gketell
Local Chapter Leader
Ok, this is old hat for most of you but I sat on the hardware store floor for almost an hour yesterday figuring out just EXACTLY what I needed to set this all up. I figured I would try to give someone else a jump start in the future.
Here is an overall photo of the entire setup.
Harbor Freight 2-1/2 Gallon Pressure Paint Tank (I call it "pot") http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93119 with the paint pickup tube cut off. (Unless you are Hercules, don't try to unthread the $%^&* thing or you will end up with pulled muscles.)
Harbor Freight Air Vacuum Pump
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3952
MSC Direct -30 - 0 - 100 vacuum/pressure gauge
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=1953302&PMT4NO=22417569
and a bunch of fittings/valves from my local hardware store (Orchard Supply Hardware (aka OSH) on the West Coast)
This is the Air Vacuum Pump with the vacuum outlet replaced with a 1/8" Female Pipe Thread (FPT) to 3/8" Compression (CMP) fitting and connected to a 3/8" CMP to 3/8" CMP braided line (sold as a dishwasher hookup line):
The back of the vacuum pump has a 1/4" Male Pipe Thread (MPT) to male air-hose quick-connect from your air compressor.
This is the Vacuum side of the Pot hook up. It is (from the pot out) a 3/8" FPT to 1/4" FPT reducer connected to a 150-psi valve with 1/4" MPT on one side and 3/8" CMP fitting on the other side connected to the other end of the 3/8" CMP braided line from the vacuum pump.
This is the pressure side of the pot hook up. It is (from the pot out) a 3" 1/4" to 1/4" MPT stand off (replacing the removed/leaky pressure relief valve), a 1/4" FPT "T", the top of the "T" is the 30-0-100 vacuum/pressure gauge from MSC Direct, the left side of the "T" is another 150-psi valve (you can't really see it because the handle is in back), this one a 1/4" MPT to 1/4" FPT connected to a 2" 1/4" to 1/4" MPT stand off connected to a 1/4" FPT 90-degree elbow connected to the bottom connection of the pressure gauge that came with the HF Paint Pot. The right connection of the pressure gauge has a 1/4" FPT cap. The left connection has the 1/4" FPT to male air-hose quick connect from your air compressor.
To use this, just close the vacuum valve, open the pressure valve then hook up the compressor line to the quick connect on the pressure regulator and adjust for your selected pressure.
For vacuum, close the pressure valve, open the vacuum valve and then connect your air compressor to the back of the vacuum pump. This took my vacuum to -29 psi within about 2 minutes (I'm at roughly 400' above sea level).
The sad thing is those 150-psi valves from OSH start leaking at about 50-psi even when tightened so much you bend the handle. A very slow leak, but I will be replacing them with something different. MSC Direct has some decent looking ones, just do a search for valves then narrow to 1/4", bronze, with a lever handle.
Happy Casting!!
GK
Here is an overall photo of the entire setup.
Harbor Freight 2-1/2 Gallon Pressure Paint Tank (I call it "pot") http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93119 with the paint pickup tube cut off. (Unless you are Hercules, don't try to unthread the $%^&* thing or you will end up with pulled muscles.)
Harbor Freight Air Vacuum Pump
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3952
MSC Direct -30 - 0 - 100 vacuum/pressure gauge
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=1953302&PMT4NO=22417569
and a bunch of fittings/valves from my local hardware store (Orchard Supply Hardware (aka OSH) on the West Coast)
This is the Air Vacuum Pump with the vacuum outlet replaced with a 1/8" Female Pipe Thread (FPT) to 3/8" Compression (CMP) fitting and connected to a 3/8" CMP to 3/8" CMP braided line (sold as a dishwasher hookup line):
The back of the vacuum pump has a 1/4" Male Pipe Thread (MPT) to male air-hose quick-connect from your air compressor.
This is the Vacuum side of the Pot hook up. It is (from the pot out) a 3/8" FPT to 1/4" FPT reducer connected to a 150-psi valve with 1/4" MPT on one side and 3/8" CMP fitting on the other side connected to the other end of the 3/8" CMP braided line from the vacuum pump.
This is the pressure side of the pot hook up. It is (from the pot out) a 3" 1/4" to 1/4" MPT stand off (replacing the removed/leaky pressure relief valve), a 1/4" FPT "T", the top of the "T" is the 30-0-100 vacuum/pressure gauge from MSC Direct, the left side of the "T" is another 150-psi valve (you can't really see it because the handle is in back), this one a 1/4" MPT to 1/4" FPT connected to a 2" 1/4" to 1/4" MPT stand off connected to a 1/4" FPT 90-degree elbow connected to the bottom connection of the pressure gauge that came with the HF Paint Pot. The right connection of the pressure gauge has a 1/4" FPT cap. The left connection has the 1/4" FPT to male air-hose quick connect from your air compressor.
To use this, just close the vacuum valve, open the pressure valve then hook up the compressor line to the quick connect on the pressure regulator and adjust for your selected pressure.
For vacuum, close the pressure valve, open the vacuum valve and then connect your air compressor to the back of the vacuum pump. This took my vacuum to -29 psi within about 2 minutes (I'm at roughly 400' above sea level).
The sad thing is those 150-psi valves from OSH start leaking at about 50-psi even when tightened so much you bend the handle. A very slow leak, but I will be replacing them with something different. MSC Direct has some decent looking ones, just do a search for valves then narrow to 1/4", bronze, with a lever handle.
Happy Casting!!
GK