Bench question................

[Tony]

For someone just starting out on their very first adventure into flow bench construction, I can see the wisdom of using vacuum motors, even though I hate the things myself.

The 120/240 volt debate is not really an issue, because wherever you live in the world, available vacuum cleaners will obviously suit the local supply voltage. A budget first bench is unlikely to start out with brand new motors initially, but that is something that can be later upgraded readily enough.

As to water manometer or digital, that is a really tough question. Even a thousand dollars can be a pretty big budget in some third world countries or for a student. There are advantages both ways. Water manometers cost almost nothing to construct, and the understanding and learning process that goes with building and calibrating a sloping manometer is hardly wasted effort. An out of the box electronic solution is obviously going to have many advantages, except for cost.

My own belief is that alternative plans could eventually be made available to cater for both water and electronic versions as a longer term aim.

[bruce]

Let me rephrase my $1000 price . . . Less than $1000 if you were to purchase everything new, now if you scrounge around or ebay for blowers, manometers etc the cost could be well below that figure.

The plans would be more "open source" back to the flowbench forum if one wants to do water gages or any other modification. The plans will be a way for someone to get started in building a bench and a parts list that allows them to buy it all right up front if they want, as opposed to other plans that have little if any support structure (other than this forum) to assist when things don't go as planned.

[ThomasVaught]

My opinion is that you can BUY a flow bench and learn how to operate that flow bench well OR you can Build a flow bench and also learn many other things along the way too:

How to build structures that will not collapse or blow-out

How to do basic electrical wiring

How to calculate the size of an orifice diameter (at least know how the formula works)

Where to buy parts to make the different pieces

How manometry works

How to build you own square root scale for an inclined manometer

How to calibrate your flow bench

And the list goes on and on and on.

JMO

Tom V.

[gavinator68]

I think Tom has a very valid point here. I have only been on the board for about a month now and have learned more than I ever thought I would. I am just now getting my parts together for my bench and look forward to the day I fire it up but.................... at least if the bench was designed and prototyped right here on the forum Bruce would have a very solid product to offer those that are not willing or able to take the time to do the research. I'm not sure they even teach that in school anymore. So, if after the sale tech support was available, they would have a source to come to for help. And all the bugs would be easier to nail down due to the similarity of the bench. I am probably not making any sense this early in the morning but what I am trying to say is this................

I have been here for a while trying to figure out a solid solution to my needs and honestly, if I wasn't so #### focused and easily entertained : ), I would have been forced to buy a bench or plans from someone to meet those needs.

There are a few articles out there about building a bench of one sort or another but there have always been issues with those after building them and troubleshooting them becomes the focus of the frustration, as evidenced by the amount of posts on the "M" benches. At least the ensuing plans and tech support would benefit the very group of people that are so enammered by the addiction.


Cheers

[ThomasVaught]

I am not saying don't buy Bruce's plan's. I am saying that everyone
of the items I mentioned can be cross-referenced to a series of posts
by the members telling some other member how to do it for free.

If you become a member and want to search, it takes time but the info
is there. If you don't have the time, pay for Bruce's plans, which were
based on the same info and build your bench quicker.

There should be no poor engineering in Bruce's plans like in some of
the other plans you can purchase off the internet.

JMO

Tom V.