to show progess on the neck. I did get my Cone body in yesterday as well. Thanks Victor (ATB) for that. I had to twist his arm but my cone skimmer will have a ATB 840 1.5 body. woot. Ok back to my cylinder skimmer. __________________ Mojo~

09/11/2009, 08:22 PM	#41
tcfab Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 138	Thats looking pretty good.

09/11/2009, 08:40 PM	#42
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	hanks I am actually pretty happy with it so far. __________________ Mojo~

09/14/2009, 10:16 PM	#43
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	well here is the new bubble plate I have made Took the advice and put in more holes and a little larger diameter. Bubble plate is 1/2 thick acrylic. __________________ Mojo~

09/14/2009, 10:25 PM	#44
victor90 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: san jose ca Posts: 1,303	Looks good especially for a manual machine

09/14/2009, 10:27 PM	#45
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	yea for doing everything manual I dont think its coming along too bad. Thanks Victor __________________ Mojo~

09/15/2009, 05:33 AM	#46
DFason Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 766	What type of pump will you be using on the cylinder one? Tunze? -Dave __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 35g Shallow Reef Build/iTech 100/Tunze Osmolator/MP20/Sunpower

09/15/2009, 06:14 AM	#47
RokleM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,687	It's hard to gauge the size of the holes, but are you sure there are enough? Most normal bubble plates have more holes than acrylic, and yours is the opposite. I just don't want to see you having to redo the plate later after it's assembled because it's heavily restricting flow. __________________ -Eric-

09/15/2009, 08:15 AM	#48
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	The are 1/4" so they are actually pretty good size. and there are 41 holes. I have more disks cut so I can make more if I need to. This skimmer will run a sicce motor block with a custom volute. IT should be a really nice sicce pump. Non directional volute, new reducer from marinesolutions. We will see. __________________ Mojo~

09/15/2009, 09:07 AM	#49
RokleM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,687	Cool. If you can swap it out easily after it's running (just in case), even better __________________ -Eric-

09/15/2009, 09:24 AM	#50
mojo~ Skimmer Guy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IN Posts: 5,647	The plate is 4 in round as well. I will actually check it with out a plate and then with. I did order some weldon #40 to glue the acrylic to the pvc. __________________ Mojo~