From: ke6myk@sbcglobal.net
Date: Sat Mar 13 2004 - 22:59:47 PST
"Bruce Beattie" <bruce@eecs.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> I was thinking about getting the plastic ones, but I already have
> the feeder attachement et all and I'm not sure if the plastic ones
> will take the metal threads from the adapters without their getting
> eaten up.
I think the plastic kind will work just fine, though you might want to
take a needle file and clean up any burrs on the metal adapter's
threads. The plastic kind is pretty sturdy, and the new plastic spout
is much nicer than the old metal ones (it doesn't seep fuel the way
the metal ones do).
All of the adapters I've seen have rubber expanding seals. Still, I
made my own threaded adapter for the heater in my S250, out of brass.
Mine didn't come with any of the fuel lines or fittings, other than
the quick-disconnect fitting passing through the wall. The heater
didn't come with it, either, but I happened to find the right one on
Ebay. I got the mating quick-disconnect fitting (the exact correct
part from the same manufacturer, no less!) from McMaster-Carr, as well
as various flare fittings and some custom-made fuel hoses with flare
fittings (3' for the outside, and 1' for the inside). I plan to use
one of my plastic cans, which I got NOS from Owens Export. Here are
some pictures of my adapter, in case you're curious:
The raw materials:
http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/tmp/p1000315.jpg
Top plate after machining:
http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/tmp/p1000316.jpg
Pieces soldered together, before painting:
http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/tmp/p1000317.jpg
http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/tmp/p1000318.jpg
Cooling in the oven after baking on some flat black BBQ paint (yes,
I'm obviously not married yet!):
http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/tmp/p1000319.jpg
The top plate is 1/4" brass, and the threaded part is cut from the end
of a 2" NPT brass pipe nipple. A female-female 1/4" NPT adapter is
soldered into the middle of the top plate, allowing a draw tube to be
threaded into the inside and a hose fitting to be threaded into the
outside.
Note the bronze vent filter to keep crud out, but let air in. I'll
probably plug the regular breather hole in the fuel can neck somehow.
Not shown: Fuel draw tube consisting of 3/8" fuel hose, attached to
hose barb threaded into inside of adapter, with a sintered bronze
strainer at the bottom, and a piece of 1/4" copper tube inside to
stiffen it. Yeah, a plain metal tube would have been simpler, but I
had the parts laying around.
Naw, I don't wanna make any more of these; there's a bit of labor
involved. Just showin' off. :-)
-- Mark J. Blair, NF6X <ke6myk@sbcglobal.net> PGP 2.6.2 public key available from http://www.keyserver.net/ Web page: http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/
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