DIY Sinusoidal valve (oceans motions replica, sorta)

[Theexp]

SOooo I'm making this sinusoidal valve for my new 65 gallon tank (4'x16"x20"). Work might be a little slow, but its coming along. I was kinda inspired by the SCWD mods, and Weathersons sinosoidal valve. I'm gonna make a valve like weathersons also, but this one is on the return. I
So its basically a 2" pvc body with 4, 1" outlets, and a 1" input in the bottom.
This is just a prototype, I'm gonna buy magnets, and a motor and such and make a new final one. I'll take pictures at every step.

Here are the pictures...
(Sorry for the blurry ones, didn't have good lighting)
Housing
http://i14.tinypic.com/2qmjjud.jpg
Drum
http://i13.tinypic.com/46yj1nb.jpg
Plan
http://i13.tinypic.com/2eb7hi9.jpg

[Kent E]

excellent, cant wait to follow this. I'm intrigued how you will seal it.

[Theexp]

The bottom will have a flange so i can take the drum out for maitenence, the top will be sealed. IN the drum there is a STRONG rare earth magnet. THere will also be on attached to the motor, so as the motor spins it will spin the drum. I think i'm gonna be remaking the drum tommorow, i'll post pictures of all the steps, as well as getting better pictures.

[hahnmeister]

I have a suggestion. I made a Sinusoidal valve based on weatherson's design. If you order the shroud/shaft/ etc from a Iwaki pump you just use the seal from the pump. Very slick and effective.

http://www.weatherson.com/sinusoidal_valve.htm

[hmpit_ags2006]

^^^^ very sweet

[Theexp]

i looked into those parts but they're pretty expensive to individually buy, and so i figure for a couple of dollars i can get a couple magnets. You also won't see the magnets and they'll all be sealed.

[hahnmeister]

Thats true. In a thread where weatherson and I talked about my attempt at one, thats what he suggested as well... using rare earth magnets to eliminate the need for the sealed shaft to pass through. I believe that is how the newer 4-way oceansmotions works as well.

[Theexp]

alright cool. I'm making a new one right now (Drum) with many pictures. SO that was just sort of a teaser...
Should be done by tonight if i don't get distracted, but i'm a teenager so you never know :rolleyes: :D

I think the magnets should work they're gonna be 1.5"x.25 rings
through lika a quarter inch of acrylic and an 1/8" wax stuff (its machining wax stuff).

[vishboy]

what is the oceansmotions website? I had at one point of time, but then my computer died:P

[Theexp]

So tonight i made my new drum
heres a bunch of pictures. I basically poured made a mold out of 2 Inch pvc taped down onto a board. Poured the wax into the mold, waited for it to cool (it shrunk alot and sucked itself in), cut it to size on my miter saw, then drilled all appropriate holes. I can answer any questions you have on the process any suggestions would be great. heres the pictuers (theres a BUNCH, sorry dialuppers)

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve015.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve018.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve020.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve017.jpg

[Theexp]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve021.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve022.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve025.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve027.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve029.jpg

[Theexp]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve030.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve031.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o77/theexp435/Sinusoidalvalve032.jpg

[RandyStacyE]

So that's the "machining wax". I never heard of that stuff. I always thought of waxes being too weak to be used in such a way. So is that stuff pretty tough or is it similar to paraffin wax?

How much was that wax too? I used some plural component material a few times in a PVC mold and it cured sort of like a plastic. The only problem with my experience is that my PVC was 'imperfect' which made it bind up when I spun it in the pipe.

Looks very cool so far!

[Theexp]

thanks. I actually got it from my middle school tech teacher who i go to see every once and a while. I'm not sure if its called machining wax , but they are blocks that are Blue (of course) pretty tough and machine super easily. It would have been used in her cnc machine in her lab so the kids wouldn't ruin the bits on metal and stuff. Its pretty tough stuff, I can't break or bend it. I really have to try to scratch it with my fingernail, Its good stuff, i just have to buy the magnets online, and some acrylic. Its actually a tiny bit loose (it shrunk a bit) so i'm gonna rub a thin layer of High vacuum grease on it its a thick inert silicone lubricant, my dad brought me a tube home from his lab (he's a nuerologist at duke).

[BrainBandAid]

Looks awesome so far. Nice job!

Are you shooting for a particular clearance between the drum and body? I'm assuming that by molding the drum in the same size PVC as the body that you're going for a nice fit.

[Theexp]

it has about a mm small i wish it were a bit tighter but the lubricant should seal it up.

[RandyStacyE]

With some back pressure you might get some bleeding around the cylinder, but I'm sure it would be minimal and you'll get the result that you are looking for.

I think I'll do some searching for that wax. It could come in very handy for many different things. Can't wait to see it completed!

[Fluxion]

Here's where I buy my machinable wax.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INLMK3?PMK0NO=766421

[RandyStacyE]

Anything new?

[Theexp]

I wish...
I've been slacking off a bit in calculus :mixed: :eek1: so my parents won't let me order anything offline. so i'm working on my calculus right now (i'm only a junior in highschool) so There should be an upgrade in a little bit hopefully. sorry

[SuperNerd]

bump

[dogstar74]

I wouldn't worry about the lubricant. It sounds like it would add more things to your tank than the good that it will do. Plus the water around the wax will be under a small amount of pressure, eventually washing the lubricant out of the housing and into the system. It's a waste of time in my opinion. But your design is solid. Keep it up!

[Theexp]

Thanks a lot guys, I should start working on it soon. Thanks for being patient and keeping up with it. I need a consistant paycheck not just a summer job haha.

[Theexp]

Well since i got a little push from RandyStacyE i've decided to restart this project. I originally planned on using 1 magnet, but now have decided on a ring of smaller magnets. I'll probably end up using some 1/4 inch in diameter, 1/8 inch thick. right now I need some advice on a motor to use, so any suggestions would be great.

[melev]

http://melevsreef.com/g/nada.gif

[Theexp]

Melev! haha, I'm glad you could join us. (i'm a big fan of reefcast, keep up the good work) .
To prove i'm not a huge slacker I drew up plans in inventor. and here they are. Theres also 3-d ones but I made a 3 view of it.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y216/Theexp/OMBody.jpg
I'd also like to thank everybody who's keeping up with this and helping out.

[melev]

I can't remember when I first subscribed to the thread, but I knew I liked what I was seeing. I do hope you'll pursue it, because it's really interesting and I'd love to see someone else make one. We know Weatherson can make anything, but how about some of us regular guys? :D

[Theexp]

Right now i need to get my hands on some weld on 16 and some acrylic and the project should be up and running. I really need some acrylic scrap just laying around so i could get stuff like this done, but there isn't really anywhere in town that sells acrylic. But tommorow I will order from mcmaster, and probably united nuclear. You guys' work isn't to shabby either, I've spent a few long hours browsing you're website, goggling at your acrylic sumps. I've also spent a good bit of time at randy's site too, i like that diy skimmer there. But tommorow the project restarts. (glad to see somebody likes to stay up late too)

Alright, Should I use PVC sheeting for the flanges, or should i use Acrylic.

any advice is great

[melev]

I think PVC sheeting since you will bond it to PVC fittings. Unless I misunderstood the plans so far.

So the blue thing you made is the final piece, and will last a long time? That is really interesting. Hurry up and finish it so I can see it working! ;)

[Siffy]

In case you missed it in the other thread, united nuclear's prices are quite a bit higher than K&J's.

http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D82

[MinibowMatt]

looks good. The machinable wax is pretty strong. In this application, I would think it would make a good drum. Are you a PLTW student?

I like you inventor drawings... can you email me the files? I would be interested in building one too.

[Kentanner11]

I might have missed this but what kind of motor are you going to use?

[Theexp]

Yeah I can email you the files. I also have one drawn up for the drum if you want it. Can I get an email adress?

I'm not sure what a PLTW student is. But I'm a Senior at Chapel Hill High School. Right now I'm planning to major in mechanical engineering.

I'm not sure what motor I am going to use. I havn't looked much.

So I think i'm gonna go with the sheet pvc. and Thanks for the tip with KJ magnets. Any suggestions with a motor?

[Theexp]

Alright, Today i got a 24"x12" sheet of 3/8" PVC, to start making flanges with, and a 100 wingnuts, and thumbscrews. Do you guys think it'd be worth it to make keyhole flanges, or do you think regular flanges would do the same job?

I also need to purchase a new belt for my 1950's shopsmith, and was looking at
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=20051&mode=details#tabs

Also I still need advice on a motor as well.