Another DIY Tig Torch Cooler Shooting for under $100 not counting my labor

[aaxiss]

as title says I am shooting for Around $100 and I really think it's doable, this will be in video format. see part one here. Outta money right now so will finish as I can afford parts. and when I say outta money I mean I got $9.00 in my checking acct

I have to add a Preface to this about wiring up the Harbor Freight motor/pump as it diesn't come with a cord.... simple for most, deadly for others

http://www.youtube.com/user/Wheelcha...Z?feature=mhum

[performance]

aaxis, with my wife having a borderline job, I am right in there with you on the bank account. Necessity IS the mother of invention.

[aaxiss]

when I weld up my tank ( aluminum I am going to have the water come in at below water level so no splashing sounds and also a baffle system to cut the turbulence down in the tank even though with this pump most of the water will be passing through the relief valve I still don't want bubbles traveling through the pump and causing internal cavitation as that will tear up the impeller over time. I am going to name my cooler the Mightlast as in it might last a month or 3 years who knows

[Ram48]

Don
Thanks for that video
A good and easy way to stop aeration is to enter the tank above the water level and have a length of tubing or rigid pvc extend just below the water level this way if you spring a leak in the return at least you don't siphon the tank completely.
Ray

[Mikeymetal]

I know how it feels to be short on cash, to the point that right now I got no sound, and a internet connection thats slower than a snail on a turtles back. So I was hoping to convinse you to post some pictures of your projects. This one and the bender are both really good projects thatI would like to see more of without spending the entire night looking at the word "buffering.....". Thanks in advance.

[aaxiss]

sorry for the lack of pictures. had a 4 1/2" angle grinder get away from me with a knotted wire wheel on it and it landed in my lap with the motor locked on. tore up my left thigh pretty bad and no it's infected. project on hold for the next week or so

[scootarida1]

Updates please

[Legacyartist247]

I'd really like to see your setup.... I tried it myself, & got it to work fine, but not for less than $152.... & I know how to pench a p3nny. Also... I'm wondering if the pressure that pump puts out is to much?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ-1KsMCzck

[aaxiss]

Yea I will post some Pics Tomorrow. I still have to weld up my tank ( 3 gal aluminum ). Just got the weld on bungs in the mail today. I was side tracked by an infection and 2 weeks in the hospital. And really need to finish my welding table ( Strong hand clone with 1-3/4 spacing on the 5/8 plates so I can use their clamps that fit that 1-3/4" gap.

I myself am up to about $150 in parts now also, are you using a pressure bypass valve to control the pressure? I got one that will bypass from 25 to 175 psi from McMaster Carr . I think it was around $40 That and all the brass fittings increased the cost quite a bit. I also reduced the inlet and outlet to 1/2" right at the pump which will limit the pumps ability to reach maximum pressure a bit I would think. And also the 1" brass was big $$$. I will take some pics tomorrow I also have to plumb in the radiator and the heat sensor Tee . I will run that to a relay to shut off the pump when the water coming out of the heat exchanger (radiator) drops below 100F.

any way .... Pictures tomorrow. Btw I plan on making a stainless cabinet to enclose the works Ala Delorean LOL

Cheers

[everlastsupport]

I myself would like to see pictures of the strong hand clone. Maybe start a new thread. What kind of money do you have in that so far?

[aaxiss]

ok sorry for the lack of updates, ok pretty simple but I decided to change from pvc to all brass/copper because at some point I am going to take this apart and mount it into a cabinet and the pressure indicator will have to come forward to be flush with a similar diameter hole in the front of the cabinet and the quick disconnects will be panel mounted also.

ok now what you see is I have reduced the inlet and outlet right at the pump with 1" to 1/2" npt hex reducers. I tee'd off the outlet to the psi gauge and then another tee to the pressure bypass hanging down and then to a 90deg st elbow to my output to torch which will be getting a quick disconnect end on it soon ( green line ). On the input you see the reducer into a 90 street elbow with a copper pipe adapter ( not screwed in fully at this point ) I will be going with copper to the tank with unions ( intake from tank and bypass back to tank )

side picture you see same copper 1/2 to slip, I will send that back to the tank ( excess pressure). the small hex shaped knob hanging downward from the regulator will allow me to adjust how much pressure actually goes to the torch from 25 psi to the recommended 50 psi max I think around 40 psi should be fine . Returning heated water will go into a trans cooler with a fan pushing air through it and then dump into the tank.

should be another week or so before I have it up and working, Using my weldtec air torch for now, but the warm cable on the back of my neck is irritating cant wait to get to using my wp20

Total investment at this point $150 counting the used trans cooler you dont see and the 2 1/2 npt alum weld on bungs. I already had the .120 aluminum sheet on hand for the tank but could have just as easily used a cheap poly tank of some kind. only other cost will be the 2.5" weld on filler inlet with cap ( $16 ) Total cost will then be $165. I could have done it for under $100 but it would have looked like an 8th grade science experiment LOL. I wanted it to look decent





Cheers

[zoama]

You'll need a corrosion inhibitor. With that mixture of metals (iron,aluminum and copper) you'll have galvanic corrosion.
What coolant did you have in mind ?

[aaxiss]

Well I was Planning on using The defense coolant Concentrated 2-1 mix that arczone sells. I already had thought about the galvanic corrosion Problem and was just going to weld a piece of 1/2" .125 aluminum to the underside of my filler cap that reaches in below coolant level and bolt a small zinc bar to that to serve as a sacrificial anode. I could always do the tank in stainless but I would still need the zinc because the pump housing and impeller are steel and with the brass and copper having greater cathode potential the steel pump would then have the greatest anode potential and corrode. Sound right?

I think I have that covered but my coolant choice is still up in the air. What would Brian Boitano do? LOL

What coolant additive would recommend for the three tank types listed below

Tank 1 Poly type
Tank 2 Stainless steel
Tank 3 Aluminum

Thanks for the heads-up Zoama

Cheers

[zoama]

I don't think that a sacrificial anode is the answer since it would be dissolving into your coolant and increasing it's conductivity. Ethylene glycol (automotive antifreeze) would stop any corrosion, but some say not to use it. My experience is in boats and water cooled computers so I'm not qualified to advise you on this application. I know what the problem will be, I just don't know the right answer for a tig cooler. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, maybe one of of the experts here will have the answer.

[performance]

As for OUR pumps, they are Stainless Steel.

[aaxiss]

I'd love to get one mark but I am trying to save for a plasma cutter. Maybe down the road I will be able to grab one but right now this will do. And as for the galvanic corrosion... I found a nice 3 gal Poly tank I think will work nicely at a garage sale today for $3.00 LOL I mounted The pump to a piece of 1/2 7 layer marine grade plywood scrap I had layund around today to get an idea of the size of aluminum I will need for the bottom of the enclosure. will use 3/16 alum for that and 18 gauge for the sides and top once I have run tis for a while to see if it's going to hold up.

All in all for a grand total so far of $153 it's not a bad deal. time will tell. I still may weld up an alum tank but for now this poly tank fits the bill perfectly. not going to worry about corrosion at this point. will just us the defense coolant and see what happens. the pump has a primer hole so I can inspect the impeller through that hole from time to time. Wish I wouldn't have trashed my old pc water cooler radiator it would have worked perfect, it used 3 120mm fans but that size is avail in 120v also ~shrug

[zoama]

Wish I wouldn't have trashed my old pc water cooler radiator it would have worked perfect, it used 3 120mm fans but that size is available in 120v also ~shrug

I've been thinking the same thing. I've got a TFC 480 radiator here and a ST355 pump... I may just knock up a cooler soon, but I've got too many irons in the fire right now. It'll probably be a couple months before I get at it.

[aaxiss]

Well my cooler is done, wil be hooking it up later this weel\k with pictures and a video and a parts break down

Cheers

[scootarida1]

Well my cooler is done, wil be hooking it up later this weel\k with pictures and a video and a parts break down

Cheers

Ill be waiting patiently

[aaxiss]

Well here is where I am at now. got it all hooked up minus the actual torch return to the trans cooler then to tank. The trans cooler is at my parents house ready to be plugged in via hose barbs. I cant afford the 2 quick connect fittings @ $25 a set right now so barbs will have to do for now. with the 3 gallon water bottle as a tank I think I may have the pump hanging over the front of the bottom shelf of my cart by 3 inches... no big deal for now.

Soon as I finish my welding table I will build the proper tank for the unit... But for now it works sweet.. watch the video



dejavoodoo: just a side note with my 1/2 reducers on the intake and output of the pump and my bypass valve on there the max psi I can put to the torch is 50 psi, and all the way down to 15ish.