On Thu, 8 Feb 1996, Keith R. Stewart wrote:
> I have been interested in this thread because I was planning to build
> something along the lines of what has been described here but it seems no
...something being a parts washer...
> I haven't done it yet, so all I can describe is what I have planned as well
(snip)
> I plan to hook the drain from the tub straight through the lid of a large
> pail. Presently, I am leaning toward using one of those large plastic 20 kg.
> pails used for swimming pool bromine tablets. I figure that it will be
> easier to seal the openings for electrical and cleaner fluid in plastic than
> it would be in steel. My current plan is to cut holes in the side of the
> pail about 2" from the bottom of the pail in order to mount the pump. One
> hole will provide the fluid feed via plastic pipe to the stainless steel
> nozzle on the tub, the other hole will route out the electrical connection.
> experience here? I haven't decided yet what caulking to use to seal the
> pump/pail holes ... suggestions?
I might be missing something very basic here, but I cannot figure why you
need to cut and seal any holes through the side of the pail. Why can't
your electrical and output line connections go through the lid, where
sealing won't be a problem, rather than through the side of the barrel.
Also, mounting your pump low will cause it to clog fairly early in the
life of your solvent. Since solvent recirculates, the level of solvent in
your pail should be reasonably constant, so the pump can be off the bottom
of the pail, leaving room for sediment. If it were half way down the
pail, it would not run dry until half your solvent had evaporated, or
until half your bucket was filled with gunk, whichever came first.
If your submersible pump is submersed, the explosion potential is low,
because there's no oxygen. All bets are off if it ever runs dry. You
may be in orbit.
If there's a reason for putting holes in the bucket, you might try
caulking them with a mastic made of silicon caulk, with shredded Canadian
dollar bills mixed in for strength. Horsehair could also be used to
strengthen the caulk, but shredded Canadian dollar bills are cheaper and
more colo(u)rful.
Moi, moi, I suspect it's a bunch easier and maybe cheaper to buy one
ready made. It is most likely safer as well.
Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8910
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