Cliver McGuiver
Newly Registered
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:03 pm

Home Made System

I thought about using a razor knife, but it was going to leave jagged edges, that may rip or tear with weight and heat. I came up with the compass cutter from a tool I purchases to draw 11 foot radius circles for a church window I made. The tool is designed to hold a center point pin and lead that is used for a Shaffer mechanical pencil. The tool fits on a yard stick, but for the church window I milled my own lumber to hold it. I modified it by taking the lead out and replacing it with a finishing nail, sharpened on the end used to score repeatedly the rubber maid lid till it cut 1/2 way through, then it was scored from the other side till it caused the cut out to separate from the lid. The rubber maid material is easy to score like this - but if you try to use a drill, spade bit or hole saw it will fail, and rip the rubber. Test holes after each cut. I give the holes a light sanding to remove any left over from the cut.
I thought about using a razor knife, but it was going to leave jagged edges, that may rip or tear with weight and heat. I came up with the compass cutter from a tool I purchases to draw 11 foot radius circles for a church window I made. The tool is designed to hold a center point pin and lead that is used for a Shaffer mechanical pencil. The tool fits on a yard stick, but for the church window I milled my own lumber to hold it. I modified it by taking the lead out and replacing it with a finishing nail, sharpened on the end used to score repeatedly the rubber maid lid till it cut 1/2 way through, then it was scored from the other side till it caused the cut out to separate from the lid. The rubber maid material is easy to score like this - but if you try to use a drill, spade bit or hole saw it will fail, and rip the rubber. Test holes after each cut. I give the holes a light sanding to remove any left over from the cut.
Attachments
I used a spade bit, the one that has tabs on the outer edge of the bit that cuts in about 1/32" almost the thickness of the material. The thickness is about 1/8" so if you cut a little from the front, then a little from the other side it will produce a perfect hole and not rip the container, setting you back a few bucks. Note: The  cuts with the spade bit should be very gentle.
I used a spade bit, the one that has tabs on the outer edge of the bit that cuts in about 1/32" almost the thickness of the material. The thickness is about 1/8" so if you cut a little from the front, then a little from the other side it will produce a perfect hole and not rip the container, setting you back a few bucks. Note: The cuts with the spade bit should be very gentle.
This is a very handy fitting - make sure you have 2 rubber washers per connection - this aids the<br />seal on the curved surface. It fits 3/4&quot; PEX pipping. Always have the area being cut on a level serface like some plywood or 2 x 4 .
This is a very handy fitting - make sure you have 2 rubber washers per connection - this aids the
seal on the curved surface. It fits 3/4" PEX pipping. Always have the area being cut on a level serface like some plywood or 2 x 4 .
I have built 2 racks to hold the 8 rubber maid containers out of the 2 x 4-s ripped in half. I wanted the containers suspended so a little convex action on the bottom surface, to help with drainage - avoid stagnant water.
I have built 2 racks to hold the 8 rubber maid containers out of the 2 x 4-s ripped in half. I wanted the containers suspended so a little convex action on the bottom surface, to help with drainage - avoid stagnant water.
This is just a way I like to look at something I am building to get a mechanical view. It is hard to see the piping but the feed is 3/4&quot; PEX to a 3/4&quot; x 1/2&quot; x 1/2&quot; tee to a 1/2&quot; 90 degree elbow. So a 3/4&quot; feeding 2 - 1/2&quot; feeds, just for balance.
This is just a way I like to look at something I am building to get a mechanical view. It is hard to see the piping but the feed is 3/4" PEX to a 3/4" x 1/2" x 1/2" tee to a 1/2" 90 degree elbow. So a 3/4" feeding 2 - 1/2" feeds, just for balance.
The pump in an old Wine Kitz primary fermenter, or just call it a 5 gallon bucket... After the plug and 3/4&quot; PEX and  an air hose is feed through the hole in the lid there is little room for anything else. There is a shut off valve on the riser off the pump I am going to use it for discharging the reservoir. In the yard the is a drop in elevation of at least 4 feet with out setting up a level and transom so sophomoric action should help, I will probably put in a shut off on the feed side to assist flushing .
The pump in an old Wine Kitz primary fermenter, or just call it a 5 gallon bucket... After the plug and 3/4" PEX and an air hose is feed through the hole in the lid there is little room for anything else. There is a shut off valve on the riser off the pump I am going to use it for discharging the reservoir. In the yard the is a drop in elevation of at least 4 feet with out setting up a level and transom so sophomoric action should help, I will probably put in a shut off on the feed side to assist flushing .
The blue steaks are drop controllers. I will be melting more holes in the green pot to encourage root development. On the right you see a 4&quot; cube of rock wool supported by expanded clay pellets. There will be aeration system under the lid.
The blue steaks are drop controllers. I will be melting more holes in the green pot to encourage root development. On the right you see a 4" cube of rock wool supported by expanded clay pellets. There will be aeration system under the lid.
Installing the aeration system under the lids in the chamber of the roots, I did not want to use metal - In this system -- there will be no contact of metal to solution period... So I came up with a  push fitting using the plastic PEX with PEX pipe - these are very cheap for me so I use them.<br /><br />First if you put a PEX (from now on it is assumed plastic) fitting in to the pipe it is not very snug. So if you want it more snugger...lol... you will need to wrap it with Teflon tape - BUT if you push it in to PEX pipe it rips the Teflon tape and the seal is compromised. So - use a means by which to camber or bevel the inside edge of the PEX pipe, I use the the yellow reamer. I use the reamer to bevel the inside edge of the pipes to allow the Teflon taped fittings to insert in to the PEX pipe with little damage to the seal. A little lubricant is ok like a very very very tiny amount twisted on to the fitting will encourage the seal but very very little is needed...It never hurts to expose the pipe to hot water to make it pliable.
Installing the aeration system under the lids in the chamber of the roots, I did not want to use metal - In this system -- there will be no contact of metal to solution period... So I came up with a push fitting using the plastic PEX with PEX pipe - these are very cheap for me so I use them.

First if you put a PEX (from now on it is assumed plastic) fitting in to the pipe it is not very snug. So if you want it more snugger...lol... you will need to wrap it with Teflon tape - BUT if you push it in to PEX pipe it rips the Teflon tape and the seal is compromised. So - use a means by which to camber or bevel the inside edge of the PEX pipe, I use the the yellow reamer. I use the reamer to bevel the inside edge of the pipes to allow the Teflon taped fittings to insert in to the PEX pipe with little damage to the seal. A little lubricant is ok like a very very very tiny amount twisted on to the fitting will encourage the seal but very very little is needed...It never hurts to expose the pipe to hot water to make it pliable.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Wow!!! Welcome to the Forum! Thanks so much for the pictorial. Wonderful use of household and inexpensive materials and very thoughtful design. Are you a mechanical engineer or you just think like one? :)

Cliver McGuiver
Newly Registered
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:03 pm

I am an artist in stained glass but work as a plumber. I do stained glass tutorials as well... On my web site --- oops that I should have added to my sig...



Return to “HYDROPONICS FORUM”