tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77432035461578968002024-03-05T12:44:36.201-08:00psudoscienceRobert Clarke's blog of his miscellaneous adventures in the workshop, to get a good vacuum and evaporate Aluminium. Detailing the construction of his projects and the things he is learning along the way. And some of his own thoughts and ideas for other tinkerers.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-16677503380529964042017-03-11T06:02:00.003-08:002017-03-11T06:02:49.011-08:00Six filaments no rotation.Here is my work around of the gimble/rotater problem of getting all around coverage from the point source filaments.<br />
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So here is the set up. Six filaments. Front, back,top,bottom, left and right.<br />
Wired in series<br />
Powered from my chinese TIG welder.<br />
And here are the filaments with the aluminium pressed on.<br />
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The system is running at 55v, which is the output voltage of the TIG. To get these really hot I'm right up at the limit of my TIG. I'm not sure what the current is.<br />
This is the result...<br />
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Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-22884239994525747782017-01-01T09:29:00.000-08:002017-01-01T09:30:42.251-08:00High Voltage plasma cleaning.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was wondering if it was possible to have high voltage plasma in a conductive vacuum chamber?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seems like it is!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My previous high voltage stuff had been in the glass belljar of previous posts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So when I started reading about plasma cleaning and surface modification, it got me wondering. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is the video: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/opfwmesQgys" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you are still reading, some details are: The vacuum feedthrough is a 4mm brass rod through a 7mm glass tube. Soda glass I think. Not boro' anyway. Then the threaded bit is from an old lamp fitting. I did a little work on the lathe to make the o-ring groove. All sealed up with normal(not Kwik) JB Weld.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then it gets pushed through one of the existing electrode holes in my base plate. I know the chamber is filthy...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Strangely, I got the best ever vacuum level from my mechanical pump on this test. I got down to nearly 2x10-2( chamber pressure) normally I only get 6 or 5x10-2. Just at the edge of diffusion pump land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some strange thing that happened were... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Initally the pressure began to rise when I turned on the NST and so plasma. I'd unplug and let the pressure drop again. I did this about 5 times until gradually, the pressure stopped rising. Then I was able to leave the NST on for about 5mins or more. I didn't want to over heat the electrode.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Total in plasma was probably 10 mins at 150 watts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the video is some poor footage of the plasma exposed surface of some acrylic and the unexposed(I peeled the plastic film back after I took it out of the chamber). One wetting well, the other, no way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I handled it, the grease from my fingers was busily spreading from the sides of the acrylic across the surface. It was very interesting to see the contamination spread.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Also possibly there was a good bit of oil from the saw blade used to cut this bit of acrylic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The other sample in the chamber was a piece of fast cast polyurethane resin. It work on that too. Over all effect seems short lived. Maybe straight under Di-water is the thing to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conclusion: yes it works. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To do: clean the pieces normally to remove most of the contaminants. Wear gloves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Try...spontaneous bonding of very clean flat surfaces by contact.</span>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-662560028302521672016-09-27T03:14:00.002-07:002016-09-27T03:14:15.063-07:00Evaporants arrival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is a small delivery from Midwest Tungsten Services.</div>
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I got some filaments, gold tone, bronze, and aluminium.</div>
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They were very nice to deal with. I spent 100dolla' to get these bits including shipping from the US to Ireland. </div>
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I hope to try the Alu today.</div>
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This form is called "cane" I suppose this is goldtone.<br />
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With some digging on the net I found it might be possible to evaporate "dutch leaf", as in, fake gold leaf. Seems to be a suitable alloy.<br />
<br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-22371469345104076432015-12-15T04:07:00.001-08:002015-12-15T04:30:00.761-08:00Huanyang Inverter VFD NC Studio Settings<i>I have been putting up non vacuum stuff up here for the last few posts because I have nowhere else to put them! The vacuum system is in stasis at the moment as other more daytoday things has been taking up my time. So my apologies to you high vacuumers out there.</i><br />
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This post is motivated by a day and a half of frustration which finally got sorted through much googling, testing, reading and rereading and logic-ing out. My cnc machine is now armed and fully operational! I have no doubt that there are others in the same position as I was yesterday...<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Be warned: I am not an engineer and don't really know what I'm talking about here, so use this info at your own risk!</span><br />
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How I learned to love my new Huanyang VFD spindle for NC Studio. This post is just about getting NC Studio talking to the VFD, not motor settings. There are other good tuts out there on that bit.<br />
I'll assume you've done a bit of work on this already and get right into the nitty gritty.<br />
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Please read it carefully, every step is important.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">**some changes you make may need the VFD to be restarted, it seems...**</span><br />
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**with NC Studio we are dealing with '<i>4-speed external control</i>'. You don't really get the values in your gcode. boooo!**<br />
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Speed1 being stopped/no rotation. Defined by PD003/PD011(see below)<br />
Speed2 definded by PD0086<br />
Speed3 definded by PD0087<br />
Speed4 defined by PD0088<br />
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To begin!<br />
0.<b>PD000 set to 0</b>. Allows changes to happen in the settings...<br />
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1. <b>PD013 set to 8</b>. Factory reset (Thus may not be nessasary if you have a matching VFD and spindle.)<br />
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2. <b>PD001 set to 1</b>. This selects external terminal/multi-input as the signal input.(this over rides PD002[1] setting I assume)<br />
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3. PD003,PD004,PD005 ... this is motor specific settings I'm not covering here.<br />
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4. <b>PD011 set to 0</b>. Now this is the interesting one. This is going to supersceed PD003 that you would think is the defined speed for Speed1. <br />
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But there is an assumption that as long as [FOR]ward is enabled (which it is, because its permanently tied low, isn't it?)the motor is turning and doing something and so would burn out if the setting is too low. But in GCode the spindle is turned on by its speed setting ie: S18000 or what ever...so it's a cheat we programme into the VFD firmware to turn the spindle off with a zero speed setting.<br />
(granted there is an Mcode for spindle on but with NC studio you just have 4 speed options on 3 pins. 000 being off, 100 being low, 010 being...etc.)<br />
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<b>PD044 is set to 02</b>. Sets FOR connector to enable forward rotation when taken low.<br />
<b>PD047 is set to 22</b>. Sets SPH connector to enable setting in PD0088 when taken high.<br />
<b>PD048 is set to 24</b>. Sets SPM connector to enable setting in PD0087 when taken high<br />
<b>PD049 is set to 23</b>. Sets SPL connector to enable setting in PD0086 when taken high<br />
<b><br />PD080 set to 2.</b> That's the magic setting.<br />
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This allows signal from NS Studio to select the three(4) settings for speeds you will define below...<br />
We've already looked at the PD003/PD011 issue so that is Speed1 ie: 0Hz<br />
<b>PD0086 is set to 133</b> for 8000rpm<br />
<b>PD0087 is set to 300</b> for 18000 rpm<br />
<b>PD088 is set to 400</b> for 24000rpm <br />
I may change these settings depending how they work in practice.<br />
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If I'm wrong with what I've done here please let me know. If this has been a help please comment. If I made some typos please let me know.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-73153880422751595492015-05-23T02:51:00.000-07:002015-05-23T02:51:05.497-07:00ER11 drag engraver <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This post is a little off topic so I'm sorry about that. It will be relevant to somebody I suppose.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">spring loaded ER11 diamond drag engraver</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Above is a spring loaded diamond drag engraver. It's 3mm with a 120 degree angle tip. The issue with it is it needs to be spring loaded to allow for uneven surfaces, but there is very little space to build a mechanism inside an ER11 size collet. The commercial ones work externally to the collet. My thinking was if it is in the collet it would be more ridged and more accurate.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Hw0_HIJEKPJ9ikCcuA2OVJyWClUR-HSA-4TBckquCfOaL7CfqtaOI3HkfiwqfEim6MdKZiUn6xLk67mdo_SZi4jeSVMP675CuInhOuDxUJc5mhezCY46evXstK-hv9-84yk69QSzTLQ/s1600/diamond+drag+engraver+spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="CNC spring loaded diamond engraver" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Hw0_HIJEKPJ9ikCcuA2OVJyWClUR-HSA-4TBckquCfOaL7CfqtaOI3HkfiwqfEim6MdKZiUn6xLk67mdo_SZi4jeSVMP675CuInhOuDxUJc5mhezCY46evXstK-hv9-84yk69QSzTLQ/s400/diamond+drag+engraver+spring.jpg" title="spring loaded drag engraver diy" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drag engraver apart</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So here it is taken apart. An ER11 collet with a 7mm diameter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A hard brass pipe(Albion Alloys, metric K +S!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Polished 6mm steel shaft from an inkjet printer with a spring, I'm not sure where that came from!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I chopped the steel shaft with a hacksaw and stuck it in the lathe. I wrapped the shaft in masking tape to protect it from the jaws of the lathe, then drilled the centre to receive the diamond tip bit and trimmed the other end to take the spring. The spring is squeezed on. This is important for a couple of reasons. It ends up >6mm diameter therefor holding the shaft into the brass tube and so the collet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That's morealess it. The extra lug at the end is just because I cut the main body of the shaft too short. The grey crap is PTFE/graphite dry lube.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To use...(engineers close your ears), I put it onto the spindle as usual then tighten the nut until the collet pinches the brass tube enough to stop the shaft moving, then loosen the nut a smidge. It should return when pushed in. So I'm using the collet slightly loose... </span><br />
<br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-21706500775279893212015-04-02T03:25:00.000-07:002015-04-02T03:25:49.150-07:00The State of Matter as it stands.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="DIY metalize" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJIdkva8qfR4rxBKYc3ugqybSoH2k00gSjOtkscomBHXfjx8OK1tJkxYCfYMGcJH4Nh1V8VYbtLRI4zNhzLcbxSTO5pArNDdhB4mh0TpsEJRO0_Qy-8sRBUVAlDw470sQLC-ly9yH7FM/s1600/full+system+vacuum.jpg" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Vacuum Metalization Metalisation Hobby" width="266" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For SEO your supposed to add a caption! DIY Metalization.</td></tr>
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A very quick update...this is the state of the system now. The steel belljar is working well. Sight glasses seems to be sealed ok too. After buying a very nicely priced butterfly valve.( Thanks to JF and his wife for the delivery!) I can now cut off the diffstack from the belljar. I got down to below the range of the pirani gauge. Oh yes, I'm sorry I really coped out. I bought a diff pump on Ebay...Interestingly the urge to get the DIY one is still strong in my mind. I do intend to revisit it in the near future. If only to get some closure!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vzMIr47xdYghmAu45mfZAhQEW9rWvSaIjwiJ57SmFOPdAenTMjiKTpu4mDnYWurKg3C62k7aPKURm9fNNHkIL_zZu2oiwkLo2nFdhaO3Le2Bpdoxb-Jsn0l7_y8s7BOitTxLW6IW3tI/s1600/belljar+hook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Steel Belljar" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vzMIr47xdYghmAu45mfZAhQEW9rWvSaIjwiJ57SmFOPdAenTMjiKTpu4mDnYWurKg3C62k7aPKURm9fNNHkIL_zZu2oiwkLo2nFdhaO3Le2Bpdoxb-Jsn0l7_y8s7BOitTxLW6IW3tI/s1600/belljar+hook.jpg" height="266" title="Metalisation Belljar" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belljar Hoist Mount</td></tr>
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The jar is heavy so I will put it on a pulley and hoist eventually.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrauL7o0exb6-5s5gSEtwngiLQGKSBRr-dQymBI_PnDuOLvAKJkQFVLZr6jfigtEADRwWSdFGvZ1dpvdzvWv6JvFR7hWrIWyNLNePjqhyphenhyphen7pPEyJ9Z_XCe3dbQl0WXI13AvqjdtacolX4/s1600/support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Metal Belljar Interior Metalize" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrauL7o0exb6-5s5gSEtwngiLQGKSBRr-dQymBI_PnDuOLvAKJkQFVLZr6jfigtEADRwWSdFGvZ1dpvdzvWv6JvFR7hWrIWyNLNePjqhyphenhyphen7pPEyJ9Z_XCe3dbQl0WXI13AvqjdtacolX4/s1600/support.jpg" height="400" title="Vacuum Chamber Interior" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vacuum Chamber Interior</td></tr>
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And the interior..stainless steel M10 threaded bars tapped into the base plate.(gas escape grooves cut accross the threads that are in the tapped holes. To try and minimize virtual leaks.). A rolled aluminium ring 5x25mm. Soldered at the join (my first aluminium soldering. Very possible. Probably not a good idea for sealing... Must fly!Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-90233777643119940472014-06-06T15:53:00.001-07:002014-06-06T15:53:43.491-07:00A big jar of nothing.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DFYejuFA5PpBW2vwl8DzuURA4AVQnLAjsCwc-ZzVyUiTzG_xVCtP71wTBlC7FN5mhPYGhqjQUYccGDrDbWiD3Swa8zKeDrFZjVmFVHu-UdeIpzxE-2PMPJ-LHzUwxmjWPO65o70FnjY/s1600/weld+flanges.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DFYejuFA5PpBW2vwl8DzuURA4AVQnLAjsCwc-ZzVyUiTzG_xVCtP71wTBlC7FN5mhPYGhqjQUYccGDrDbWiD3Swa8zKeDrFZjVmFVHu-UdeIpzxE-2PMPJ-LHzUwxmjWPO65o70FnjY/s1600/weld+flanges.jpg" height="400" width="356" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> There it is with the view ports welded in. I went for one to view filament and on to view object being coated. (I didn't do the welding, I thought, as it was critical I leave it to the expert!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> There was some distortion when the welding happened so I had to sand the flanges flat again. I made that little sanding thing to help. It took a while but I got then flat enough for the o-rings to take up any of the remaining irregularity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEwPFhyphenhyphenX5kKmb7JT3SMTF7dwSX9QJSFpdtQIWYyJLAWzfA0ufP0f_mKaKahWpqaWbStz3TsbfcySD0pFMrRMae4Sf8srMtwhYfqYsMmlTKYuFZcyRkP7O7f9QvG4Hne96oLudnqdXQnU/s1600/sanding+flanges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEwPFhyphenhyphenX5kKmb7JT3SMTF7dwSX9QJSFpdtQIWYyJLAWzfA0ufP0f_mKaKahWpqaWbStz3TsbfcySD0pFMrRMae4Sf8srMtwhYfqYsMmlTKYuFZcyRkP7O7f9QvG4Hne96oLudnqdXQnU/s1600/sanding+flanges.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The strangest thing was the bottom of the jar was no longer flat after the welding process. It shrank upwards towards the welded pipe. I was very surprised. It was across a section of at least 50mm. I spotted it when I did a test pump down and the bottom gasket was buzzing as air rushed in through the gap! Back to the counter top with sand paper as described before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZiqTe3PFPp9cCLMiA4EZyD56oJHV5GudF8x-wSAZAyl0ZNLRHArl1y0BZJhTJlIgYOY_NjILS8geIvrOvTs8QMEA8JFj8OFuEsfXE4f6Zevz53M_TnHi60ODE4UYf9Mkz5QplCbgWnU/s1600/shrinkage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZiqTe3PFPp9cCLMiA4EZyD56oJHV5GudF8x-wSAZAyl0ZNLRHArl1y0BZJhTJlIgYOY_NjILS8geIvrOvTs8QMEA8JFj8OFuEsfXE4f6Zevz53M_TnHi60ODE4UYf9Mkz5QplCbgWnU/s1600/shrinkage.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxl-qGl1scqkxg5UwS3GZupTiF_k1QZGSc4xgNjVFqS-eABEIwsk64U1t6J33aTEIWR7tdohE488l0uzZnnn6MY4LooSbbb4n39RLGEBghVWgixlRY6A1KfclkpC_AN9gcDfkZS3JUG18/s1600/top+view+flange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxl-qGl1scqkxg5UwS3GZupTiF_k1QZGSc4xgNjVFqS-eABEIwsk64U1t6J33aTEIWR7tdohE488l0uzZnnn6MY4LooSbbb4n39RLGEBghVWgixlRY6A1KfclkpC_AN9gcDfkZS3JUG18/s1600/top+view+flange.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Above is a view of the o-ring seal on view port. The o-ring are viton(€16 each woops). 6mm cross section. The glass is a square in 12mm, normal type. I just got a glazier to cut it for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAygR82smrXxGK8NJp0XyggtnbVx7I4C3JgAAzEPQXTbcXWZHLt77I3ozoAYS8gxZWt37a4Ypqs6Xf34CDMgv3X7pE9f0mrX6Cn5IwK7TGmJXh0DcG93bWjv39kYHRmBMs0zq9HLc8n-A/s1600/viewing+glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAygR82smrXxGK8NJp0XyggtnbVx7I4C3JgAAzEPQXTbcXWZHLt77I3ozoAYS8gxZWt37a4Ypqs6Xf34CDMgv3X7pE9f0mrX6Cn5IwK7TGmJXh0DcG93bWjv39kYHRmBMs0zq9HLc8n-A/s1600/viewing+glass.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So the tube sits proud of the flange by about 3mm. This keeps the o-ring in place. I cut the clamping rings from 3mm aluminium. Drilled the top one tapped the underside one. It is split as you can see from the side view.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh and I pumped it down today, its tight! Yipee!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DFYejuFA5PpBW2vwl8DzuURA4AVQnLAjsCwc-ZzVyUiTzG_xVCtP71wTBlC7FN5mhPYGhqjQUYccGDrDbWiD3Swa8zKeDrFZjVmFVHu-UdeIpzxE-2PMPJ-LHzUwxmjWPO65o70FnjY/s1600/weld+flanges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-81393175308385079202014-04-08T13:22:00.001-07:002014-04-08T13:36:23.704-07:00Cheapo (metal) Bell Jar the beginnings...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After a long stretch of solid work I got a chance to get back to vacuum for a while.</div>
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I was getting a bit nervous of my glass belljar imploding so I decided to go for a metal one instead.</div>
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After seeing a guy on youtube who built a mildsteel box to coat telescope mirrors in I decided to give the gas cylinder a second try. </div>
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I bought a used gas cylinder 380mm diameter just right for my base plate at 400mm.</div>
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I let the remaining gas out and unscrewed the valve. Don't forget to fill it with water to displace the remaining gas before you go a cuttin'</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUrj2TH8Vm25L_XpQSXoKXokArQkwZe_XH2Z3ZsPfnn-VmrfIU-ZHebsbGXS2baQzPbQ1wDxT4CnrJX6GJc7nq4ufKcy5tUsOm6dNNWXcOwgPBYd6inVgAtQaerxnB_ZKSZ27mNII3XA/s1600/gas+cylinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUrj2TH8Vm25L_XpQSXoKXokArQkwZe_XH2Z3ZsPfnn-VmrfIU-ZHebsbGXS2baQzPbQ1wDxT4CnrJX6GJc7nq4ufKcy5tUsOm6dNNWXcOwgPBYd6inVgAtQaerxnB_ZKSZ27mNII3XA/s1600/gas+cylinder.jpg" height="400" width="266" /> </a><br />
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I marked the line by wrapping a yoga at around the cylinder to get a parallel line. That wasnt a good idea... you need to use some thing not so stretchy, that defeats the purpose! I marked away and used the bottom end with the complete dome.</div>
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I put the cylinder on it side and cut it with the water still inside. It was pouring out all over the place. I trimmed much of the foot ring off too. I wanted to get rid of excess weight. It is heavy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2lrF_NOWxr6I-iGDv9XSHvThuzgawmP7GOJ0G-o5c8j8w6NRjX9Qui1xtcTqBusz67FbpnFSLK9_yrwRkOFpoFAyuqIPxw6WARTYFLW3z1AG8N9fFZxXaPe3QxCQl-Xk4l5a8F3pxsQ/s1600/cylinder+chopped.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2lrF_NOWxr6I-iGDv9XSHvThuzgawmP7GOJ0G-o5c8j8w6NRjX9Qui1xtcTqBusz67FbpnFSLK9_yrwRkOFpoFAyuqIPxw6WARTYFLW3z1AG8N9fFZxXaPe3QxCQl-Xk4l5a8F3pxsQ/s1600/cylinder+chopped.jpg" height="400" width="270" /></a></div>
Once it was cut I dried it straight away. We don't want any rust forming, very bad for outgassing.<br />
Then on to leveling. Even though I paid great attention to the cutting I still spent 3 hours leveling the cut to get it nice ond flat. For this process I spray glued strips of al'oxide paper to a scrap of countertop. Its nice and flat and very ridged. I did a couple of hours of 80grit and an hour with 120...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl50rU8ehKvWXPrQcTgoyPFAMFO2lrkyFRKgFQvtZ35KBuR9rK5l-D8vX4KZ4Eq4SdoIAOgIiKUYPo41Wd5wOPUxuqTl4uTlrRqQaTpcqSR7VydeFT9dNk6SL8Mv-pEFuSnWd-TCzsdsI/s1600/finishing+edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl50rU8ehKvWXPrQcTgoyPFAMFO2lrkyFRKgFQvtZ35KBuR9rK5l-D8vX4KZ4Eq4SdoIAOgIiKUYPo41Wd5wOPUxuqTl4uTlrRqQaTpcqSR7VydeFT9dNk6SL8Mv-pEFuSnWd-TCzsdsI/s1600/finishing+edge.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Very tiring on the arms! During the sanding I regularly ran a black marker along the edge so I could see my progress clearly. I would watch the colour sand off, and the black patches get smaller and smaller. Eventually I got down to a consistant edge. I went then, by hand with a finer sand paper to get rid of the 120 scratches. I rubbed along the edge insted of across it. If there are scratches left they are better not to be radial across the edge as it is more likely to leak in that case.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_-3u5v9rHnxbpUCqLKldUxUaehTP7ceh8kcHl65xmi-wpuYXXHuZefVJc71LN3NQMgvY0liVeFPElgzmg6D8m6S5T4Teakbc_3Pt1DplFh9dKS_U_XJ8HUsxA0BUTkBKPggBBKc9aDs/s1600/good+edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_-3u5v9rHnxbpUCqLKldUxUaehTP7ceh8kcHl65xmi-wpuYXXHuZefVJc71LN3NQMgvY0liVeFPElgzmg6D8m6S5T4Teakbc_3Pt1DplFh9dKS_U_XJ8HUsxA0BUTkBKPggBBKc9aDs/s1600/good+edge.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
The whole interior had a dark crust on it. I don't know what it is, possibly passivated with phosphate? I diligentlly sanded this away. There was still a bad smell coming from the tank. This got less and less as the crustyness came off.<br />
I cut a new flat rubber gasket and greased up and sure enough it pumped down to 40micron the limit of my pump....Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-73584522435227075812013-07-25T04:30:00.002-07:002013-07-25T04:30:30.496-07:00A Little Closer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cV0shsORD0wZud6kvNvdaUftTM-Q_vhyphenhyphenFJRIJyiVvy3Jws3w4X3xzHF8NTd3bxcldsBGznRAMbGVyuwYMpBFWAsogFAYVMAhceX25KPKINeolNYdJo3qQ5XFwuMeWjVjoIfp9EWuVJM/s1600/bar+black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cV0shsORD0wZud6kvNvdaUftTM-Q_vhyphenhyphenFJRIJyiVvy3Jws3w4X3xzHF8NTd3bxcldsBGznRAMbGVyuwYMpBFWAsogFAYVMAhceX25KPKINeolNYdJo3qQ5XFwuMeWjVjoIfp9EWuVJM/s1600/bar+black.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is the casating I wanted to try a bit of evaporation on to. Its made of fastcast polyurethane and then spray-painted with gloss black.As the Al coating has no filling qualities the gloss of the coating is a result of the texture of the base.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ3oJSzNI4OmwXMaUYm33ZRS9Ahy4eZVC7_EsmDLAUd_APS_MBBi6KMqWuUOG07BzrGjlCMv01uHco37xJiaE65qt8VRf1QqF_Vrh3XVbGvcBTXAYw5jVXb5ky5rYUvEmlDIzl1P2x08/s1600/prefused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZ3oJSzNI4OmwXMaUYm33ZRS9Ahy4eZVC7_EsmDLAUd_APS_MBBi6KMqWuUOG07BzrGjlCMv01uHco37xJiaE65qt8VRf1QqF_Vrh3XVbGvcBTXAYw5jVXb5ky5rYUvEmlDIzl1P2x08/s1600/prefused.jpg" height="212" width="320" /> </a></div>
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I picked up a few aluminium prefused tungesten filiments from a company called Midwest Tungsten in the US of A. This is a bit overkill for a DIYer but the were cheap, from their surplus bin!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh5NZ9mSeFoQPAZFG8KjdzodY7KmAtAnw9fmyqh-x7P-MaA-JvMZoz7no6012TfG83keiEhD4_kY_F2VTBM_BPQrEVRGP-WZfQeSJQ6-Jy0w_JA9NFriWk4KV7s8u7lEjonVqZoR8ejY/s1600/hanging.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh5NZ9mSeFoQPAZFG8KjdzodY7KmAtAnw9fmyqh-x7P-MaA-JvMZoz7no6012TfG83keiEhD4_kY_F2VTBM_BPQrEVRGP-WZfQeSJQ6-Jy0w_JA9NFriWk4KV7s8u7lEjonVqZoR8ejY/s1600/hanging.jpg" height="212" width="320" /> </a><br />
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So I hung the plastic part from a wire inside the bell and began to pump down...</div>
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When I got to 40micron or so I turned on the MOT power supply.(I wrote this up in the blog a good while ago)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfVYsNp1UoYIZJ7GViUQQuzYeMbbWkKZumkTZYn-5BWSJA9nYbl1YH-WfMs6KuXz3eVemL_Ngnc8CdhQePluODg6svfVxG0FA44uFTduwGkTwk0dtCnfE-kibs-bAHkf9JO-aKPwVP6w/s1600/alumincover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfVYsNp1UoYIZJ7GViUQQuzYeMbbWkKZumkTZYn-5BWSJA9nYbl1YH-WfMs6KuXz3eVemL_Ngnc8CdhQePluODg6svfVxG0FA44uFTduwGkTwk0dtCnfE-kibs-bAHkf9JO-aKPwVP6w/s1600/alumincover.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
After 20 seconds I got this! I was delighted! Just mechanical pump, no diff. Now, its not up to scratch yet but these little victories help me keep the faith.(Ignore the electrodes poking through, they are just sealing the holes here)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONnYDy9kNVn2rK8doznk2IP1h_XnXewYFiAWrxBcJUYFKS4ZYwUBJb3KXTksfJntllPoQOeAVP-dGVG5ldog1CC8nHj7iEEfX_ffeUCjWXDbMzRyatLY_5DhgTmsipM9ShPVMZfMxI78/s1600/back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONnYDy9kNVn2rK8doznk2IP1h_XnXewYFiAWrxBcJUYFKS4ZYwUBJb3KXTksfJntllPoQOeAVP-dGVG5ldog1CC8nHj7iEEfX_ffeUCjWXDbMzRyatLY_5DhgTmsipM9ShPVMZfMxI78/s1600/back.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
A strange thing at this vacuum is the fact that the back of the part got a covering of Al. as well. It must fly around in the belljar at these crappy vacuum levels.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LAZwJbjEPOSp5k6jyTnsHOUSMGtNxGz_pTP48Lp5KcjGi9aV0dgBaa69VOiLjGOnvNpzZgIA4ORt5eEcpGXzJuh3Ar2EiNaZ43A77N6TnnZhCms324ebYnvbQUqjZ3HevKm0v83sg1Y/s1600/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LAZwJbjEPOSp5k6jyTnsHOUSMGtNxGz_pTP48Lp5KcjGi9aV0dgBaa69VOiLjGOnvNpzZgIA4ORt5eEcpGXzJuh3Ar2EiNaZ43A77N6TnnZhCms324ebYnvbQUqjZ3HevKm0v83sg1Y/s1600/front.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
There is the front. Opaque but not bright. It has greyness in person. Getting there...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHpxG6MyPK7D5kM_AGNGNuh28tIn-Kj1roKG7g5vvcK7G3kgBKBJutLNDxTAMz3o2lpbBj0saQQR2Hud9JDvtXTsi3LjHypoJLNu3gPXphVYuKwAoro1bGLpPd_adDX931Ij7sJL6vaI/s1600/leak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHpxG6MyPK7D5kM_AGNGNuh28tIn-Kj1roKG7g5vvcK7G3kgBKBJutLNDxTAMz3o2lpbBj0saQQR2Hud9JDvtXTsi3LjHypoJLNu3gPXphVYuKwAoro1bGLpPd_adDX931Ij7sJL6vaI/s1600/leak.jpg" height="638" width="640" /></a></div>
After a long absence from my metalisation project I decided to get back to it. I was having a real nightmare with my belljar not getting the vacuum level I was expecting. Or that I needed to even start a diff pump. There were so may potential leaks I was overwhelmed for a while. So I decided to go step by step and eliminate the possibilities starting at the pump.<br />
Flexible pipe tested fine, under water with compressed air. The second section however had a f**king leak. Right there, bubble, bubble, bubble. I couldn't believe it. The solder joint looked fine but it was leaking.<br />
So I Glyptaled it under a vacuum and I was all fixed up!<br />
More to follow...Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-21292104826715741472012-11-14T14:22:00.002-08:002012-11-14T14:22:46.452-08:00Copper bellows again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgTItaV1LJbP3qLL1FeTPXdrb9ICTwYmt2qapz9aC42oseJtoqCfXb4-_Bx5BAYRe2a-UI3SASM-VAjOvnazDWQdj89Hf5N2_cRUpDokfUBnzMgNcICFMaMNOmtF0rwuW37OYhQ8IeLM/s1600/new+bellows+installed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgTItaV1LJbP3qLL1FeTPXdrb9ICTwYmt2qapz9aC42oseJtoqCfXb4-_Bx5BAYRe2a-UI3SASM-VAjOvnazDWQdj89Hf5N2_cRUpDokfUBnzMgNcICFMaMNOmtF0rwuW37OYhQ8IeLM/s1600/new+bellows+installed.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I decided I wasn't going to let the peskey bellows defeat me, so I went
for it again. My copper bellows MkII are a success! Here's what I did...</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As before, I made a wax model on the lathe. This time I stuck to the rules I mentioned in my other copper bellows effort above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>So my recesses are tapered and wider than they are deep. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5cO1XO4SvmHqbfniTrAlCL1181kAwVp12WrJSZMpzN9NNVz2Rqscez0IqigE0qdVsT0yzTd7H-dRTGhyphenhyphenoOyMVaA_owCISwv6BQoOp8TvGl8Mwy480Lt9SvFaScUdmFHimoVKeBSHZlM/s1600/new+wax.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5cO1XO4SvmHqbfniTrAlCL1181kAwVp12WrJSZMpzN9NNVz2Rqscez0IqigE0qdVsT0yzTd7H-dRTGhyphenhyphenoOyMVaA_owCISwv6BQoOp8TvGl8Mwy480Lt9SvFaScUdmFHimoVKeBSHZlM/s1600/new+wax.jpg" height="244" width="320" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wired, dipped in white/mineral spirits, covered with graphite powder. After a bit, burnished with a Qtip with more graphite on it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIxkeDQXD7tMC8XUsXsWFd3ndVCtY0lCYAX4H7AVuRC6UV1ZhG_RbkugX1O1nlIHqvBN7vOMj4Gt7XJjPwtCUejYt1Y1ZXdEcIzgbKlALOyk3_ESIQUvr9TgBj2LtA5uJ3kANmonSZis/s1600/new+w+graphite.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIxkeDQXD7tMC8XUsXsWFd3ndVCtY0lCYAX4H7AVuRC6UV1ZhG_RbkugX1O1nlIHqvBN7vOMj4Gt7XJjPwtCUejYt1Y1ZXdEcIzgbKlALOyk3_ESIQUvr9TgBj2LtA5uJ3kANmonSZis/s1600/new+w+graphite.jpg" height="255" width="320" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Copper plated at very low current. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8L1g-Hm7K7M3pgRwlCo1F9r91V7ZLtHGxH0RAQzIU16gLTHKpVzVf_WmTMjK72emLyhEaF7O0Qe-axpqERUr_Wz_KvgqEHI9eaaG9o0NCxXw0FqKOshzLrX_F9f_LBlt31_l_ns0rOk/s1600/new+copper+coated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8L1g-Hm7K7M3pgRwlCo1F9r91V7ZLtHGxH0RAQzIU16gLTHKpVzVf_WmTMjK72emLyhEaF7O0Qe-axpqERUr_Wz_KvgqEHI9eaaG9o0NCxXw0FqKOshzLrX_F9f_LBlt31_l_ns0rOk/s1600/new+copper+coated.jpg" height="262" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Below is the bellows just out of the plating solution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It had two sessions in the plating solution. One to get the form strong enought to survive a bit of handeling and the burn-out. And another to build up a decent thickness of metal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-5g70L2TmGOtvsNHgA45yU3Pth62KihyfWDNqyyYWIckav_E71Uvuvc59viss3TrFDVDtTe5DfQkkHH8TSF8szoXTg_6Dnc_iIghHUvggmWMHSv1y0Ny9RppquEvl5dodTsWHIIHpoQ/s1600/new+couple+copper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-5g70L2TmGOtvsNHgA45yU3Pth62KihyfWDNqyyYWIckav_E71Uvuvc59viss3TrFDVDtTe5DfQkkHH8TSF8szoXTg_6Dnc_iIghHUvggmWMHSv1y0Ny9RppquEvl5dodTsWHIIHpoQ/s1600/new+couple+copper.jpg" height="269" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBuE75MCdXC6M2IRHEdPUFbpMrqEfeqjHukWtFNc4m7TTHIRxnDfZXdfyqNwRjr_bfKBO71KT9lJIwhlQjIVG0PEkRPcnL4Qt4jOeMLEHu8qt4t0wgzfo8nLxq-hUqZ08wdV0xzS9YMk/s1600/new+copper+hollow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBuE75MCdXC6M2IRHEdPUFbpMrqEfeqjHukWtFNc4m7TTHIRxnDfZXdfyqNwRjr_bfKBO71KT9lJIwhlQjIVG0PEkRPcnL4Qt4jOeMLEHu8qt4t0wgzfo8nLxq-hUqZ08wdV0xzS9YMk/s1600/new+copper+hollow.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another warning note here: I was calculating on the assumption that the solution was putting down 1 micron every 2.5mins, as I read in the literature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But even after 6/7 hours I only ended up with 150 microns or so. Measured from the waste I cut out of the top of the form. I'm sure the vertical parts of the cylinder are thicker but the important flexing parts are only that thick, if not less. I would like to have gotten .3mm or even more. As there is serious strength,brittleness and porosity issues with simple electroforming like this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I realised later that the problem was that even though I had calculated my current density ok, I was using voltage control to achieve it. So my overall power/wattage was less than it should be. Hence the thin deposit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIxkeDQXD7tMC8XUsXsWFd3ndVCtY0lCYAX4H7AVuRC6UV1ZhG_RbkugX1O1nlIHqvBN7vOMj4Gt7XJjPwtCUejYt1Y1ZXdEcIzgbKlALOyk3_ESIQUvr9TgBj2LtA5uJ3kANmonSZis/s1600/new+w+graphite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5cO1XO4SvmHqbfniTrAlCL1181kAwVp12WrJSZMpzN9NNVz2Rqscez0IqigE0qdVsT0yzTd7H-dRTGhyphenhyphenoOyMVaA_owCISwv6BQoOp8TvGl8Mwy480Lt9SvFaScUdmFHimoVKeBSHZlM/s1600/new+wax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-35609584055115302192012-07-13T10:06:00.002-07:002012-07-13T10:08:39.981-07:00Very Expencive Beer Mat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Lk41v04mcZxyJdfT4h-LTeO6PUhbx3X8whGZWsDh9Tk93i7FxMZynBDq_VNuCElzZ2d7wzg13j73drHPPrcDOr5TDCdMzJJRR2GPgEu78BhioXveFs26EdonbKgfw8dJUJkpTgx_DXg/s1600/flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Lk41v04mcZxyJdfT4h-LTeO6PUhbx3X8whGZWsDh9Tk93i7FxMZynBDq_VNuCElzZ2d7wzg13j73drHPPrcDOr5TDCdMzJJRR2GPgEu78BhioXveFs26EdonbKgfw8dJUJkpTgx_DXg/s320/flat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp80X7FgDhWfzgvoEUR_EMiVfx3yuASaiGVMmcwjMBFuVmVus6uaz_q5MkrjJS3tKikm7BqosbDDY_i9_Gd8cIetUXyVkW4-erEz4_Ise-nJIwW5Urap6n8lv31_aLZ8QU52VViFKGK8/s1600/perspective.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp80X7FgDhWfzgvoEUR_EMiVfx3yuASaiGVMmcwjMBFuVmVus6uaz_q5MkrjJS3tKikm7BqosbDDY_i9_Gd8cIetUXyVkW4-erEz4_Ise-nJIwW5Urap6n8lv31_aLZ8QU52VViFKGK8/s320/perspective.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I know this is off topic again but... </div>
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Just a quick post of a couple of pictures of a thing I cut with my homemade CNC today. This started life as a drawing which I photographed and vectorized. Then CAMed and routed. I'm very happy with the results. Size 120mm dia.</div>
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The reason for this piece is partly promotional and also I'm tring to see what my machiene can do!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm delighted with how this turned out.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-38881837099726797262012-06-26T01:08:00.003-07:002012-06-26T01:15:08.573-07:00Copper Bellows. A lesson for me.<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm trying to eliminate leaks in my(still not working) laser so I decided to go for copper bellows instead of my current O-ring seal for mirror adjustment.</div>
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But I couldn't find any copper bellows, so I decided to give it a shot and see if I could make a pair.<br />
After first considering soldering them up from parts, I decided to electroform.</div>
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Here is a picture of my wax mandrel. It is made from injection moulding
wax. It turns ok if you don't try to take too much off in one go. </div>
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I then cut the recesses or corrugations or what ever you would call it.
With the piece still spinning, I hit it with a touch of a gas flame to soften the corners and give me a nice smooth finish. </div>
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<br />
I parted off and heated a bit of copper wire and stuck it in to the end. Then I was ready for conductive coating.<br />
There are a few options here. Sputter, chemical silver, electroless copper, conductive paint, graphite.<br />
I decided to go with graphite because it was the simplest and I had it at hand.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfE5Plcd9uZ5LC-LjIykM6fUXoKLDLboVX4VioDV2X9C6Tb3EvNAmHHoUBo1uaQ4AP078XP70iYOMVviAJ3TzzBBasJ8WpAK9uoCG0_shoAdfExCoMLih6Q2sFNYzpZNd2_qV6bNu2yEQ/s1600/waxgraphite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfE5Plcd9uZ5LC-LjIykM6fUXoKLDLboVX4VioDV2X9C6Tb3EvNAmHHoUBo1uaQ4AP078XP70iYOMVviAJ3TzzBBasJ8WpAK9uoCG0_shoAdfExCoMLih6Q2sFNYzpZNd2_qV6bNu2yEQ/s320/waxgraphite.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So I dipped the wax in "white spirit" for 20 seconds and drained it. Then the surface of the wax was slightly sticky.<br />
Then I bunged it in graphite powder. I made sure it was all covered before the white spirit flashed off.<br />
After a minute I brushed the excess powder off with a makeup brush.<br />
A very important note here is that burnished graphite powder is significantly more conductive than non burnished.<br />
Just rubbing with the bristles of an artist paint brush is enough to burnish it.<br />
I need to reach into the interior ring to burnish the graphite there before it would plate properly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmfhAcm9mkCNblKYjWnq9b_aIclr7TrmBIAZNgi4xDqGP-dEYsxZIo2SksAymVO8hhQOFA-BtuwbH9NUmRTlhFsCEdH9vBAG_joc5S3-KH6yeon4IlOwxA2Aj0mhtCJIeA1QWVr6c6qk/s1600/graphite+and+brush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmfhAcm9mkCNblKYjWnq9b_aIclr7TrmBIAZNgi4xDqGP-dEYsxZIo2SksAymVO8hhQOFA-BtuwbH9NUmRTlhFsCEdH9vBAG_joc5S3-KH6yeon4IlOwxA2Aj0mhtCJIeA1QWVr6c6qk/s320/graphite+and+brush.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here it is beginning to get its initial copper coating. Nice!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
I electroformed for 8 hours giving me 8*24microns so 0.2mm in theory!</div>
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Measuring the bare wire versus the electroformed part confirmed the thickness.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I drilled and melted out the wax.<br />
<br />
I then very carefully annealed the tube, in the process evaporating the remaining carbon. I pickled<br />
and ultrasoniced the remaining crud off.<br />
<br />
And then disaster!! The inner rings were so thin that they cracked in the ultrasonic. They came out with some small holes and<br />
crack lines.<br />
I
had always planned on re electroforming inside the tube as I thought
they would be a little thinner. But they are significantly thinner and quite brittle.<br />
<br />
So I placed a copper pipe electrode into my copper plating solution and began plating from the inside.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
After another 4 hours...</div>
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I ran the ends on the belt sander to clean them up...<br />
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And tin/lead soldered it together. Ta da, one flexible mirror mount!<br />
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<br />
<br />
In retrospect I would do this differently. I had a huge problem with the shape of the mandrel causing different plating thickness<br />
I bet anyone with plating experience could have seen that coming. So for the next electroformed copper bellows I will follow these guides:<br />
<ul>
<li>Interior corrugations must be wider than they are deep.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Returns must be angled to face the electrode for copper plating reasons.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-69505286348030854712012-03-31T00:58:00.003-07:002012-03-31T01:04:03.696-07:00Cheap greaseLook, its non silicone high vacuum grease that doesn't cost alot like Apiezon does! I got this over the phone from a lab suppliers in the UK.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9r4jMmN4Xl5yOSGd_-U-ly-aGKAwhNmj6JqPc9JGGMVb09lZ-bI8BbgOvmw0NrPJn652Gr9JGhXc1ie-lXnhwBJHrtZjwSnCJLI8YnoXiWNd1FKGdXbGmitDRp9-UFJZRUE48-N_sYD0/s1600/non+silicone.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9r4jMmN4Xl5yOSGd_-U-ly-aGKAwhNmj6JqPc9JGGMVb09lZ-bI8BbgOvmw0NrPJn652Gr9JGhXc1ie-lXnhwBJHrtZjwSnCJLI8YnoXiWNd1FKGdXbGmitDRp9-UFJZRUE48-N_sYD0/s400/non+silicone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725967873472872834" border="0" /></a>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-34706910391909732592012-03-31T00:49:00.006-07:002012-03-31T00:57:57.680-07:00Water Cooled Magnetron. A go go.I decided to try a water cooled magnetron. My Oil Burner Ignition Transformer is rated 8000v at 34<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mA</span> so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">thats</span>.....8, 3s are 24.... 250watts or so. Enough to get hot in a vacuum I would think. So I made an inner brass cylinder to fit around my deep pot magnet from .5mm sheet and silver soldered it. I then made two rings of 4mm <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">dia</span> wire, these fit over the inner cylinder. Then an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">outer</span> cylinder, brass silver soldered. I then soldered it together. The lovely copper pipe to get the water in, came from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Halfords</span>. I'm not sure why they sell it but I suspect something on the break line of cars.<br />So I flared the ends and drilled 4mm holes in the sleeve and soldered the pipe in place. Fingers crossed its water tight...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lDP1ebfgN1UUJ1J-nS4EFE-B4KzorOHLYkXWpUVPOBFxPSGapaY1oIoWFKFHRJyxNfjQjhjIiAyEtqLMyyFJ1T4MGMJa_RyhI_euUR2ofWNuBVbDVELg6HZwU6GP2IhYxSE0dQ_9BuM/s1600/cooling+in+hand.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 358px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lDP1ebfgN1UUJ1J-nS4EFE-B4KzorOHLYkXWpUVPOBFxPSGapaY1oIoWFKFHRJyxNfjQjhjIiAyEtqLMyyFJ1T4MGMJa_RyhI_euUR2ofWNuBVbDVELg6HZwU6GP2IhYxSE0dQ_9BuM/s400/cooling+in+hand.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725965857683158658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The seal around the inlets on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">belljar</span> is just an o-ring Wilson Seal style. Its a standard plumbing fitting altered a bit on the lathe. It is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">necessary</span> to remove the first 3mm or so of thread on the 'body' of the fitting in order to allow the 'nut' to pinch the o-ring enough. I also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">recut</span> the inner bevel of the body of the fitting to 45 degrees or so. It seems to work well. Plus grease of course.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSX1-KXFlCJfirlmHi5TxBDEir85ya3uma0XfzQWzfmTEjsXFJIHJOAQpd5W6D5yVlWx96f0wD0PwO_cv4SlphNEFo6qMDaN3hIX_ckrcpgnn_3m1eMVAv1oeg6mGyI7q5qlXj_7NFBI/s1600/feed+through+o+rings.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSX1-KXFlCJfirlmHi5TxBDEir85ya3uma0XfzQWzfmTEjsXFJIHJOAQpd5W6D5yVlWx96f0wD0PwO_cv4SlphNEFo6qMDaN3hIX_ckrcpgnn_3m1eMVAv1oeg6mGyI7q5qlXj_7NFBI/s400/feed+through+o+rings.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725966302832031106" border="0" /></a><br />The anode here is a similar setup. The loop is iron wire, well no, its a welding rod so it's probably steel !<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeedaOkqKiCaB-2ztfH5UdkkfhC4QSpQWRHB3WEBOlTDgKIF4fbQU8tunghk-SWO-T9GBQBc_bnEjwmMPbEKPBCO9OIUTT3dQ71Fykb-m1LVLSF-NksEwuF8LflhyphenhyphenXvYinA0IwSSwTpQ/s1600/cooling+in+place.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeedaOkqKiCaB-2ztfH5UdkkfhC4QSpQWRHB3WEBOlTDgKIF4fbQU8tunghk-SWO-T9GBQBc_bnEjwmMPbEKPBCO9OIUTT3dQ71Fykb-m1LVLSF-NksEwuF8LflhyphenhyphenXvYinA0IwSSwTpQ/s400/cooling+in+place.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725966308091449282" border="0" /></a>Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-46346848447018640282012-03-31T00:34:00.004-07:002012-03-31T00:48:54.435-07:00Bell Jars, a rural approach!I have been working on my new set up for a while now. I've been a bit busy on other projects but I'm gonna try detail some of the bits I've finished.<br />The first thing is the bell jar. Its made from a 'recorder jar' from a milking parlor.(Thanks again to Mr Hart!) I picked three up at local farmers auction. Cheap too!<br />As far as I know they were used to keep track of how much milk was being sucked out of the poor cows. We like them because they are made for vacuum use.<br />This is how they look in their original state. Closed at the top and bottom. An amazing piece of glass.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGpd9lrbT9sUWuW15SLbCnVX3pDV9tKOG1x4RdYD32_YXXIzNYy6nEltg9FZ4DjkyBmD4eo7vvTviXHwhs2jvaqZttDeP4wH_CNxTPhdxTuvCVkuDCAlSnzxfRMK072n9S-YCTLp5Oyg/s1600/recorder+jar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 292px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGpd9lrbT9sUWuW15SLbCnVX3pDV9tKOG1x4RdYD32_YXXIzNYy6nEltg9FZ4DjkyBmD4eo7vvTviXHwhs2jvaqZttDeP4wH_CNxTPhdxTuvCVkuDCAlSnzxfRMK072n9S-YCTLp5Oyg/s400/recorder+jar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725962044733467410" border="0" /></a><br />I went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ireland's</span> only scientific glass blower(details below) and got him to cut the bottom off one. It was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">borosilicate</span>, the others seem to be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nonpyrex</span> glass. I'm not sure what they are made of.<br />The good news was that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">boroglass</span> one had two openings at the top. Perfect for the sputtering setup I was hoping for. I wanted to isolate the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">baseplate</span> from the sputtering power supply.(Note: the pump and therefore the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">baseplate</span> is earthed and that is the same potential as the magnetron, so this makes it not really isolated from the sputtering power supply. I don't know what else to do!)<br />I believe finger prints can be an issue in high vacuum, I wonder if foot prints are an issue too?!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QGI-yr0u7PQw-wDFnXKFF4_zck9CMtf93gPo3_RLBSA23_-Qi5yII15nQoB7UzQEAWO87NPRG137ODeOLPmHpqnKFpqls5iAN46tsu3gVsmjY3NKZ3xV57MRYkmSaZOnBIvdXjGAbDM/s1600/cat+in+belljar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QGI-yr0u7PQw-wDFnXKFF4_zck9CMtf93gPo3_RLBSA23_-Qi5yII15nQoB7UzQEAWO87NPRG137ODeOLPmHpqnKFpqls5iAN46tsu3gVsmjY3NKZ3xV57MRYkmSaZOnBIvdXjGAbDM/s400/cat+in+belljar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725962053508439554" border="0" /></a>The name of the scientific glass blowing company is Lab Glass Services. They are in The Grange, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Oldtown</span>, North County Dublin. Talk to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Colm</span> a very helpful chap! 01 8433442Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-13177805180123660882012-01-14T11:36:00.000-08:002012-01-14T12:28:56.364-08:00BL Neon!I was lucky enough to visit a fantastic neon sign company this week. Bernard, the owner of the company BLneon was kind enough to give me an in depth and fascinating lesson in many aspects of neon work.<br /><br />Below is a picture of a piece of neon he made for me there and then as he explained the process of how a neon sign is made.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nGSHQkckC5GPtarxlJVuYpYFUE8ft7EWFvP6tCwTvQuqvfRyCGg_m4WTfpJzwQbBDkuaxTHraYdkfgfEyBNoYZ3n0ivdid9XV53PoP_QbyKI_uutsofDuj0ZUaJ852dLXMRZZJoOLlQ/s1600/blneonblog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nGSHQkckC5GPtarxlJVuYpYFUE8ft7EWFvP6tCwTvQuqvfRyCGg_m4WTfpJzwQbBDkuaxTHraYdkfgfEyBNoYZ3n0ivdid9XV53PoP_QbyKI_uutsofDuj0ZUaJ852dLXMRZZJoOLlQ/s400/blneonblog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697574666540764098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYvQlRRLei7VmqPMTi4I3IUdniKfVd-BWQH2whk1koXsEPWcz9YMJB9GiNiIoKrnQ4mWWSI3jdfc0R4Cmx3pOkkgfBr3uT6WBUrvCpc9R9aIu7sCL8EXR7wpapYTWGrFjFGJAej8GUww/s1600/blneon+cublog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYvQlRRLei7VmqPMTi4I3IUdniKfVd-BWQH2whk1koXsEPWcz9YMJB9GiNiIoKrnQ4mWWSI3jdfc0R4Cmx3pOkkgfBr3uT6WBUrvCpc9R9aIu7sCL8EXR7wpapYTWGrFjFGJAej8GUww/s400/blneon+cublog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697574669888515442" border="0" /></a>My first contact with BLneon was a cold call a couple of weeks ago. I was looking for a used 15kv NST as a laser power supply. (I'm trying to eliminate possible problems with my currently non-functional laser.)<br />I explained what I was up to and Bernard was bemused but interested in what I was badly describing over the phone. Without hesitation he offered me a visit his workshop in Celbridge and I jumped at the chance!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhvFuyE4W9BuZ47E02hPaL5keCGIQfXqlCy5-VpkXF5bZhMTwkoSu0Gp5EDQl5JEcD4qYRDV5SAUHU1Br4mQ-Ywc3jVl01aaO8LPkS8-SRnNc-WX0thY1HRVx8NjeyWU-hxCSxeJuWgQ/s1600/Bernard+and+Keith.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhvFuyE4W9BuZ47E02hPaL5keCGIQfXqlCy5-VpkXF5bZhMTwkoSu0Gp5EDQl5JEcD4qYRDV5SAUHU1Br4mQ-Ywc3jVl01aaO8LPkS8-SRnNc-WX0thY1HRVx8NjeyWU-hxCSxeJuWgQ/s400/Bernard+and+Keith.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697581605443320706" border="0" /></a>This is a shaky shot of Bernard and his son Keith with the freshly made neon tube!<br /><br />Visit BLneons Website: www.blneonsigns.ie<br /><br />Ciaran looks after the digital end so don't forget they do normal signs too!<br /><br />I was very touched by the generosity and openness of the whole family on my visit. Unfortunately a lot of companies in Ireland have become very paranoid and secretive over the last while, fearing I assume litigation or thievery from everyone who isn't a straightforward customer.<br />My visit to BLneon rekindled my faith in Irish companies. Perhaps when the focus is on quality and craftsmanship instead of money, there is far less to fear.<br /><br />Many thanks to Bernard, Keith and Ciaran!Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-66686284374569374712011-11-23T14:34:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:12:14.582-08:00ZNSE arrival!The postman brought a great letter today! Inside was a little 1.5mm by15mm ZNSE window with AR coating.<br /><br />I was very kindly donated this window by Guy at Orcon Technology. Thanks Guy! He sells all sorts of great laser bits on Ebay. Go and visit his Ebay shop:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />http://stores.ebay.com/Orcon-Technology </span><br /><br />I need to cover the hole in my OC mirror, so this is what I did with it today.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73j-HjUKRIEGD52n7zOQ2ux96PuEq3QGxvfK18BsRHheD7GQIjncRmvRolfrG2sa8ziLSqo67hhOt52M83rOMoSGpMAqosD5hNAbYsEfsqTNt_rPeDQ8DPqoubG9Y0B1fftLSyXV2McU/s1600/znse+apart.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj73j-HjUKRIEGD52n7zOQ2ux96PuEq3QGxvfK18BsRHheD7GQIjncRmvRolfrG2sa8ziLSqo67hhOt52M83rOMoSGpMAqosD5hNAbYsEfsqTNt_rPeDQ8DPqoubG9Y0B1fftLSyXV2McU/s400/znse+apart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678326470125050450" border="0" /></a><br />Above you can see the brass mount which holds the OC mirror-<br />-Its gold on the other side. I cut that mirror from an over head projector mirror. I figured it would be the flattest glass I could get. As any imperfections would be very big when the projector was working. So I guessed they would need to be starting with pretty flat glass to make their mirrors.<br />That mirror is JB Welded to the brass fitting.<br />On the left of that pic' is the ZNSE holder. I cut that on my homemade CNC with a 1.6mm single edge cutter. It came out very well. The Window is sitting in a little recess. It should be sitting on an o-ring. But I forgot.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT1slGR4j6E0K3Eug5oIrWZiORC3f68M0dRcGRVMj88xmwKNmWSVf6SPCSiOghDOgCGTWbCipIcDIINDanh3l6Mm5SoOMKDbZi2cpJMfazdHdrjzF-h-zFxkpP-kAHgMcA_YkfbdCwj0/s1600/oc+with+znse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsT1slGR4j6E0K3Eug5oIrWZiORC3f68M0dRcGRVMj88xmwKNmWSVf6SPCSiOghDOgCGTWbCipIcDIINDanh3l6Mm5SoOMKDbZi2cpJMfazdHdrjzF-h-zFxkpP-kAHgMcA_YkfbdCwj0/s400/oc+with+znse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678328749272108658" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkoOEHwzQCN_qii8zg-rsc6ltvqZeoU6Q90UnOHyy1lNm8zRzLzGiZEK3n605cmKyhWHq3u9hEWnHfOoBCwd8nZXZnohMrqQSJhNAEdL9ilrFJStZpUpAedLzKe3znRQlEnl2Ae21RJw/s1600/oc+with+znse+angle.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkoOEHwzQCN_qii8zg-rsc6ltvqZeoU6Q90UnOHyy1lNm8zRzLzGiZEK3n605cmKyhWHq3u9hEWnHfOoBCwd8nZXZnohMrqQSJhNAEdL9ilrFJStZpUpAedLzKe3znRQlEnl2Ae21RJw/s400/oc+with+znse+angle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5678328396637406450" border="0" /></a>There it is assembled.The pictures are pretty much self explanatory, I think. By the way, I have not tried pump this down yet. And I have not used any grease on the o-rings. I would rather see if I can get away without it. Silicone is a creep.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-23460196812597182362011-11-22T16:03:00.002-08:002011-11-23T14:33:48.016-08:00Beginings of a CO2 laser.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwQXIB0osdY5WnIUs44DB5HrvtTr3kfi8k5cs8pESYmMFUV3zgMVfPTEeIkDG6SIyqV3pD6IRYHAm2CsRATpwxblB20CclRpKJB6QAzqBgJLkb7JccE0_Ch54rnINDhxLmj2VLN4HgHU/s1600/electrode+side+viewsmall.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br />I couldn't resist anymore. I've started building a CO2 laser.<br />Is my new diffusion pump finished? No.<br />Is my new belljar thing finished? No.<br />Is my watercooled magnetron finished? No.<br /><br />To start here is a picture of the laser as it stands today. I will go into construction details as I go along.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvF3DmzzcWhTFEegHmvvni7Uq4kU4RTDTO2DV44KD1Qw59smhkq22rTzbJiAW5NwfaoJOwwFRn7kCiGgQwFukXpjv1RdlVt7GYsRPL9Yp8zwSxbdjcJiO94RP7W-hVJSfZFrI1YNw5b0/s1600/longshotsmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvF3DmzzcWhTFEegHmvvni7Uq4kU4RTDTO2DV44KD1Qw59smhkq22rTzbJiAW5NwfaoJOwwFRn7kCiGgQwFukXpjv1RdlVt7GYsRPL9Yp8zwSxbdjcJiO94RP7W-hVJSfZFrI1YNw5b0/s400/longshotsmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677977718007627666" border="0" /></a><br />From the bottom up!<br />The base is MDF, to which I have bolted two pieces of Aluminium T-slot stuff I got out of a skip a few years ago.(3* m6 bolts on each side) It was part of an office partition. I unbolted the carpet covered wall sections and was away with the T-slot section!<br />I was going to use this stuff on the base of the CNC machine but I didn't really have enough, so I stacked it up in the corner!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwQXIB0osdY5WnIUs44DB5HrvtTr3kfi8k5cs8pESYmMFUV3zgMVfPTEeIkDG6SIyqV3pD6IRYHAm2CsRATpwxblB20CclRpKJB6QAzqBgJLkb7JccE0_Ch54rnINDhxLmj2VLN4HgHU/s1600/electrode+side+viewsmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 331px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwQXIB0osdY5WnIUs44DB5HrvtTr3kfi8k5cs8pESYmMFUV3zgMVfPTEeIkDG6SIyqV3pD6IRYHAm2CsRATpwxblB20CclRpKJB6QAzqBgJLkb7JccE0_Ch54rnINDhxLmj2VLN4HgHU/s400/electrode+side+viewsmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677979798746383506" border="0" /></a>In this picture there's a lot to see.<br />First, the brown stuff which the whole laser is mounted to is 'Tufnol' or paper reinforced Bakelite.<br />This is a very interesting material and the first time I had ever worked with it. It is dense, ridged, machinable and very electrically insulative and very old. Many electrical fittings are still made of it.<br /><br />If memory serves me air breaks down at 3kv per MM(corrections welcome!)<br />So I tried to make sure I had at least 15mm between anything conductive near the electrode and T-slot.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-81217698589663630792011-11-22T16:03:00.000-08:002011-11-22T16:08:10.651-08:00Beginings of a CO2 laser.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-110140233911049062011-11-22T15:02:00.000-08:002011-11-22T15:28:22.758-08:00Where's the interesting stuff?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A bit of a philosophical ramble now.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am reading a book at the moment which is crystallizing some thoughts I have been having in the last couple of years.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This rant is as much for my own mental organizing as for anybody out there to read!</span></span><br /></div><br />A false notion which I have believed for ever, consciously and/or subconsciously is that: Great ideas happen because they are great.<br />Or to be said another way, a brilliant concept must inevitably come to pass due to its high quality alone.<br /><br />This, I have now decided is all bullshit. Crappy ideas are just as likely to see production.<br />It all has to do with the structure of their execution.<br /><br />Why is this?<br /><br />I have wondered why so many of my own great ideas are gathering dust on shelves in my workshop.<br />I supposed that ideas got shelved because they turned out to be not such good ideas or became irrelevant for some reason or another.<br /><br />I now know these are not necessarily the reasons.<br /><br />In recent years I have been amazed at the fruitfulness of some people. Those works being of varying quality in my eyes but nevertheless work that is completed.<br /><br />Yet so much of my work lies abandoned.<br /><br />What words would I use to define a great idea when I have it? Does the list include the words: new, stimulating, exciting.<br /><br />The question I then asked is: In what way has the idea changed now? Or what is different about the idea now, as compared to when they were first conceived.<br />What about the idea is missing now, which initially created such energy?<br /><br />I once put it down to the fact that I am a bit of a perfectionist. I am interested in high quality and workmanship in what I do. And I would always be procrastinating by getting a part or learning new a technique.<br /><br />The truth is: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Creative people get high on NEW ideas.</span><br /><br />Ideas generate very positive feelings. It is a natural urge of any creative person to chase those feelings, even be addicted to them. When what we are doing is not getting us high we go back to doing the thing that gives us the buzz!<br />Thus, once an ideas is concieved and acted on to a greater or lesser extent, the excitment of the new concept fades, and we move on to the next great idea!<br /><br />So what do we do about that, now that we know?<br /><br />Cold turkey. Every project will have a comedown. You must expect it and realize what you are experiencing. The idea is still brilliant, it is just old and farmilliar. You must control your wandering eyes and be faithful to it.<br />This is a battle against your own nature. It is difficult.<br /><br />Some people are lucky enough to be very self controlled. They can create their own motivation even after the initial high has worn off. For me, that's not the case.<br /><br />One possible way is-<br />Impose EXTERNAL motivations which tick my obligation boxes.<br />Guilt tripping, nagging, promises, deadlines, these make me feel obliged to do things. Deep within myself there is an image of a person of good character which must be protected at all costs. Well there's a motivation.<br /><br />So follow through is not in the nature of a creative person. So I must be aware that even though I may not be enjoying myself and what I'm doing is not giving me fantastic satisfaction, it may still be the right thing to be doing to get an idea to completion.<br /><br />So it seems it is not the quality of the idea that is important, it is 'follow through' that is important. And the awareness of when I have reached that phase the idea's life.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-2334592838223423732011-11-15T15:09:00.000-08:002011-11-15T15:12:27.888-08:00I was just trying to reply to a comment on the sputtering video and I couldn't get it to work, so this post is a bit personal!<br /><br />Hi Elena!<br />To be honest the setup is very low-tech! The magnetron is just a "deep pot" magnet. It needs to be Alnico or Samarium-Cobalt, these do not demagnetize with the heat. The Alnico type are cheaper. So thats what I used. I got it on Ebay. <br />The silver target is clamped on to the bottom of the magnet by a little ring. When I turn the salad bowl over in the video, you can see the silver disk facing the camera.<br />I drilled a 6mm hole in the bottom of the salad bowl to hold the magnetron. Its sealed with an o-ring.<br />The bowl is being evacuated from below the little aluminium "table" in the video. It just blocks the view of where the outlet is!<br /><br />Oh and don't mind the vacuum gauge, I was just using it as a visual guide for when I had reached the maximum vacuum of my pump/set up. The sensor to read the vacuum level is home made and not the correct one for that meter. <br /><br />Let me know what bit you are interested in and I'll put up more detailed posts.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-61057388185262741392011-10-31T15:18:00.000-07:002011-10-31T16:07:07.179-07:00One Spoon or Two?I needed to clean some mercury which I had been given by a classmate of mine in college many years ago. So I googled a bit and came across various methods, many with distillation involved, but then one caught my eye.<br /><br />SUGAR!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApKsRu1K_F85X6yXD_r4h8gT5k0OuTG-4hdc00bSEnfBvm2XAPU5ctj2IhaPg8AU0zWCE6A2t8UK1DAniRcL8iaxW2vDFAI3yjNooAm9E2fWS0EVXGNCY4POlHAqHhLcWrHXFOrdH2nI/s1600/spoon+of+sugar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApKsRu1K_F85X6yXD_r4h8gT5k0OuTG-4hdc00bSEnfBvm2XAPU5ctj2IhaPg8AU0zWCE6A2t8UK1DAniRcL8iaxW2vDFAI3yjNooAm9E2fWS0EVXGNCY4POlHAqHhLcWrHXFOrdH2nI/s400/spoon+of+sugar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669787264454732466" /></a><br /><br />It seemed so simple I gave it a go. In to your dirty metal put some sugar, shake it for 2 minutes and scrape off the dirty sugar.<br /><br />Add some more and repeat.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYcFBz796to3Ch5aUPBNmLRW9NpiobzJPZWnJxSn-zH83_3Bphb4X9tjsqPv47BvHBUTzuBVQQBLlJ_t0v7Cn_wsREz04xxNWHrPux_AVWBY2d2czbOuskUpKWmH_lRuUajGIU6QeBzk/s1600/more+sugar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYcFBz796to3Ch5aUPBNmLRW9NpiobzJPZWnJxSn-zH83_3Bphb4X9tjsqPv47BvHBUTzuBVQQBLlJ_t0v7Cn_wsREz04xxNWHrPux_AVWBY2d2czbOuskUpKWmH_lRuUajGIU6QeBzk/s400/more+sugar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669787669303579202" /></a><br />And there it was, clean mercury. Now, I can't say how clean, but a huge difference to how it started out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWP4Mhy8sN1McAc3b5TNknxbEpXT_d6gq82VaQl2XAXf41gTczFmKxTaPrTz8AOXBBX_Gti-STVm1TRUMMLXp8Vj54WDw_t6rmNgXU1yLnukbnic2fWkLkjqNU8w3kOxc6IcR9TrL0vE/s1600/clean+mercury.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCWP4Mhy8sN1McAc3b5TNknxbEpXT_d6gq82VaQl2XAXf41gTczFmKxTaPrTz8AOXBBX_Gti-STVm1TRUMMLXp8Vj54WDw_t6rmNgXU1yLnukbnic2fWkLkjqNU8w3kOxc6IcR9TrL0vE/s400/clean+mercury.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669786639767269538" /></a><br />It had me thinking about the days when making gold was easy and so was going mad with heavy metal poisoning. The Alchemists must have added everything to mercury to see what happened. Perhaps sugar was one thing they tried.<br />Any ideas whats happening here chemically? Why should the dirt stick to the sugar?Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-81766847199307596362011-09-18T08:24:00.000-07:002011-09-18T08:38:27.037-07:00Sputtering VideoI just uploaded this to YouTube. Click the arrows on the bottom right to watch it full screen.<br />Lets see if I can get this embed thing to work:<br /><object width="320" height="240"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_aZ16VlN6UI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_aZ16VlN6UI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="320" height="240" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br />-or-<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aZ16VlN6UI<br /><br />One thing I didn't mention anywhere there is that the pressure is about 200 microns. And I'm sputtering in air.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7743203546157896800.post-2387989368179014052011-07-30T13:56:00.000-07:002011-08-06T06:39:17.208-07:00Electroplating a Plastic Doo-da1. Select your plastic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">doo</span></span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">da</span></span>. I stole this from a child.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjeFUDaii-GWuxuEe1Pc-2SZ38HV_2Gpe6owS6eYaxsdKNoxvtML0htFDWDvM3zpDJ7V7B1OElSQAdMvyZqOh-yZ7_m5OsqXF8rPmeU2i9wsmGJZzY9cS2cWEfnMP6QjPz1GYjthdqIw/s1600/dollhead+wide.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjeFUDaii-GWuxuEe1Pc-2SZ38HV_2Gpe6owS6eYaxsdKNoxvtML0htFDWDvM3zpDJ7V7B1OElSQAdMvyZqOh-yZ7_m5OsqXF8rPmeU2i9wsmGJZzY9cS2cWEfnMP6QjPz1GYjthdqIw/s400/dollhead+wide.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635253234042370978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIImgh9Bt-GvKbmyJKZvg6GfXmzYAKGtIl1PhH-5jGqZzBfo5_0mbufXVrkP4SpSdish-82CnkSFJaKtTD8ziNimH3InZje3jlDosbFTCBGTm0yXuSrL3NNqdHvIJZ2oLSTG7fOSaSrts/s1600/dip.jpg"><br /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">2. Glue a piece of copper wire to it. Make sure it well stuck as it will be your handle from now on.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFJ_UM7AN0Zlc0aVvJDhbe8RZ6ggp3VPRjopWkLn_53y-_uyO5mjuaWZZ_Z3Odc8w0s-PRcbTapz8AyeibCd8YOve4OFellvmxwV1A-bwahjhXnISaA-GgKPRvPWPsRU6NSmThCRQXFU/s1600/gluedin.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFJ_UM7AN0Zlc0aVvJDhbe8RZ6ggp3VPRjopWkLn_53y-_uyO5mjuaWZZ_Z3Odc8w0s-PRcbTapz8AyeibCd8YOve4OFellvmxwV1A-bwahjhXnISaA-GgKPRvPWPsRU6NSmThCRQXFU/s400/gluedin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635253961932718690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I drilled a little hole and glued the wire in.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">3. Clean the surface of the plastic thing with Acetone. Warning: You may need to use a less aggressive solvent on some plastics like Styrene or Acrylic. Whatever you use make sure it's a pure solvent that will evaporate without leaving anything behind.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"> On this head, I scrubbed with a q-tips dipped in Acetone. It's made of PVC, I think.<span style="font-style: italic;">(from this point on you will *not* touch the part to be plated)</span><br /></div><br />4. As paint doesn't like sticking to PVC, I decided to use a plastic primer. This is not necessary on all plastics. The solvents in the spray paints bite into some, like the ones I mentioned above, quite well.<br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUBaRM6YBxcUvv-fxr3SLzOSjLq2DFn4VXaw5jJkf_VjLpNANGDqH-k2InXjT4PqlyjUNAHwYe-DZAtN8i8fKTRmV7MBUq_uIgvELCZYEG0u6Cmwt8H5JGrYUil8f2yfrEx9xgL_lXlE/s1600/grip.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUBaRM6YBxcUvv-fxr3SLzOSjLq2DFn4VXaw5jJkf_VjLpNANGDqH-k2InXjT4PqlyjUNAHwYe-DZAtN8i8fKTRmV7MBUq_uIgvELCZYEG0u6Cmwt8H5JGrYUil8f2yfrEx9xgL_lXlE/s400/grip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635256928077688738" border="0" /></a><br />This needs 20 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">min's</span></span> to dry before you coat with...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRHvwkejDOeOWDz9DhZfacgJukpilkjJwB_9AIZd8LNdo0lChW1IKh8CmzmcVbafJ15DjC9TWADL-j9_q2fBj08w2_FFqFO25VLBF3mwbNIrOoLdA8dcsF-4SILCdtTJtqazM_wAVaRo/s1600/zinc+protect.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRHvwkejDOeOWDz9DhZfacgJukpilkjJwB_9AIZd8LNdo0lChW1IKh8CmzmcVbafJ15DjC9TWADL-j9_q2fBj08w2_FFqFO25VLBF3mwbNIrOoLdA8dcsF-4SILCdtTJtqazM_wAVaRo/s400/zinc+protect.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635258051871355186" border="0" /></a>5. Zinc Protect. Look at that! 90% Zinc! I did try another zinc 'cold galvanizing' spray which was just glorified decorative silver spray paint. This can is quite heavy. It dries to a very <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">matt</span></span> grey, which means very little binder. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">That's</span></span> good for conductivity.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2c1LIrlE1p9GctVP2EsSbp4i0yLFxj-JO4hkzzmja12h9mM5jvbW56hG8oO7i_2B5QO8zT3PY2ck4_YOwv6l83ZFvgGiFxnhXvejZF80BfALiQlKqWyjI50OYOpzgWo5gyxNIPsQqYj4/s1600/sprayedzinc.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2c1LIrlE1p9GctVP2EsSbp4i0yLFxj-JO4hkzzmja12h9mM5jvbW56hG8oO7i_2B5QO8zT3PY2ck4_YOwv6l83ZFvgGiFxnhXvejZF80BfALiQlKqWyjI50OYOpzgWo5gyxNIPsQqYj4/s400/sprayedzinc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635260302155195074" border="0" /></a>It is important that the zinc spray overlaps from the plastic surface to the copper wire. You can see in the picture it has gone halfway down the wire. Don't forget; no touching the object.<br /><br />Now clamp it standing up, somewhere warm. And leave it overnight. The solvents must all evaporate out of the paints and they need to cure before the next step. (the less solvent there is, the more the binder shrinks. Therefore the closer the zinc <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">particles</span></span> are to each other and the more conductive it is.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1eirQIq6b-YRMcjFkltbErNpPPx6IeKproP3FU_lEUXcE9dK8spsDOTaSJEqMJNbvPIi-Wq0Olefd888VoTnkhE_iGeBFSRCUkWiC4RK7Dny2aG-14XqkoEicrT6CQ01cL8fC3jTheM/s1600/nextdayzinc.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1eirQIq6b-YRMcjFkltbErNpPPx6IeKproP3FU_lEUXcE9dK8spsDOTaSJEqMJNbvPIi-Wq0Olefd888VoTnkhE_iGeBFSRCUkWiC4RK7Dny2aG-14XqkoEicrT6CQ01cL8fC3jTheM/s400/nextdayzinc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635977626709274098" border="0" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">That's</span></span> it next day. Dry and cured.<br /><br />5. The magic. Get some copper plating solution and decant a bit into a jar.(You should have you gloves and goggles on by now) You can make up your own but commercial solutions have special additives called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">brighteners</span></span> in them and it makes a huge difference to the quality of the finish.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIImgh9Bt-GvKbmyJKZvg6GfXmzYAKGtIl1PhH-5jGqZzBfo5_0mbufXVrkP4SpSdish-82CnkSFJaKtTD8ziNimH3InZje3jlDosbFTCBGTm0yXuSrL3NNqdHvIJZ2oLSTG7fOSaSrts/s1600/dip.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIImgh9Bt-GvKbmyJKZvg6GfXmzYAKGtIl1PhH-5jGqZzBfo5_0mbufXVrkP4SpSdish-82CnkSFJaKtTD8ziNimH3InZje3jlDosbFTCBGTm0yXuSrL3NNqdHvIJZ2oLSTG7fOSaSrts/s400/dip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635977629274589426" border="0" /></a><br />I got this bottle from a company in the UK called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Balco</span></span>.<br />So go a*head* and dip you painted object in...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoP6ClXU4_55hsyQHFWPkZbj-uZih1_SsYJTl8zY9rXw5VuFURXi0MIjRSdR4pcIbIktxALz-4TPymF-RY-nxVXjQ_YwhkeiUBLZVMzMpGRXJ-eamPEnYPOCv6S-HoWyuW4FpHU5g2OfA/s1600/diphead.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoP6ClXU4_55hsyQHFWPkZbj-uZih1_SsYJTl8zY9rXw5VuFURXi0MIjRSdR4pcIbIktxALz-4TPymF-RY-nxVXjQ_YwhkeiUBLZVMzMpGRXJ-eamPEnYPOCv6S-HoWyuW4FpHU5g2OfA/s400/diphead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635980393708675058" border="0" /></a><br />When it comes out it looks like this! All covered in copper!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRh_nwI3Dv96qCTd5oB_InR_lbqhmxharMNmyickMYnlaIao4-DxVjZYCOnxi1un7PQkytHO1p_nKJwXcg9jRBEZjeJpYx2tRhcFy_zM2p_WkKHGbvwb66FyQRXjrnqqvbeM8d_nP7BA/s1600/after+dip.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 346px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRh_nwI3Dv96qCTd5oB_InR_lbqhmxharMNmyickMYnlaIao4-DxVjZYCOnxi1un7PQkytHO1p_nKJwXcg9jRBEZjeJpYx2tRhcFy_zM2p_WkKHGbvwb66FyQRXjrnqqvbeM8d_nP7BA/s400/after+dip.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635980400545990866" border="0" /></a>I find it needs a bit of time to get a good coating. I jiggle it around in the solution for 60 sec or so. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Initially</span></span> it will give off some gas as little bubbles all over it surface.<br /><br />This is important: <span style="font-weight: bold;">What is happening is the copper in the solution is </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">replacing</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> the surface layer of zinc. The moving of the piece in the solution ensures that the reacted zinc is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">rinced</span></span> off the piece allowing the copper to take its place.</span><br /><br />6. Now your on to electroplating. This is my set up:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HHTA8d2sKElwwZlsOQk57VI-SBJDCb4yUR7tyEV7If8WRAkuSNMxQsJ4yIbf2ZIwZBsInfRwYCCKjBl-gwA8jkXWgLUlPBfHNqNmMiCENcPAAjlDz1GNmaIftpCETKz2Ddh44WGZT_M/s1600/plating+setup.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HHTA8d2sKElwwZlsOQk57VI-SBJDCb4yUR7tyEV7If8WRAkuSNMxQsJ4yIbf2ZIwZBsInfRwYCCKjBl-gwA8jkXWgLUlPBfHNqNmMiCENcPAAjlDz1GNmaIftpCETKz2Ddh44WGZT_M/s400/plating+setup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635984968187788194" border="0" /></a><br />I had to put the vice grips on to weigh the head down because it was floating all the time. Your piece should be submerged so the <span style="font-style: italic;">bare</span> copper wire in just in the solution.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1Gx28U-VAiRjLC67a66RIw2Ql785rB6dxsRWCsNkZCRhyH-XLPqCVf3gHe06xS60ihT0RbBesSAjmkV3BPsD1NSWlin-u3vgzPU3po8jqQHELv5wBhrYl5T7RcSfa3KonHNpzjSSBws/s1600/weight.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1Gx28U-VAiRjLC67a66RIw2Ql785rB6dxsRWCsNkZCRhyH-XLPqCVf3gHe06xS60ihT0RbBesSAjmkV3BPsD1NSWlin-u3vgzPU3po8jqQHELv5wBhrYl5T7RcSfa3KonHNpzjSSBws/s400/weight.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635984965007296274" border="0" /></a><br />I'm not going to go into how you do electroplating as it is another subject. There is lots of info <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">available</span></span> on the net and even in books!<br />Whats important is <span style="font-style: italic;">starting current</span>. As your piece may not be 100% conductive all over you must start plating at a very low current density. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">That's</span></span> what they call it "current density".<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGsr7Cn2HBTibK1fKadv5xVJl7Rted1fh8B_1QHBuv-7W4KPxwOOjAjTUFFp0eu-5S9OKC-F-WayD8fN4mKMJ2tmA-5pUA_3aVdZGl39Rw1HLHDaTBm98wMVyslP3TYg-g-pS_8FQYuQ/s1600/powersupplystart.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGsr7Cn2HBTibK1fKadv5xVJl7Rted1fh8B_1QHBuv-7W4KPxwOOjAjTUFFp0eu-5S9OKC-F-WayD8fN4mKMJ2tmA-5pUA_3aVdZGl39Rw1HLHDaTBm98wMVyslP3TYg-g-pS_8FQYuQ/s400/powersupplystart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635986932099875874" border="0" /></a><br />You can see <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">initially</span></span> I'm at 100<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">mA</span></span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Unfortunately</span></span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">don't</span></span> have current control on my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">cheepo</span></span> power supply but by voltage seems to work <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">ok</span></span>.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoNWM8KSOlpNsEQj8RWPfO72GGk3qk52Y2Dbbk6kccVdv1oNdyYuib8una-WHhcPPml_d-ruk_o9RSNg-1zjpSI6VK-cJW8mvYhTljVeKyDuLt89VL4mDJH0ekcVuppyvDznQDEazJlI/s1600/burning+at+wire.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwoNWM8KSOlpNsEQj8RWPfO72GGk3qk52Y2Dbbk6kccVdv1oNdyYuib8una-WHhcPPml_d-ruk_o9RSNg-1zjpSI6VK-cJW8mvYhTljVeKyDuLt89VL4mDJH0ekcVuppyvDznQDEazJlI/s400/burning+at+wire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5635988188818258466" border="0" /></a><br />You'll know if you current density is OK by watching for burning at the wire in the solution. If there is brown gunk developing there drop power by half and watch...<br />Once you have that minimum level set you can let it plate for a minute or two. Now check it. You may see copper spreading down along the wire over the painted area. Or, on this one, it was plating all over straight away.<br />Once it is plating all over you can up the current!<br />The formula is:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Surface in Cm2*0.05= Plating current in Amps</span><br /><br />I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">considered</span> the head to be a cylinder and did a rough estimation from that.<br />I should note here, it is important to have <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">adequate</span> surface area on your copper electrodes. Twice the surface area you are plating is a good idea.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgcEWJ-rxsMlxShw_aVwvgwCF_NSTnOdRNlilnW5qfE0aLh1b3xuBosdWxIhWTBm5jXsqeUmJpk_5IcIgsGClMK9VCQ_oyfUOtT5AXV2aHkPePkxzo3FoiFdazY7iHQomG0KENMQ3eb4/s1600/twoelectrodes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgcEWJ-rxsMlxShw_aVwvgwCF_NSTnOdRNlilnW5qfE0aLh1b3xuBosdWxIhWTBm5jXsqeUmJpk_5IcIgsGClMK9VCQ_oyfUOtT5AXV2aHkPePkxzo3FoiFdazY7iHQomG0KENMQ3eb4/s400/twoelectrodes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637730132618280642" border="0" /></a><br />You can see here I have an electrode at either side of the tank.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsp7uE4nScey_NM_fTrHi84heA_Nu2sUsRfKyzJtDrZWcaRNupNA_G01diGsCpK-lKioPNjjN-ALpM7EEt949SW0VhmBCFPaIajLuoFUNU3aMYn6HzLv_aGFrW4z0XVgp20Dq4RTxSceA/s1600/1point8amps.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsp7uE4nScey_NM_fTrHi84heA_Nu2sUsRfKyzJtDrZWcaRNupNA_G01diGsCpK-lKioPNjjN-ALpM7EEt949SW0VhmBCFPaIajLuoFUNU3aMYn6HzLv_aGFrW4z0XVgp20Dq4RTxSceA/s400/1point8amps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637730137041742370" border="0" /></a><br />Up to 1.8 Amps. I let it plate like that for 2 hours. If you can pump a bit of air through your plating mix it is a good idea. A fish tank <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">airator</span> works well.<br />I stirred the solution around every few minutes as I checked the progress. Lack of agitation can lead to streaks in the metal being deposited.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUYrDqBBUOn4mukjgonwozP9khfHkL9N57Z4Np7UmLEJ8C-KRO0DYUupRXsootK6s1a-ClsS86EXlIwRTFLXew12KINOVleWXKSUNFZmPJ3BuRn1UIdXOHirdIGOj3iaVd2zgO0Gwv70/s1600/out+of+the+tank+t.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUYrDqBBUOn4mukjgonwozP9khfHkL9N57Z4Np7UmLEJ8C-KRO0DYUupRXsootK6s1a-ClsS86EXlIwRTFLXew12KINOVleWXKSUNFZmPJ3BuRn1UIdXOHirdIGOj3iaVd2zgO0Gwv70/s400/out+of+the+tank+t.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637733189310956626" border="0" /></a><br />You can see the thickness of the metal deposited on the wire. Too thick is not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">necessary</span>, as this is only a decorative finish.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpHneNsBbvniVs-93lSsJzh6RSnFlIlM72AUjQRy2eCjphRRLYIB0nEdKO0tNQFeTSOdrYZ-ZUQtUdjj4vKZlEsaVIQV06LtG8NWbeqnJEqeF9Oi_NErStXHelITgGFf5-OMMNzmm5ak/s1600/polished+head.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpHneNsBbvniVs-93lSsJzh6RSnFlIlM72AUjQRy2eCjphRRLYIB0nEdKO0tNQFeTSOdrYZ-ZUQtUdjj4vKZlEsaVIQV06LtG8NWbeqnJEqeF9Oi_NErStXHelITgGFf5-OMMNzmm5ak/s400/polished+head.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637733184991963874" border="0" /></a><br />After a bit of polishing this was the result! I could now burn out the plastic and be left with a hollow copper form.Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16555916909752549359noreply@blogger.com2