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Scratch Build – In Progress Erector Set WaterPlant - Aug 17: All operational!

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by dacust, 12 Mar 2007.

  1. TapperSwe

    TapperSwe What's a Dremel?

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    The UV effects on the brackets do look really nice , this is one of the moust different builds i have ever seen,waiting to see more.

    Regards.
     
    Last edited: 21 Mar 2007
  2. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    No progress, but parts coming in

    Still waiting on parts.

    Received:
    • 3/8" hose from Koolance. The hose I had was too bid OD to work with their fittings
    • 2nd HDD cooler
    • 2nd Harcano fan controller (for PC)
    • Mucho wire ties, sleeving, heat shrink, etc.
    • Bunch of UV and blue LEDs

    On order:
    • Plexi tube for the reservoir (should be here this week)

    Forgot to order:
    • 1/4" tubing for the PC (this won't hold up the project, though)
    • Yellow LED for the operations shack

    I've done some more testing on the lighting effects, but nothing worth a photo. I'll be out of town a lot for the next coupla weeks, but hopefully, as sson as the Plexi tube gets here I'll have some time an evening or two to get something done.
     
  3. Rocket733

    Rocket733 Austerity - It's the only way

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    I like the industrial feel of this mod so far, looks very unique. So this is a prototype for the final industrial mod? Keep up the good work :thumb:
     
  4. DarkLord7854

    DarkLord7854 What's a Dremel?

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    Neat idea! Though I don't get why you want to use blue dye as the UV light is already blue-ish, wouldn't you want to see the hoses?

    Anyways, eager to see more of this :D

    (I wonder if you can add like.. sparkle or somehing in the water so that you can see things whiz by inside the tubes)
     
  5. Jipa

    Jipa Avoiding the "I guess.." since 2004

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    This project is just an excause for you to keep building with those things, isn't it? :) It's OK I guess many modders kept building with legos and erectors and what ever building sets for longer than other kids.. I guess?

    Nice UV-effects there.
     
  6. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Yep. You got me there.

    Actually, it just seemed like a good prototyping tool. Then as I got working on it, I liked the results and decided to make it a project of it's own.

    I think the blue will make the tubes jump out at you. And since the wiring will be red and the data green (only the temp probe wires green in the WaterPlant) blue seemed the right color. But I'll experiment because you may be right. As to the sparkles, I like the idea, but I can't imagine anything that would work that wouldn't create a possible clogging problem. Any ideas out there?

    Thanks. I'm having fun! The only reason the posts have slowed down is due to waiting on supplies. I'm still fired up about it. Should be new things worth photographing in about two weeks (I'll be out of town this weekend).

    Again, thanks for the support and suggestions!
     
  7. Jipa

    Jipa Avoiding the "I guess.." since 2004

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    Yeah it wasn't too hard to guess. I use those sometimes also.. for...:worried: prototyping ;)

    Looking forward. Atleast it's unique!
     
  8. Skill3d

    Skill3d Minimodder

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    looks kinda steampunkish... it's very unique
     
  9. SlappKnutts

    SlappKnutts What's a Dremel?

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    This project puts a smile on my face! Man I played with an erector set when I was a kid, and it was my dads when he was a kid! Did your sets have any dates that you could see? As they can easily be over 50 years old! And now your putting them to work in a "modern toy"!
    Fantastic!
     
  10. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    No dates on them, but the one in the wood box is from the 30's. The others range from the 40's through the 60's. Since they are antiques, I'm not cutting or bending any parts. That's the reason some of the structure looks kinda strange or overdone. Only way I could make the parts fit.

    I'm having a blast palying with some of my favorite toys. Erector sets and computers. How could it get any better?

    And I still have a surprise or two in store....
     
  11. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Scanning back and looking at the photos, I remembered this comment, and it struck me that I see why you said that.

    The photos you see are long exposures. In RL the parts don't show up as much and they don't look as blue. The UV blue water should show up very bright in contrast to all the rest. Looking at the UV photos, I can easily see why you would think it would get lost. Interestingly, now that I have the tubing I am actually going to use, it is slightly UV reactive, a pure blue.

    But as I said first time I responded to you, once it's done I may re-consider.
     
  12. DarkLord7854

    DarkLord7854 What's a Dremel?

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    Ah, that's why :hehe:
    Could you snap a pic of what the tubes look like without the long exposure?

    Your mod reminds me of those old KNEX (I think that was the name) I used to have, where you could build a buncha stuff from metal parts, it was like legos, but in metal
     
  13. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Sure thing. This evening I'll get a shot where you can see it a little more like it will really look. It'll be greenish/yellow tube instead of blue, but it should give the idea. I'll see how I can get it, not sure my digital can do it (2 stops adjustment?), but I might get it with the 4x5 with polaroid film and scan that in. If not, then on the 35mm, but you'll have to wait for developing...
     
  14. DarkLord7854

    DarkLord7854 What's a Dremel?

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    If the digital doesn't work then don't worry, don't go wasting film ;)

    Are you using UV cathode(s)? Or bulb(s)?
     
  15. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Yes. 3/8". It's a Swiftech MCP350. 92.4 GPH. $80 on this side of the pond.

    Yep. They changed a lot. I have used the girders only from the 1920's and 1930's set (with the triangular holes). The large base plates are from 30's-40's. The red parts with all 4 sides bent up are the newest, from the 60's probably. The red axle supports are from several eras. An ardent Erector afficianado might cringe at the mixture, but if so, they can go back to the Erector forums and complain. :D

    You can see from my sig below how my Asetek experience is going... I figure, every time I talk someone out of buying one, it's worth $1 to me. I've scored 1 so far. And what the heck, we'll count each 1000 views of this log as $1. That's a total of $4 so far. That leaves 186 to go to get my money's worth (pump+LCD). :naughty: If they give me a replacement, then I can deduct whatever I get for it on eBay.
     
  16. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Answer

    Thanks. I had decided it wasn't worth dragging out the equipment anyway. Without water in the tubes it won't really show what we wanted to see anyway.

    I'm using UV LEDs. In the tower it'll be two modified sticks running off a controller. For the rest, it'll be individually strategically placed UV LEDs. And probably some blue LEDs under the platform.
     
  17. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Update 2007/03/27 - pump installation & some plumbing

    OK, I'm starting stuff now that I can document the actual process a little more. So this update is more pics, less talk.

    The pump mount:
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    Added some self-adhesive foam sound deadening from FrozenCPU
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    Using layers of the same stuff, built up blocks to hold the pump in place.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    You can see the blocks a little better from this angle.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    The pump fits in snugly.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    So snug I can pick it up by the pump alone.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    The the top is put on.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    Here you can see how far up the foam comes.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    And then it's bolted in place.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    I started the plumbing. Before anyone says anything. I KNOW the right angle bends are bad for performance, but for this theme, I thought it was necessary. If it causes too much back-pressure, I'll add another identical pump inside the PC. So there will be about the same number of turns and equipment between each pump.

    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    I can't really do any more until the plexi tube gets here. They tell me it's shipped, so I should be able to start the tower next week.

    So anybody got advise on how to rig the plexi tube? Like the best way to install barbs in the side? And how to seal one end and put a filler cap on the other?

    My plan is to get some thick plexi and cut a circle the size of the O.D. and rabbit to the I.D. and seal it in with silicone. In the top one, make a hole for a fill port, like maybe the one from Danger Den.

    The barbs I'm less clear on. I can do the hole and take the elbows I have, cut it down and silicone it in place, but that won't hold up when putting the tubing on. Seems like I need something that screws into a backing ring. But if it's made for a flat surface, the 1" I.D. tube will cause a problem.
     
    Last edited: 18 May 2007
  18. TapperSwe

    TapperSwe What's a Dremel?

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    The pump houseing/case looks neat.
    Regarding watercooling i cant help u cuz i know so litle about it.
     
  19. jokkos

    jokkos too busy to mod *sigh*

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    good solution for the pump.

    With respect to the watercooling, you should be fine with those 90°. It will give a lower flow rate, but that's not a big problem.
     
  20. dacust

    dacust What's a Dremel?

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    Update 29/03/2007 - Plumbing and plexi - w/pics

    I got the plexi tubing today. It's going to work great, but the light sticks I have will not fit in like they are. I'll have to remove the lights from the plastic tube they are in, insulate the back and then they'll fit. I also played around with some ideas for running the wires to the lights, but nothing to show for it. All I have to show new is where I neatened up some of the plumbing and took some shots from a better vantage point.

    Here's a close-up of the finished part of the plumbing.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    A UV shot where you can see the internal structure a little better.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    This is a little closer to what it looks like in RL. As I mentioned before, the tubing is slightly UV reactive. When the blue UV dyed water is in there, I think it will really pop out. Also, there will be several of the orange lines running around as well as one set of green.
    [​IMG]
    2272x1704

    It'll probably be next weekend before I get working on this again. Then it'll be time to build the reservoir. After that the rest of the plumbing will be quick. Last big job will be the wiring.
     
    Last edited: 18 May 2007

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