DIY Monster Beckett- Graphic Intensive!

[jcato]

here is the cheapest i have found the becketts

 

[nicky30092002]

Thanks ...


anyone can tell me where to get the ??? micron bag? for first layer filteration? another website ..

 

[jonboy]

Master beckett builders

Master beckett builders

I just wanted to comment on the quality/workmanship of the skimmers that you are making.

I am inspired to build a beckett head injector.
I have a question.
When you install the injector, i was thinking of adding o rings to help hold it together. and slip it into a fitting. Do you need to disassemble the beckett or do anything special to it? or is it plug and play ?

thanks for the help/out to the woodshed,
jonboy

 

[Foster]

What pump are you running on that skimmer?

 

[ORLANDO]

zefrant i'm doing the same but is a calcium reactor and i wanna ask you something ,what did you used for a joint between the caps. i wanna use a o-ring but i don't know how to make the groove if you did this please explain me how and what tool did you used.
thanks

 

[Zephrant]

Plat- I am using a Little Giant 4 MDQSCX. An Iwaki 55 is about perfect, although an Iwaki 70 works well too.

Or- I use an O-ring in a groove, cut by a circle cutter held in a drill press. A flat neoprene gasket works fine, and is easier to make if you don't have a drill press.

Zeph

 

[psu77]

Zeph:

You may have explained before how you used the circle cutter to make the groove but could you recap?

Did you make your own cutter to use in the device? Any pictures?

Thanks,
Don

 

[Zephrant]

I take the cutters they come with and grind them down to about 0.130" wide and sharpen them with a slight negative rake.
Sorry, no pictures on file.

Zeph

 

[jfinch]

So do the grooves have a square bottom or rounded? How deep? Just on one flange face or both? Thanks.

 

[Zephrant]

Almost a square bottom- I round the corners slightly to help cool the cutting bit. Depth depends on the size of your O-ring, and how much you want to compress them. Start with about 1/2 the diameter of the O-ring.

Cut just one flange- The other face meets against the flat of the other flange.

Zeph

 

[ich_commando]

Zephrant:

i have a question about glueing the injector tower onto the base...

i just aquaired an old ETSS REEF DEVIL 2 that is a downdraft version of what you biult. the injector tower has been cleanly broken off right at the connection to the black base. i am looking into using weldon *something* to re attach it. do you have any suggestions about clamping it together while the cement is curing, and how i can apply the cement in a fashion as to give a strong water tight seal...

any suggestions about repair would be helpful.

picks:

<img border="0" src="http://www.geocities.com/schwagg033/brokenetss5.jpg" width="352" height="288"><br>

<img border="0" src="http://www.geocities.com/schwagg033/brokenetss6.jpg" width="352" height="288"></p>

<img border="0" src="http://www.geocities.com/schwagg033/brokenETSS2.jpg" width="352" height="288"></p>

<img border="0" src="http://www.geocities.com/schwagg033/brokenetss3.jpg" width="352" height="288"></p>

<img border="0" src="http://www.geocities.com/schwagg033/brokenetss4.jpg" width="352" height="288"></p>

 

[jonboy]

ich,
i can't tell from the picture if the black tubing extends down into the skimmer base. If it does...you might try and find a piece of acrylic tubing that would fit inside the existing tubing and sleeve the two pieces together. (sort of like an inside union)
The tubing would be 2or 3 inches long and you would glue it in place on the skimmer and then slip the tube over and glue it.
does that make sense?
jonboy

 

[Lunchbucket]

hmm, pics don't show for me

 

[traveller7]

no ich_commando pics showing here either

 

[Zephrant]

I can't see the pictures either: But it most likely can be fixed.

For a basic (weak) joint, but water-tight:
Soak the end of the tube in #4, dribble some #4 on the mating surface too. You are trying to soften up the edges a little.
Butt-gluing it with #16, making sure it is snug.
Put a book or two on top to hold the joint together.

When dry, inspect and add more #16 as needed.

For a stronger joint-
Using a circle cutter and/or router, cut a donut out of 1/2" acrylic that just fits the outside of the tube, and can overlap the broken area.
Glue the donut down to the base, and to the tube.

Zeph

 

[Zephrant]

Re: Master beckett builders

Re: Master beckett builders

When you install the injector, i was thinking of adding o rings to help hold it together. and slip it into a fitting. Do you need to disassemble the beckett or do anything special to it? or is it plug and play ?

Hey- Somehow I missed this question, sorry! I do add O-rings on each end of the Beckett. It helps seal it up to the acrylic. Take the Beckett to the hardware store and check the O-ring section in the Fasteners isle.

The Beckett is mostly plug and play- It has a plastic flange on each end that I take off before I use them, but that is it.

Zeph

 

[BonsaiNut]

I'm shocked about the 3.5" piece with 2 bevel cuts on them.

I'm a draftsman, and occasionally I end up detailing tubular steel for large trusses. When a bevel cut is applied to a tubular piece, it's damn-near impossible for the other end to be bevel cut in the right plane. Think about it, there's so much room for error. It's not like there's a 'side' to a cylinder to help you to cut it. A piece with 2 bevel cuts often requires a massive amout of drawings and templates to wrap around the piece.

There were three beveled pieces (two vertical pieces with one bevel, and the horizontal piece with two bevels). Cut the bevels in the two vertical pieces first. Then cut one bevel in the horizontal piece. Glue one vertical piece to the horizontal piece. Voila! You should have a nice "L" to lie flat for the final cut of the final bevel. You only have to worry about length. Cut the final bevel, glue up the piece, then slide it up through the bottom of the box.

That's how you cut two bevels in line

Of course, there's another cheapo fix: tie, bolt or otherwise afix a square frame around the tube before cutting the first bevel in the horizontal piece. Cut one bevel, flip the piece, cut the second bevel. Perfectly square and in-line.

 

[BonsaiNut]

I have not totaled the cost yet, but it is around $100, including the $20 Beckett injector.

Where do you buy your cast acrylic tube? The cheapest I have found for 6" is $75 for 6' - or around $37.50 for this skimmer. I can't seem to come close to $100 when I price out all the materials. I am hoping you have a good online source

 

[Zephrant]

BN- You may be right- This one was made with extruded acrylic tube, which ran $7.32 per foot for 6". I buy wholesale from Laird plastics.

The total cost for a cast version of this skimmer is closer to $250 now. Cast cost much more of course, plus acrylic prices have gone up lately. Just the plumbing parts (gate valve, Beckett, fittings) run about $50.

Zeph

 

[ryan72]

thanks for all the info