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SillyBilly
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 Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:45 pm Post subject: Mamod thread air adapter |
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| Does anyone know where I can get a mamod to bike pump air adapter type thing? there's one on eBay at £4.99 does anyone know cheaper? Thanks. |
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IndianaRog
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Location: Indiana, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Bill, if you have a spare mamod safety valve...you can remove center bit and spring...solder in a piece of brass tubing and you will have a dandy air adapter...
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steamyjim
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SillyBilly
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| I do have a saftey valve spare but I'm terrible at soldering. I have access to lathes that are about 3m long! But I've not hade mutch experience on them. 1 valve piece to be precice! I''ll have a look on PPS, thanks. |
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steamyjim
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SillyBilly
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks muchly! |
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steamyjim
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IndianaRog
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Location: Indiana, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Billy,
Soldering a tube into a safety valve to make it an air valve is simple:
1) disassemble the valve...removing spring, center moveable pin, any gaskets and any rubber O rings
2) clean the valve inside and out with some meths on a cotton bud
3) find a bit of brass or copper tubing that fits snuggly in the hole of the valve...clean exterior of the tube and buff it a bit with very fine sandpaper...slide it in the hole til it sticks out the bottom of the valve about half an inch (10 mm)...same amount sticking out of top
4) squeeze the bottom bit into a vice as a support to hold the valve while heating it. If no vice, perhaps clamp it in a pair of vice grip pliers.
5) now...need a torch of some kind, plumbing solder and flux (meant for soldering...stuff looks like grease)...spread ample flux on the tube and top surface of the valve...slide it up and down a bit to get some flux INSIDE the valve
6) have a blob of flux ready on a cotton bud
PUT ON SOME SAFETY GLASSES  ...SOLDER CAN SPIT AND GET IN YOUR EYES
7) start to heat the valve with the tube in place...focus heat on the valve not the tube...when it gets hot, lather on some more flux with the cotton bud...you can't use too much flux
8 ) finally, when the valve is hot enough...touch the solder to the point where the valve and tube meet...it should melt quickly and flow in between them and around the top forming a bit of a puddle
9) STOP, shut off the torch and let things cool for awhile
10) when valve is cool to the touch, you can trim off the under bit of tube that was in the vice using a hacksaw meant for metal, sand and ream the edges of the tubing a bit so it's smooth and won't cut air line you plan to run to it...DONE
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With supplies in hand this is a 3 minute job...I just strung it out to show you step by step...give it a go if you have the parts and tools, it's fun.
cheers,
Rog
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SillyBilly
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Couldn't see it! |
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SillyBilly
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Wouldn't I have to find a die that's suitable for the bike pump to put a thread on the tube? I must invest in some flux and a blow torch. They seem like necesitys! |
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IndianaRog
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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Billy, you DO need a torch, some solder and flux...but NO need for a die or anything like that. You could also borrow the torch, solder and flux if you have a good friend with one...it will take just a tiny bit of these materials for a small job like this.
When done, you will have a mamod air valve with a metal tube...hook a piece of silicone tubing to that tube. I find 3/32" ID tubing used for RC model plane fuel tanks does the job nicely, but you might find an even small size.
Go to a sporting goods store and buy a needle valve for blowing up basket balls/soccer balls and the like...usually they have about 10-15 mm of a pin like thing sticking out one side and your needed threads for the bike pump on the other end. Slide the pin part in the other end of your silicone tube and put a couple of wire bits around the silicone twisted to tighten the silicone onto the pin part of the needle valve and keep it there.
Job done!!
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Wallace
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Location: New South Wales, Australia
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| Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:36 am Post subject: |
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| SillyBilly wrote: | | Wouldn't I have to find a die that's suitable for the bike pump to put a thread on the tube? I must invest in some flux and a blow torch. They seem like necesitys! |
Rogs idea is great, and I have nearly tried it before 
I didn't bother to solder a pipe to it, so if you don't want to invest in a blowtorch and stuff, just find suitable tubing to fit over the outer part of the safety valve. Make sure it's a tight fit, which means finding the right size tubing (usually from pet shops/aquariums), putting it in boiling water to fit it on the safety valve.
Then use a zip tie, pulling it tight with pliers, and that will hold.
That's what I used before
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seven.mpd
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Location: West Midlands
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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Hi I have purchased a couple of adaptots from Ben Plant drop him a line at
iflyer@dsl.pipex.com |
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steamyman
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Joined: 19 Feb 2007
Posts: 3109
Location: Australia.
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| Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 11:23 am Post subject: |
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here's an air adaptor a engineer mate made 4 me. the top part screws onto a car tyre foot pump.
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