Clear PVC For custom Res. Few questions.

[MrMatt]

Hey guys,

I saw this picture from a link in one of the other threads going and I just love this resivour. Kinda like the Inovatek tank-o-matic only with larger fittings and everything.

I checked out US Plastics and McMaster for clear PVC which is what Im assuming its made from...and it seems they require you to buy 10' and 8' minimum respectivly. Honestly I really dont need 8' + feet of the stuff, a foot would be plenty. Im wondering if anyone knows of a source I where I could get it in smaller quantities?

Not sure on size yet, Im thinking at least 1 - 1/2" maybe 2" depending on cost.

Would some type of acrylic hollow rod work as well like they sell at www.mcmaster.com ? Not sure if you can drill into that. But you can buy it in smaller sections.

Anyone know what kind of brackets those are in the picture? Im still trying to figure out how I would attach it to my Lian Li Case.

Last question for installing barbs into these, would I just drill a hole slightly smaller than the threads and screw it in using some goop or epoxy?

Thanks guys, sorry for all the questions.
-Matt

[bigben2k]

Actually, that would be acrylic, but if you're gun happy, you can try polycarbonate...

The mounts are probably custom made.

McMaster is slightly more expensive, but more flexible on the minimum lengths. Beware shipping charges.

It's really hard to make a hole in the side of a tube. I'd go with goop.

Alternatively, you can make this:

[MrMatt]

Thanks for the reply,

So would the Cast Acrylic hollow rod at McMaster be similar to whats used there. I can get it in 2" OD.

That would be a bit cheaper than the PVC....

Oh and I have a drill press and vice figured that would make drilling a hole in the tube a little easier.

Cant decide between that and the bay-res. Well off to do more research.

Thanks for the info.

-Matt

[bigben2k]

I think extruded is cheaper than cast, but whatever you can find! A drill press is ideal. The McMaster stuff is fine, and you can get the thinnest walled one (if it's an option).

I'm rebuilding the (above) unit out of 1 inch OD tubing, and 3/4 PVC fittings (which will fit nicely into each other).

The above was made from 1 1/2 fittings and 2 inch OD tube, but the fitting's ID was 1 7/8, so it needed a little TLC.... On the plus side, it clears any and all air in 10 seconds flat.

[MrMatt]

Hey,

Thats a great looking setup I must say. Thanks for all the advice on sizes and everything, I suppoze 1" OD is good enough for a res. dont need to have a ton of extra water just a little extra and a place for air to go.

Ill take a look around and see if I can find some cheaper extruded acrylic in 1" OD. So 3/4" PVC fittings work good on 1" OD tube then? Good to know.

I think Im going to make a decision on a Radiator in the next couple days, order that and depending on where I put it Ill either go with the Bay-Res or make a custom one out of some Acrylic Pipe.

Thanks again
-Matt

[Alaric_2000]

Originally posted by bigben2k
Actually, that would be acrylic, but if you're gun happy, you can try polycarbonate...

The mounts are probably custom made.

McMaster is slightly more expensive, but more flexible on the minimum lengths. Beware shipping charges.

It's really hard to make a hole in the side of a tube. I'd go with goop.

Alternatively, you can make this:

Hey Ben, you wanna do a quick schematic or paint drawing of that airtrap for me? i'm having a lil difficulty seeing it (prolly a lack of coffee).

Thanks!

[bigben2k]

No prob.

(I've replaced the fill hole assembly with a flange, since that picture).

[redleader]

Mines made of USPlastics clear PVC. Works nice, but I got it from a guy on Arstechnica.

---

Anyway its amazingly effective. It bleeds my whole loop in seconds. What I did was drill two holes in the side with a drill press and then tap them. Finally I added to 3/8NPT 1/2 inch barbs and a tiny bit of plumbers goop to make sure it didn't leak.

I posted pics about 6 months ago in this forum.

[nexxo]

MrMatt, hold your horses! I recognise the reservoir that you refer to, and show in the picture. It is sold by Cooling Solutions, a company in Germany. In case you don't speak German, on the site, select "Wasserkuhlung" on the left, and under that "Ausgleichbehalter".

It comes in various sizes, with or without plexi mounts, and accomodates LED lighting.

I'm sure they will accomodate you in sending an order to the USA.

[bigben2k]

Nice catch, nexxo!

But for 70 euros (about $70 US), plus shipping from Europe...

It does have a clear threaded cap...

[MrMatt]

Wow thats pretty nice looking, but a bit spendy, I ordered the Bay-Res so Ill just go with that for now, if I dont like it I might look into buying that one on the German site, didnt find that one in my search for cooling gear, hard to cover all of the many sites out there, thanks for the info.

-Matt

[Alaric_2000]

I've been thinking about constructing a new res when I modify my HP NetServer 5/90 cases I'm snagging from work I've always been particularly drawn to the cylindrical shaped res/airtraps. I'm not about to spend 60-70 bucks for one of those import jobbies, so I got to thinking. Recently had a, hrm, how do I put this, tobacco inhalation and delivery device bottom out on me (literally, the bottom had a blowout). It's about 1-1/2 feet tall. If I forcibly remove the bottom, then I'm left with a 10" to 11" clear blue cylinder that I can use for modding. It would be absolutely ideal. Throw a few endcaps on there, drill and tap some holes for the barbs and voila. . .my bong is reborn =) Just gotta get the mung outta there =)

And who said that stuff rots your mind.

[nexxo]

By the way, MrMatt; I just looked at US Plastics and it seems they now do acrylic tubing by the foot. Should drop costs a little.

However, you could also look at their clear rigid PVC tubing, which comes in various dimensions and with all sorts of T's, endcaps, threaded connectors etc. Worth a look.

[Alaric_2000]

they do 'em by the foot, but isn't it still a min of 6 or 8 feet?

[xerka]

Here is my airtrap. I bought a gravel filter for fish aquariums and used the clear plastic tube that comes with it. Then for the other parts i just bought some pvc parts. http://www.petsmart.com/products/product_714.shtml

[MrMatt]

Lots of good ideas and info in here, I found mcmaster sells Acrylic tubing by the foot with no minimum.

Anyway I ended up buying a Bay-Res along with the rest of my water cooling stuff, should all be here by Saturday. If I end up not liking tbe bay-res for some reason (Im sure I will) then Ill look into making a custom one.

Good thinking on the Gravel Filter/Vaccume tube idea. Easy to get localy.

Well off to go pick out some more modding stuff to buy

-Matt

[pHaestus]

You should be able to find someone locally that handles fabricating with acrylic. Check "plastic" or "glass" in the yellow pages and call around. You can either get scrap for cheap or else if you have a few $$ to spend you can get them to tap threads or make whatever you need. The sky's the limit. We had three acrylic columns for studying chemical processes in porous media fabbed for not much more than $100. I should have made them so they would double as reservoirs and sold them afterwards, but I figured people wouldn't want Arsenic contaminated wc loops.

[BrianW]

I was reading up on that Acrylic Tubing @ www.mcmaster.com . You should look at the Min. and Max. opeatinf temperatures.

Lowest Operating Temperature Below +45° F
Highest Operating Temperature Above +100° F

I have seen people in warmer clients run water temps up to 34 C which is 93.2 F. That is really close to it's maximum operating temperature.

The PVC can go up to 140 F.

Brian W

[bigben2k]

BTW, it's http://www.mcmaster.com and not mcmasters.

As for the operating temps, I think they're meant a guidelines: I doubt acrylic would deform at 100 deg F, but that would be where some distortion can be made. I also fail to see the low temp point: if it's cold, then it becomes brittle, no?

[BrianW]

Maybe if one emails them and asks what the effects would be for slight increases in Operating Temperatures. Besides it is probably a conservative number. To be safe.

Brian W

[redleader]

I'd probably do PVC, its a lot tougher. You can hook it up to a drill press and tap it easy and theres no way it will crack, no matter how clumsey you are.

[lukasz70]

I'd probably do PVC, its a lot tougher

thats exactly what i made

http://lukasz70.50megs.com/index.htm

i drilled, and then threaded the pvc tube and then you can just screw the barbs in with some PVC glue on the thread and you're leak proof, BUT you will need a 1/2in thread to be able to thread them, but you can probably just glue them in

PVC tubing isn't clear, but it is thicker and easier to work with, if you want clear tubing, i've seen clear central vacuum tubing but i couldn't actually buy any for my project

[HelpImNewbish]

BigBen: Does that airtrap you made work well?

And you don't by chance have a list of parts, do you?
At least, what are those things in the middle of each tube?

[bigben2k]

Glad you ask.

This particular airtrap uses 1 1/2 fittings, but I'm rebuilding it with 3/4 parts.

1 street elbow
1 tee
2 socket to thread adapters

The middle parts is acrylic tubing. I got 2" OD tubing here in the FS/FT forum. Unfortunately, the fitting's ID is 1 7/8, so I had to open up the fitting.

In 3/4 parts, it'll require a 1 inch OD tube, and will fit perfectly.

The trickest part is the refill point: I opted to use a flange. It bolts right on top of the case.

Of course you don't have to use clear acrylic: regular PVC (white) will work just fine.

With the 1 1/2 parts, it clears all air in ten seconds flat.

I wrote an article on it... not posted.