What Valves To Use & How To Install Them On A Fluid Bed

[fshng2]

Controlling air flow is one important requirement to fluidizing powder paint.

Which air flow valves have you had sucess using?

Is gluing them in place acceptable; or should you thread the pvc and use pipe thread type valves.

[Kasilofchrisn]

I use the cheap aquarium valves from walmart.

 use epoxy or JB weld to secure them in.

Been working great for 5+ years 

[LedHed]

Drip tube fittings work also - cheap

[Apdriver]

I use the cheap aquarium valves from walmart.

 use epoxy or JB weld to secure them in.

Been working great for 5+ years

+1. You can go either way on this one but, like Chris, a cheap aquarium valve has been working fine for me. They have a bit of a taper and I didn't even glue mine it. Very low pressure. Just right size your hole and shove her in. In the future, if you want to remove it, easy removal.

[Jig Man]

I got my brass valve from Lowe's for about $6.

[fshng2]

I tried the cheap aquarium valves and the epoxy did not hold up on the valves as shown. Even though The valves are a fairly tight fit I was getting air loss.

Epoxy worked great on the PVC and Plexiglas. I will rough up the valves with coarse sandpaper and try JB weld as Kasilofchrisn suggested.

Thanks for the info.

[fshng2]

I got my brass valve from Lowe's for about $6.

I have been to Lowe's two times for brass valves and left empty handed.

As I mentioned earlier I am going to try gluing again.

If gluing doesn't work could you send a picture of the valve you use, because this is my next option.

Does your valve fit the 3/16 aquarium hose?

[LimpNoodle]

I'll be the odd man out.  I prefer a Clippard MNV-4 or a FabcoNV-55 needle valve.  You can get either one for under $20 and they work like a champ.  I just put them in the line leading to the fluid bed.  I drill a hole smaller than the tubing, cut the tubing at an angle and pull it through the PVC.

 

 

 

If anyone wants/needs a HIGH quality flow control valve I've got 10 Ideal model 52 valves.  I'll sell ya one with the fitting ya need.  They are not cheap.  $60.  But if you want control you'll have it.  They are amazing valves.

 

That particular fluid bed has a 1/8" NPT fitting with a 1/8" barb.  I drilled the hole slightly smaller than the fitting and screwed the fitting in.  But drilling the hole slightly smaller than the tubing and pulling it through works very well.  I built 100's of aquarium products using that method years ago.  AFAIK they are still working just fine.

 

It doesn't have to be complicated or fancy.  That fluid bed base in the pictures takes two pieces of PVC.  A threaded joint and a threaded plug.  I was forced to go threaded because I could not find the right size glue in plug.

 

Cups are easy to build.  You can use the free Tyvek Priority mail envelopes for the Postal Service or paper bags.  I have located a source on the porous plastic plate and MIGHT pick some up and build some cups if anyone is interested.  The cups would run about $4.50 - $5 for a 3" cup if I was to build them.  I could even build bases if there is interest.  

Edited September 4, 2015 by LimpNoodle

[Basseducer]

I used the brass valves like for a swamp cooler water supply. They are threaded on one end. Drill a hole, thread them in and go.

[Vodkaman]

I tried the cheap aquarium valves and the epoxy did not hold up on the valves as shown. Even though The valves are a fairly tight fit I was getting air loss.

Epoxy worked great on the PVC and Plexiglas. I will rough up the valves with coarse sandpaper and try JB weld as Kasilofchrisn suggested.

Thanks for the info.

2015-09-04 10.57.47.jpg

Plumber's tape might solve this leaky problem.

Dave

[fshng2]

 

Cups are easy to build.  You can use the free Tyvek Priority mail envelopes for the Postal Service or paper bags.  I have located a source on the porous plastic plate and MIGHT pick some up and build some cups if anyone is interested.  The cups would run about $4.50 - $5 for a 3" cup if I was to build them.  I could even build bases if there is interest.

I would be interested in $4.50 - $5 for a 3" cup with porous plastic plate.

[Apdriver]

I would too. Several of them.

[Fatman]

I got my instructions from Cadman and here's what he suggested 

 

This was the first brass valve I used in the side of the cup and it worked good.  

 

I got a powder cup stuck and trying to get it off the bottom pulled off the base.  I decided to switch the brass valve to this one to increase the flow

 

This is the Adhesive he recommended and it works great!!  

 

I get the brass fitting in the side of the pvc and before it gets all the way in I put the adhesive around it, and also the inside. I also use it to attach the cup to the base.  

 

The air control valves I got at Pet Smart with the rubber hosing, they had a sale going and I got a good break on them.  I only use the Y connectors and the white air flow control valves.  

 

The Tetra Whisper 60, dual nozzle pump I have lets me run 3 - 2" cups and leaves me plenty of power to run more, so I also got this 3-way valve

Edited September 5, 2015 by Fatman

[Kasilofchrisn]

How in the heck did you pull the base off?

My fluid beds are made using end caps and they are glued in using PVC/ABS glue. I would break the PVC before it pulled off..

[LimpNoodle]

Those aren't valves in the first couple of pictures.  Those are fittings.

 

Don't over think this stuff people.  Drilling the hole 1 or two bit sizes smaller than the tubing and pulling the tubing through the hole provides a leak proof seal and it's easy to do.

 

On a side note instead of aquarium tubing I use the Clippard Urethane hose.  It's TOUGH stuff.  My Cockatoo has a hard time chewing on it.

 

If you find your local Clippard distributor and purchase a needle valve like a MNV-4K2 for flow control ask them if they have any scrap tubing laying around.  Most of them will just hand you a short section that's all you need.  Be advised though that once you put it on a barbed fitting it's hard to impossible to get off.  Clippard sells a single barb fitting that you can, if you know the trick, remove the tubing.  A fitting with multiple barbs makes it so you have to cut the tubing off.

 

These small flow control valves and fittings are right in my hand basket.  Sold thousands of them for aquarium use a few years back.  

 

As far as a air source I went with this one.http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JPEVMC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

 

It will power four 3" cups with no problem.  

[dlaery]

I'm with limp nood, I drill a 1/4' inch hole and put in a 1/4' od rubber hose. I use sewer and drain caps because they are flat on the bottom and sewer and drain pipe (thin wall) . I use a needle valve to adjust the air flow. I have the air supply adapted to my air compressor.

I have only used coffee filters but they are very inconsistent in even flow, so I just bought a fluid be and several cups from TJ, they work perfect.

[Fatman]

The bottom pvc base was glued to a bathroom wall tile with the adhesive Cad recommended!!LOL  Would have had to take it off when i switched the fitting anyways so no big deal.  The beds work great.