the swirler-stein
- Thread starter Isayso
- Start date
I'll do that tonight when I make a replacement, luckily that piece is easy to remake.. I think I may make a couple different lengths also and see what it does to the turning radius. But to be honest I like the rotation I get now. I have it located in a corner so it will blow horizontal to the back wall, then turn and blow at about 35* across the front wall, move back and repeat.
Anyway, I'm sure something had to be holding it back, I don't think it has enough friction from just turning inside the small section of pipe that keeps it straight to do that. I turned it by hand and its certainly not smooth as silk but its not hard to turn either. I had been worried about my wiring, when I pulled the powerhead wiring up into the housing it got a lot more jumbled up there. I'm pretty sure something must have caught the wiring.
Anyway, I'm sure something had to be holding it back, I don't think it has enough friction from just turning inside the small section of pipe that keeps it straight to do that. I turned it by hand and its certainly not smooth as silk but its not hard to turn either. I had been worried about my wiring, when I pulled the powerhead wiring up into the housing it got a lot more jumbled up there. I'm pretty sure something must have caught the wiring.
Ya know what would make a good motor extension arm? 
I was eating a cup of soup earlier at the office and noted that the plastic spoon has a perfect slender flat handle. It is also tough as heck. A bit ghetto but I think it would work :lol:
That or maybe I'm over worked and should pack it up and go home :lol:
I was eating a cup of soup earlier at the office and noted that the plastic spoon has a perfect slender flat handle. It is also tough as heck. A bit ghetto but I think it would work :lol:
That or maybe I'm over worked and should pack it up and go home :lol:
Kenzy
Premium Member
I think making the arm that attaches to the round motor shaft is the toughest part of this whole project. Steel and acrylic just don't bond that well.
When I made the one on mine out of steel and welded it to the motor shaft I thought it was a bit of overkill at the time, but its saved me a lot of time messing around with plastic arms that won't hold for any length of time.
If you know someone who can weld, ask them if they can help, IMO its the way to go.
When I made the one on mine out of steel and welded it to the motor shaft I thought it was a bit of overkill at the time, but its saved me a lot of time messing around with plastic arms that won't hold for any length of time.
If you know someone who can weld, ask them if they can help, IMO its the way to go.
well I finished up the reworking last night. I did an oval arm for the motor shaft and its double thick where it connects to the motor. I ran it all night with no problem, it was still turning no problem when I unplugged it this morning. I'm sure the problem was my wiring, I took extra care in wraping it up and making sure it was tied up and out of the way this time. I should have built a guard all the moving parts so no amount of shaking it around would put the wires in the path of the moving parts. I'll probably do that on the next one, and retro fit this one if I have any problems with it.
I took a few pictures of the almost finished project that I'll upload a little later. I also took a movie of it moving so people could see the 2.5rpm in action. I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a place to host it, but if I do I'll post it. All thats left is to get the indicator lights from radioshack and hook them up, then its completely done. I'm going to guestimate pricing for people so they will have some idea. It can certainly be done cheaper than I did it, in every area.
EASY BUILD.. just takes some time and patients.
$8.50 Housing (Lowes 4x4x2) box
$3.99+S Motor
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2006031613352805&item=5-1563-A&catname=electric
$0.00 Acrylic arms (I had it laying around any plastic would work these are not big pieces)
1 motor mount
1 motor to tie-rod arm
1 down tube cam
$4.00 rc car tie-rod - ( also posted a link for 4 for $6.69) but I paid $4.00 local to replace the one I took from my rc car.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJK15&P=X
$5.99 14g wire (lowes) (I got this so it would fit my gromets)
$1.99 1/4" gromets
$3.99 4 way switch (Off, A on, B on, A&B on)
$0.00 3/4" pvc.. I used about 3 inches of this and for the down tube holder, I had to dremel it out a little, A 3/4" slip coupling would work also.
$0.00 1/2" pvc.. this is the down tube.
ADDED:
Forgot I also bought little bolts, I got one package at lowes for about $2.00 and will have lots extra so it probably doesn't even count.
TOOLS:
Razor knife (x-acto)
Dremel
superglue
Heck I think thats it.. so it comes out to $28.46 plus some for the shipping, and I'm going to spend about $3.00 more for indicator lights. I'll go see about getting up that movie and a few finish pictures.
I took a few pictures of the almost finished project that I'll upload a little later. I also took a movie of it moving so people could see the 2.5rpm in action. I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a place to host it, but if I do I'll post it. All thats left is to get the indicator lights from radioshack and hook them up, then its completely done. I'm going to guestimate pricing for people so they will have some idea. It can certainly be done cheaper than I did it, in every area.
EASY BUILD.. just takes some time and patients.
$8.50 Housing (Lowes 4x4x2) box
$3.99+S Motor
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2006031613352805&item=5-1563-A&catname=electric
$0.00 Acrylic arms (I had it laying around any plastic would work these are not big pieces)
1 motor mount
1 motor to tie-rod arm
1 down tube cam
$4.00 rc car tie-rod - ( also posted a link for 4 for $6.69) but I paid $4.00 local to replace the one I took from my rc car.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJK15&P=X
$5.99 14g wire (lowes) (I got this so it would fit my gromets)
$1.99 1/4" gromets
$3.99 4 way switch (Off, A on, B on, A&B on)
$0.00 3/4" pvc.. I used about 3 inches of this and for the down tube holder, I had to dremel it out a little, A 3/4" slip coupling would work also.
$0.00 1/2" pvc.. this is the down tube.
ADDED:
Forgot I also bought little bolts, I got one package at lowes for about $2.00 and will have lots extra so it probably doesn't even count.
TOOLS:
Razor knife (x-acto)
Dremel
superglue
Heck I think thats it.. so it comes out to $28.46 plus some for the shipping, and I'm going to spend about $3.00 more for indicator lights. I'll go see about getting up that movie and a few finish pictures.
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Pictures:
mounted on tank.
down tube to maxi-mod attachment. I did add a dab of ca glue, next time I think I'll do a little better job, always do on a second try, and won't need the glue at all. The MJ will still slip off with just a good tug, I didn't use much glue.
Wiring
Mounting configuration
I think I'm going to paint it all semi-gloss black with fusion plastic paint using bulldog adhesion promoter before it makes it into the tank. If I had used gray pvc or sch80 I probably wouldn't bother.
I can't find a place to host my movie, photobucket doesnt' support movies. Anyone know where I can host a movie for free?
mounted on tank.
down tube to maxi-mod attachment. I did add a dab of ca glue, next time I think I'll do a little better job, always do on a second try, and won't need the glue at all. The MJ will still slip off with just a good tug, I didn't use much glue.
Wiring
Mounting configuration
I think I'm going to paint it all semi-gloss black with fusion plastic paint using bulldog adhesion promoter before it makes it into the tank. If I had used gray pvc or sch80 I probably wouldn't bother.
I can't find a place to host my movie, photobucket doesnt' support movies. Anyone know where I can host a movie for free?
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ok, I think I'm about to gear up for a dc version. I think I have my motor picked out. its a 4-15vdc, 10 rpm at 12vdc motor. I'm still waiting on the rpm performance curve info. I'll probably do a 2:1 gear reduction and a pot to match the 4-15vdc. DC supply will just need to be any converter that can handle the max amps of the pot and motor. I wish we had some dc power heads, man that would rock..
There is a DC powerhead but it's not cheap and you would still have to mod it
http://www.alita.com/dcpump/index.php
A guy on the maxijet-mod thread contacted them and was told that the pump would cost $50 each.
http://www.alita.com/dcpump/index.php
A guy on the maxijet-mod thread contacted them and was told that the pump would cost $50 each.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Tunze master pump you mean?
for the rotating arm part, I used all acrylic. Heck, I used acrylic for the whole thing. First, I used a 5/8" OD, 3/8" ID acrylic pipe attached to the 1/4" acrylic bracket that I mount to the side of the tank that also holds the timing motor. Then, I use a 3/8" OD acrylic rod, bonding a 1.5" disk to the top of it, as the extension that goes down into the tank. Its a dead easy way to do it, and low friction.
for the rotating arm part, I used all acrylic. Heck, I used acrylic for the whole thing. First, I used a 5/8" OD, 3/8" ID acrylic pipe attached to the 1/4" acrylic bracket that I mount to the side of the tank that also holds the timing motor. Then, I use a 3/8" OD acrylic rod, bonding a 1.5" disk to the top of it, as the extension that goes down into the tank. Its a dead easy way to do it, and low friction.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
I was supposed to take pics alraedy, but I got interrupted with a problem. Ill post pics of what I have so far anyways, as a simple motor swap might be needed. My problem is that the synchron 1rpm motor I am using is getting very hot...too hot to handle for too long. Anyone else having problems like this? Maybe I need to swap out motors for another...
Ill post pics later, make some diagrams in the meantime as well so you can see the action.
Ill post pics later, make some diagrams in the meantime as well so you can see the action.
I'll run mine for a few hours straight again tonight and then feel the motor and let you know tomorrow. How long before your motor gets hot? I've had it running for several minutes at a time before without any heat from it, at least not enough that I could feel it when I touched it. I let it run all night last night as a dry run test, but I didn't check the motor temp before I left for work, I just turned it off.
smells like fish
New member
Nice pix hmott! The pictures make the motor look huge. They're tiny things. Post your video on youtube.com
I ordered my 2 motors on Tuesday and got them today. Not bad for Priority Mail.
Now to see if I can actually makes this. Looks a lot more involved than the mj mod.
I ordered my 2 motors on Tuesday and got them today. Not bad for Priority Mail.
Now to see if I can actually makes this. Looks a lot more involved than the mj mod.
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hahnmeister
In Memoriam
The motor gets to just under boiling in under 1/2 hour...
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
There is a side diagram of what I made. Works great, silent, and small. By adjusting the radius of the screw on the motor's rotating disk the degree of oscillation on the other disk can be varied from 60 to 160 degrees.
