180 gallon build: Modular control system, 3D printed equipment, open-source

[jrhupp]

Originally Posted by Gorgok

Neat little thing. Hard to see how much it changes the direction, but it does seem much better. Is that mounted on top of the chamber as shown?

It screws into the top of the chamber where flow from the pump enters the base of the skimmer, in place of the bubble plate shown in the earlier disassembly video.

The videos don't do a great job of showing the flow. But with the two earlier plates there was a strong vortex up the middle of the skimmer. With the third there is a slight swirl at the base in the opposite direction that it was before at the bottom, but the bulk of the flow (and the bubbles) go straight up.

With the previous plates the skimmer was not particularly effective, and after a long break in period it wasn't producing much in the way of skimmate. With the third plate, below is what it has produced. I don't think I have it tuned yet, but all and all I'm pretty happy with it so far.

[BigDave]

Will this design be put on Thingiverse? I'm really liking the way it looks and think it would work great in my sump.

How important is it to do the acetone treatment with regards to the structural integrity?

[jrhupp]

Originally Posted by BigDave

Will this design be put on Thingiverse? I'm really liking the way it looks and think it would work great in my sump.

How important is it to do the acetone treatment with regards to the structural integrity?

I don't do the thingiverse thing. So far, I'm hosting everything in DropBox and providing links here. I will move to GitHub at some point.

As for the acetone treatment, it does improve structural integrity and it fuses the surface layers. Here though, I didn't do it for structure. I did it to get a sealed surface. Prints are porous and I didn't want skimate leaching into the inside of the printed parts where I couldn't clean it out.

[jrhupp]

Here is the SketchUp model of the parts for the skimmer. This includes the needle-wheel for the DCT-4000.

3D printed skimmer parts

[Fredfish]

Threadjack: printer shipped. Woot!

[Fredfish]

Originally Posted by jrhupp

Here is the SketchUp model of the parts for the skimmer. This includes the needle-wheel for the DCT-4000.

3D printed skimmer parts

Very cool, that skimmer. Have you worked with any other cad/drawing apps besides Sketchup?

I've been playing with Fusion 360 (its free for hobbyists). Seems much more powerful than the versions of sketchup I played with 3 or 4 years ago.

[Psirex]

Video links broken?

posted using alternating currents.....

[Fredfish]

Originally Posted by Psirex

Video links broken?

posted using alternating currents.....

Try DC. I hear that's better for video.

[jrhupp]

Originally Posted by Psirex

Video links broken?

posted using alternating currents.....

They work for me on multiple devices. Are they broken for anyone else?

[Psirex]

This how they appear to me



posted using alternating currents.....

[jrhupp]

What browser are you using? They are just the youtube embedded links and they still look like they are up and public.

[jrhupp]

Originally Posted by Fredfish

Threadjack: printer shipped. Woot!

Yay! Hope it arrives quickly and you can get up and running with out much trouble. I look forward to seeing what you print with it.

Originally Posted by Fredfish

Very cool, that skimmer. Have you worked with any other cad/drawing apps besides Sketchup?

I've been playing with Fusion 360 (its free for hobbyists). Seems much more powerful than the versions of sketchup I played with 3 or 4 years ago.

I looked at a few different options when I was getting started with all this. For what was free at the time Sketchup looked to be the best option for me. Its not ideal by a long shot (at least the free version without solid tools) but it is quite capable. And I think a lot more capable then most think after a first past with the software.

[Psirex]

Fixed it..... stupid in-ap browser

posted using alternating currents.....

[BigDave]

Tapatalk likes to break youtube links.

My printer shipped today as well.

Design software is one place where I'm lucky. My wife is an art teacher and as such, I have access to Autodesk software. I've been using Inventor for all my design work.

Unfortunately, it means I have to try to convert .skp files to .dxf before I can play with them which seems to be a 4 step process.

[Psirex]

@bigdave
What printer did you go with?

posted using alternating currents.....

[BigDave]

I went with the Geeetech Aluminum i3

[Josh1275]

Got a question, for objects your integrating (like the outlets) how are you getting those shapes modeled and into SketchUp? Some type of 3D scanning?

Thanks!
-Josh

[jrhupp]

Originally Posted by Josh1275

Got a question, for objects your integrating (like the outlets) how are you getting those shapes modeled and into SketchUp? Some type of 3D scanning?

Thanks!
-Josh

Outlets as in electrical receptacles? If so, a few different ways. Most parts have a data sheet with a dimensioned drawing of the part, and I will either model the part from that or just model what I need to interface with it. The data sheet for the electrical receptacles for example, gave the cut out needed for the part to panel mount into.

For a number of other things, like plumbing fittings or generic electrical components, there is a ton of stuff in 3D warehouse. I will use these to mock up things to see what a final build might look like. But I don't rely on them for exact dimensions.

For everything else, I just measure it and draw what I need. A good pair of calipers can be quite useful!

[BigDave]

McMaster carr has downloadable designs for almost everything on their site.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

[Josh1275]

Thanks Guys. I guess it really is all about not recreating the wheel. I've been on the fence for 2 years on buying a 3D printer, but pulled the trigger today. This thread really pushed me off the fence on it!

[Fredfish]

Originally Posted by Josh1275

Thanks Guys. I guess it really is all about not recreating the wheel. I've been on the fence for 2 years on buying a 3D printer, but pulled the trigger today. This thread really pushed me off the fence on it!

Awesome! This thread is what gave me the push as well.

[BigDave]

Originally Posted by Josh1275

Thanks Guys. I guess it really is all about not recreating the wheel. I've been on the fence for 2 years on buying a 3D printer, but pulled the trigger today. This thread really pushed me off the fence on it!

We have to ask... Which one did you go with?

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

[Josh1275]

Big Dave,

ordered up the Prusa I3 Mk2. I'll be building an enclosure while I wait for 5-8 weeks for it to arrive... We will see if my sketchup skills are up to the task of making anything truly useful!

I do have to say I like it when a person and company like Prusa is able to stay ahead of the clones and keep adding value and winning. It's an easy choice to support them.

-Josh

[Reefers4U]

Originally Posted by madweazl

Talk about an inspirational build; wish I had the talent to tackle something like this. Fantastic work.

+1

are you uploading the STLs to a main database other than RC?

Oh BTW nice polish job on these prints - are you using the empty paint can and heat method or? I can't quite get the process down and have just taken to sanding and bondo.

[jrhupp]

Originally Posted by Reefers4U

+1

are you uploading the STLs to a main database other than RC?

Oh BTW nice polish job on these prints - are you using the empty paint can and heat method or? I can't quite get the process down and have just taken to sanding and bondo.

I'm hosting everything in Dropbox and linking the files here for the time being. I hope to get around to setting up a github for it before long.

For the polish, I'm currently using an 18 or 20 quart pot on the stove (electric) with a 1/2 to 1 cup of acetone in the bottom. I bring the acetone to a boil over medium heat with the lid on. Then once I have a good hot vapor cloud I suspend the part in it and let it polish away. Before hand I sand/scrape the parts as needed (sometimes a lot, sometimes not at all) and then brush them all over with acetone. If you leave the sanded surface raw, the vapor won't condense on it very well during the polish and you won't get a very nice looking end product.