Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Bob Heine]

Hey Bob, do you have a pic of your in tank fuel pump for the Vette?. I am at that stage on my mates car and am looking at a few variations.....thanks.

Terrick, I'm happy to try. I was shocked at the price of in-tank conversion kits but I understand that many people are willing and even happy to pay big bucks. This is about the cheapest solution I could find that provides all the features found in the $500+ setups.

I bought a kit from Vetteworks for $60 that adapts a $100 OEM pump setup from a 2000-2002 Camaro to a C3 (1968-74) Corvette. I believe the 1975 and newer C3 Corvette tanks have liners so the kit doesn't work with those.
http://www.vetteworksonline.net/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=89

I bought a used pump, thinking they weren't available new. Turns out Jegs and lots of other places sell the complete assembly for around $100 in the US. You'll notice the pump has a cup on the bottom to keep a pint of fuel at the pump intake regardless of sloshing in the unbaffled tank. Another nice feature are those spring-loaded steel tubes to keep the cup firmly on the bottom of the tank.

The install involves a bit of welding and cutting so I opted to buy a new tank rather than test my luck with a "I'm sure I got all the fumes out" tank. The instructions called for a 3-7/8 inch hole cut in the top of the tank near the filler opening. You could mount it closer to the fuel lines but that side of the tank has the original fuel pickup and sending unit. The hole still required some filing to fit the pump in the hole. I also notched the hole on one side to match the indexing tab on the pump housing.

A little time spent removing the steel shavings from the hole saw and files with a magnet on a stick seemed like a better idea than straining them through the fuel pump. The masking tape made it a little easier to get the shavings off the magnet without sticking them in my fingers...

The ring with the studs on it needs to be aligned with the slightly smaller hole in the tank. Once the ring is tack welded to the tank, an o-ring seals the pump to the tank -- the ring doesn't need to be sealed but the instructions say you can do it if you like. I also followed their instructions and ground off the galvanized coating where I planned to weld.

A little welding and the pump drops in with the o-ring and then the outer ring clamps it down to the studs.

I was planning to replace the steel 3/8 inch supply and 1/4 inch return lines with pre-bent stainless lines but while I was at it I decided to add a 1/2 inch stainless supply line. I also decided to change the ends of the lines from clamp-on hose ends to AN-flared (37 degree) ends. That means I need braided stainless flex hoses to connect to the tank. This Camaro pump uses the GM quick-connect fittings so I had to buy adapters. I bought two Russell RUS-640850 for about $11 each from Summit:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rus-640850

You need two but the vent tube can be just a slip-on hose (no pressure involved). It could actually be plugged because the tank has its own vent tube that connects to the charcoal canister.

I didn't want to replace the fuel gauge in the car so I needed to hook up the original sensor. That sensor is part of the original fuel pickup on the bottom of the tank. Being a belt and suspender guy and not being sure when/if I'll have fuel injection on the car, I bought a new fuel pickup and modified it for an AN-6 fitting. That meant cutting off the bubble end of the pickup tube and flaring it. All I needed was a cutter and flaring tool, along with some AN tubing adapters. I practiced on the rusty original unit and even remembered to install the nut and ferrule before I flared the tube end.

I use the diamond cutting disks on a Dremel tool to cut the braided stainless lines. A lot less fraying of the stainless than using a hacksaw and a thinner cut than a cutoff wheel on a die grinder. I've been too cheap to buy a real braided line cutter tool.

The fuel injection pump is mounted on the top side of the tank...

...and the stock pickup and sender is mounted on the bottom of the tank:

One interesting thing about this setup is that the pressure regulator is built into the pump. Because of that, it isn't really necessary to have a return line running from the engine to the tank. A Tee in the pressure line connected to the return line is all you need (I'm going to do it old-school with the old 3/8 supply line being the return line). This isn't my tank but it shows the setup (the Tee doesn't need to be right there, it can be further away from the pump).

 

[oldironfarmer]

Fantastic work, you old fuel!

Rather than belt and suspenders, I'm thinking belt, suspenders, and buttons.

 

[Terrick down Under]

Hey OIF, this Bob fella is pretty dam good hey!
Thanks heaps Bob, will post some pics of our progress tonight.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Hey OIF, this Bob fella is pretty dam good hey!
Thanks heaps Bob, will post some pics of our progress tonight.

Oh yeah! I like Bob, he carries my round bales, moves dirt, cuts and stacks trees and never asks for a salary. Nothing like old retired guys!

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob, you have done well..

Nicely articulated too..

Regards

 

[Vieux]

Excellent job!

 

[xtremek]

I always used a sharp chisel and a BFH to cut my braided lines

 

[sublime68charger]

Bob, you have done well..

Nicely articulated too..

Regards

X2 on what 1/2 said so does that make it a full 1 plus job!

Great work as always Bob!

Just don't let oldironfarmer work you to hard out there on the farm!

 

[dchance]

Bob,
Thanks for the detail on the work that you did on the tank. I have one that is similar and have considered setting up for fuel injection in case I ever wish to go that route.

Dwight

 

[dlcwent]

Bob, sorry for my absence. I am still here.

I must ask you if you do find me again, please don't post the location until I get the help I need.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Bob, sorry for my absence. I am still here.

I must ask you if you do find me again, please don't post the location until I get the help I need.

 

[Bob Heine]

Fantastic work, you old fuel!

Rather than belt and suspenders, I'm thinking belt, suspenders, and buttons.

Andy, thanks for that. No fuel like an old fuel. Sometimes it's all in, with belt, suspenders, buttons and duct tape.

Hey OIF, this Bob fella is pretty dam good hey!
Thanks heaps Bob, will post some pics of our progress tonight.

Thank you Terrick. I sometimes follow directions.

Oh yeah! I like Bob, he carries my round bales, moves dirt, cuts and stacks trees and never asks for a salary. Nothing like old retired guys!

Andy, the bales I carry on my spike are tiny, just like the dirt piles and toothpick stacks. I thought I did ask for a salary but maybe it was just celery for my tuna salad. The longer I'm retired, the better I get at it.

Bob, you have done well..

Nicely articulated too..

Regards

Steve, thank you for stopping by and the nice compliments. It helps motivate me. Other than the hole cutting, it was a fun project. I didn't want to mess up the new tank so I used a bi-metal hole saw on a piece of thin plywood to verify the size was correct.

Excellent job!

Thanks Vieux and thanks for stopping by again!

I always used a sharp chisel and a BFH to cut my braided lines

Kirk, quite a few people have suggested that method. I'll give it a try next time when I wear the arm. The first time I tried I was holding the chisel between my bare feet and missed with the 2-pound sledge. You don't make that mistake twice.

X2 on what 1/2 said so does that make it a full 1 plus job!

Great work as always Bob!

Just don't let oldironfarmer work you to hard out there on the farm!

Sub, I appreciate the good words and like many on the GJ I aspire to doing a 1/2 Cup job.

Also, Andy is always too busy to keep track of what I'm not doing.

Bob,
Thanks for the detail on the work that you did on the tank. I have one that is similar and have considered setting up for fuel injection in case I ever wish to go that route.

Dwight

Dwight, you're very welcome. I am tempted by the $1,000 carb replacement fuel injection systems but I really have my heart set on port injection. There's a big-block Chevy setup from Fast that I found for about $2,500. I keep hoping they'll come down in price or someone will list a used system on eBay (I don't hope anyone blows up their engine but if they do....).

Bob, sorry for my absence. I am still here.

I must ask you if you do find me again, please don't post the location until I get the help I need.

Dan, good to see you back and thanks for stopping by. I promise not to post your location and especially promise not to post pictures of you chasing young females while you are out and about.

 

[cbacres]

Just stopping in to say hi Bob. Been doing drive bys may be stopping in later to ask the pro about spray guns.

 

[Bob Heine]

I decided to repair some of the screening around the patio. Back in 2005 I replaced all of it and I have forgotten how tedious it is for me. Most screening companies around this part of Florida want to do the big jobs, like replacing all of this:

I don't do the screening on the top of the enclosure. I pay professionals whatever that costs. The crew that did it back in 2005 made my testicles shrivel. They start with a huge roll of screening and cover three rows from the house to the outer wall. They have no harnesses or safety gear and they walk the 2x8 aluminum beams like they are sidewalks. While they are walking the beam, they are laying a vinyl spline in the small channel on either side of the beam. Once the screening is tight, they cut the excess screening off while bent over and crab-walking the beams.

I need to replace three large panels and half of one of the doors. My dare-devil limit on screening involves standing on the second step of a stool. If I can't do the job from there, I start collecting large quantities of bubble-pack to line the ground under the taller ladders. I rolled out the screening on the patio and cut it to length. This 7-foot high roll was a gift from my neighbor and good friend before he moved to Deleware. He bought the screening to re-do his enclosure but ended up hiring a professional (smart man!).

For many years I bought round vinyl spline for screening in different diameters. When the professionals did my enclosure they showed me the right stuff, which is almost flat.

Tearing off the old screening is pretty simple, with a pick to pull the end of the old spline out far enough to grab with pliers. When I watched the pros install the new screen, they started installing the screen and spline at the top and pulled on the screen and spline at the same time. They used one of these tools to roll the spline into the groove.

While it might be possible for me to do that, I have neither the strength nor the skill. I prefer to start the spline at the top of one side, pull the screen taught to the other side and stake it in place with a short piece of spline.

OK, taught might be an exaggeration but you get the idea. I do it this way so I don't have to hold the screening taught with my cheek. Here's a closeup of the spline going in the second side, after I finished the other side and the top. My progress is measured in single digit inches per minute,

I didn't get started on this project until noon and because it's in the sun (a stinging sun) I stopped after finishing each side and went in the house to hydrate and cool off. By the time I finished the fourth side, I found it was too loose even for my amateur eye. Removed the spline on the right side, stretch the screening and re-did the spline. Close enough for gummint work and you'll notice my gummint chair for relaxing while installing the bottom spline. All that's left is trimming the excess screening and putting my tools away.

I took a day off when my elbow started to ache from pushing hard on the spline tool. Started small on day 3 with the screen on one of the doors that was torn when someone pushed the screen instead of the latch. Same process but it went a bit faster and I wasn't in any pain when I finished....

The next piece of screening was damaged a week after I installed it. The barbecue was close to the screening but not touching. When I lifted the lid, the vent at the rear contacted the screen and melted the vinyl, causing the screen to shift a bunch of rows down. It has annoyed me a tiny tiny bit so I decided to replace the section. When I told my wife she said she never even noticed the defect. Sheesh, I am glad she isn't in charge of defect detection.

I waited to do this section until later in the afternoon so I wouldn't be in the direct sun.

When I tried to remove the old screen, I was reminded that the aluminum flashing at the bottom had to be removed to install the bottom spline behind it. After a few minutes staring at the problem, I decided the whole piece of flashing didn't have to come off, just the top edge tipped back. The screwdriver served a dual purpose, with the handle holding the flashing out of the way and once the easy section of spline was rolled in the channel, the last few inches could be forced in with the tip.

You can see by the angle of the sun that more than a few minutes has passed but it's done.

Done might not be completely accurate. I have one last panel to do. If you remember the rat infestation in the barbecue, that section of screening is the last one I plan to do. It's 80-inches tall by 10-feet wide with some odd angles and a low hedge outside. The first three panels are just warmup for this....

 

[Bob Heine]

Just stopping in to say hi Bob. Been doing drive bys may be stopping in later to ask the pro about spray guns.

Hi Craig! Give me a ring -- I'm almost always home. Phone # hasn't changed and yours isn't on my "blocked" list.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob,you I tip my hat to as replacing insect screens is no easy task at the best of times..

Regards

 

[dlcwent]

"OK, taught might be an exaggeration but you get the idea. I do it this way so I don't have to hold the screening taught with my cheek. Here's a closeup of the spline going in the second side, after I finished the other side and the top. My progress is measured in single digit inches per minute,"

Progress measured - success, regardless of inches per hour.

I'm amaze that you could even get it accomplished Bob. I almost hate to *** what cheek you were using to keep the screen taught.

 

[sublime68charger]

"OK, taught might be an exaggeration but you get the idea. I do it this way so I don't have to hold the screening taught with my cheek. Here's a closeup of the spline going in the second side, after I finished the other side and the top. My progress is measured in single digit inches per minute,"

Progress measured - success, regardless of inches per hour.

I'm amaze that you could even get it accomplished Bob. I almost hate to *** what cheek you were using to keep the screen taught.

Probably which ever cheek was closer at the time the screen needed holding!

Bob great screen work!

 

[oldironfarmer]

Once more, astounding work making us mere mortals green with ability envy!

 

[shortykorte]

A beautiful pool and you get hot? I'd be in the pool after every spline was installed. I too was introduced to the flat spline while working on the terrace project. At first I was, "**** I have to get a different spline tool." Once I got the process down it was not much different than round spline.
You know you call on the FC three stooges to help you out. I'll be the one floating on the pink pony floatie, drinking be beachy drinks and supervising.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob,you I tip my hat to as replacing insect screens is no easy task at the best of times..

Regards

Thanks Steve, I know quite a few people who won't even attempt it. They are dear friends but are handicapped by lack of patience. After you watch a pro do it, it can be real frustrating to do it at a snail's pace. I find it best not to look ahead or behind -- just get in the zone and concentrate on the inch in front of my face.

"OK, taught might be an exaggeration but you get the idea. I do it this way so I don't have to hold the screening taught with my cheek. Here's a closeup of the spline going in the second side, after I finished the other side and the top. My progress is measured in single digit inches per minute,"

Progress measured - success, regardless of inches per hour.

I'm amaze that you could even get it accomplished Bob. I almost hate to *** what cheek you were using to keep the screen taught.

Dan, it's a simple choice that depends on how high my *** is off the ground.

Probably which ever cheek was closer at the time the screen needed holding!

Bob great screen work!

Thanks Sub!

Once more, astounding work making us mere mortals green with ability envy!

Andy, you would have had it all done (including the big one) before breakfast with the cattle. I also suspect you would have woven the screen in your shop using a 1904 Green Screen Machine!

A beautiful pool and you get hot? I'd be in the pool after every spline was installed. I too was introduced to the flat spline while working on the terrace project. At first I was, "**** I have to get a different spline tool." Once I got the process down it was not much different than round spline.
You know you call on the FC three stooges to help you out. I'll be the one floating on the pink pony floatie, drinking be beachy drinks and supervising.

Stewart, you have to be kidding. The screening keeps the pool colder and I am pretty sure it's still below 80-degrees. It was also a delightful temperature outside when I was doing the screening -- my problem was the sun beating down on my neck and arm. I am grateful to have only developed basal cell carcinomas, unlike my wife who has had several melanomas removed.

I started out with steel-wheeled spline tools but I cut the screening with them too many times. That's never happened with the plastic wheeled tool.

My lack of Craftsman, Lista or other drool-worthy boxes has no attraction for the FC. Besides, I'm pretty sure I'd end up in the emergency room waiting for you guys to be patched up from all your rolling on the floor watching me work.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Ummm... my screen weaver is a LeClerc about 1906, but you were close.

I am still in awe of your skills. I know your background. You were IBM. Don't deny it. And you have skills.

 

[BBChevro]

Good job with the screens Bob.

I've also got to mention the great step by step run down of the fuel pump installation.
(I read it just after you posted I It, but didn't have time to comment).

 

[Bob Heine]

Ummm... my screen weaver is a LeClerc about 1906, but you were close.

I am still in awe of your skills. I know your background. You were IBM. Don't deny it. And you have skills.

Andy, thank you and you are too kind. I Googled "1906 LeClerc screen weaver" and the first hit was this thread. I feel unusually gullible.

Well, I'm not sure how helpful my IBM background is. We had to deal with a lot of bugs in OS/2 but I don't recall installing screening as part of the process.

Good job with the screens Bob.

I've also got to mention the great step by step run down of the fuel pump installation.
(I read it just after you posted I It, but didn't have time to comment).

Hi Mark and thank you for the compliments. That fuel pump job was actually fun.

 

[Bob Heine]

Speaking of fun, I was having a good day Friday. It made some progress on my taxes and it isn't even April. Looks like my refund will cover my first quarterly estimated tax payment. I have to make estimated tax payments because I don't let anyone take taxes out of my income -- I like to hang on to MY money for as long as I can. I also like to owe the IRS money in April.

At about 3:30 in the afternoon I quit but wanted to put some tools back in the workshop that were cluttering up the garage. I glanced at the front of the garage on my way out the back door and saw a puddle of water under the hose reel. My first thought was that I forgot to turn off the faucet. When I bent down to turn the faucet off (it was already off), a fine mist of water hit me in the face. It was coming from the top of the whole-house water filter housing next to the hose reel. I shut the main valves outside and removed the filter from the housing. It's an Omni Filter I bought at Home Depot in 2000 and they no longer sell them. I do a search for similar size while-house filters and I find nothing that I can pick-up right away. It appears Home Depot has a few filters in stock so I'm going to go to the store once I get the old one out.

This particular wall in the garage was destroyed by termites in 2000 and the 12-year-old filter was an off-brand that I couldn't find elements for so I installed this Omni Filter. I installed it in a way that used the fewest fittings but requires the housing to be destroyed to get it out.

It's Sawzall Time. A couple of 45-degree cuts and it comes out -- except for the threaded plastic inlet and outlet pieces.

Apparently the housing has been spraying water on the cement board on the wall behind it for a while -- that's the only explanation I have for the green on the thinset I used to fill the joints on the cement board. The more serious leak hasn't gone on too long but long enough to wet the press-board cabinet doors above, causing them to swell and de-laminate. Well, the plastic pieces come off easy and I have access to the two threaded fittings that had been screwed into the filter housing. I expect they have to come off because there's no way to install a new filter with this setup.

It's 4:00pm so I decide to go to the store to figure out what I can get from their stock to do a quick fix. It's rush hour and the small Home Depot nearest my house has a very small selection of copper fittings. They have lots of Shark parts but good old fashioned copper is pretty slim pickings. Two hours later I return home with what I hope is a reasonably quick fix. First thing I do is un-sweat the threaded brass elbows and test fit the 7/8-inch compression fitting that is the key to my quick fix.

The only reasonably priced (~$50) high flow filter housing in the store uses 1-inch NPT fittings on the inlet and outlet but they had a couple of reducers so my 3/4-inch hoard of fittings at home will work. The new housing is much larger than the old one so my stubs are way off and I don't want to spend hours making up new lines. I found braided stainless hoses used to connect hot water heaters that are just what I need. One end is 3/4-inch male NPT that will go into the reducer and the other end is a 7/8-inch compression fitting that fits the outside of the 3/4-inch stub. Here you can see the housing size difference.

In less than a half hour I have the hoses connected and all that's left is the filter element (additional $30) and we should be good to go. The old filter element was installed in August 2015 and it has done its job (it was white when it was new. I then notice some funny lines on the new element and pull off the cellophane. Yup, the new filter is FUBAR.

Well, I'll save that for another day. At least I can turn the water back on and we'll live dangerously with unfiltered water until I can get back to Home Depot. I think I'm going to make up the final plumbing and install the mount before I go back but that's going to be another day. It's almost 7:00 and I'm getting hungry. I just have to be careful putting the Corvette away.

Because I'm not a big fan of compression fittings, I went out and checked the setup several times that night. It has a tiny leak at the reducer fitting with a drop a second spilling on the floor. The new setup should take care of that but for tonight it seems to be holding.

 

[ajohno]

Great job on the insect screen.

 

[oldironfarmer]

I apologize for my cryptic response. I was alluding to the fact that we don't expect any IBM employee to actually have useful skills. But it was just good natured sarcasm. In all honesty I have great respect for IBM.

So glad you looked up 1906 LeClerc

Funny when you buy something like the water filter you go to a reputable store and do not expect it to become obsolete.

Looks like you came up with an excellent solution to the installation Great job as usual!!

 

[Bob Heine]

Great job on the insect screen.

Thanks Aaron!

I apologize for my cryptic response. I was alluding to the fact that we don't expect any IBM employee to actually have useful skills. But it was just good natured sarcasm. In all honesty I have great respect for IBM.

So glad you looked up 1906 LeClerc

Funny when you buy something like the water filter you go to a reputable store and do not expect it to become obsolete.

Looks like you came up with an excellent solution to the installation Great job as usual!!

Andy, most of the skills I used at IBM had very little use in the other parts of my life so you were actually right on. I mean, we had vapor deposition machines, silicon crystal growing machines and all sorts of cool stuff in the East Fishkill plant but nothing cool like that in Boca Raton. Unless you count the PC -- I had to solder some jumpers to allow my 64K machine work as a 256K.

We had some cruel jokes at IBM (not including the sign on my desk that read "Hire the handicapped, they're fun to watch).

• What do you call a beautiful woman at IBM?
• A Visitor.

The problem is widespread, with Mills Pride cabinets being dropped among them. I was just pleased to get the water back on the same day. Let the molehill into a mountain process begin....

 

[Bob Heine]

Today was Bob the Plumber day. Not a real plumber but my childish imitation.

I needed to put a bunch of pipe fittings together in a way that would connect with the existing stubs in the wall and connect to the filter housing. I also wanted to use the mounting bracket, which meant the while thing needed to stay close to the wall. I measured carefully several times but my 'center-to-center' measurements are almost always off. I measured, marked and drilled 7/8-inch holes into a piece of scrap furring and then turned the holes into slots. Checked the fit on the actual pipe and surprise, surprise they were off by a bit. The second piece of scrap yielded a good gauge. Then I put fittings together in a dozen different ways. Each version had one or more problems so I won't bore you with versions A through K. Here is Version L:

The new setup had to be easily removable so a new filter housing can be installed without cutting everything up (I plan to buy a spare before they become obsolete or "out of stock"). If this one lasts 17 years I won't have to worry about this job until I'm 89.

There are two unions to allow the removal of the whole thing in the future. The piece in the center is an alignment pipe. It won't be part of the final installation but it will ensure the whole mess fits without forcing it.

I hope it makes more sense with the alignment pipe removed. The setup on the right side is simple, with the union and a threaded elbow. It has to screw into the filter housing inlet side without hitting the housing so the big nut stays on the wall stub.

The left side is more complicated, because it has to compensate for the extra width of the new housing. I'm not crazy about the three elbows impeding flow but there isn't much I can do about it. The fittings are tight together with about a 1/8-inch gap to be sure the solder wicks into the fittings on both sides. It's about as tight as I can make it to the wall so hopefully a 3/4-inch or less piece of plywood will space the mounting bracket off the wall for a good fit.

Like the right side, the pretzel side has to clear the housing so it can be screwed in. That's why the union is where it is and oriented the way it is.

Hopefully this will fit and replace the two braided lines, one of which is leaking a drop every second. I used PTFE Pipe Thread Sealant, which has never worked as well as tape for me but I was in a hurry. Unlike my dummy setup, the mounting bracket is designed to fit under the pipes and screw into the top of the filter housing.

By the time I was finished dry-fitting everything it was getting close to dinnertime so I set it aside for another day. I'll be cleaning and fluxing everything for the final fitup and then assemble it for final sweating. I expect to run out of MAP gas at the worst possible moment but thankfully I have another tank in the workshop.... if I can find it.

 

[bolensboneyard]

Today was Bob the Plumber day. Not a real plumber but my childish imitation.

I needed to put a bunch of pipe fittings together in a way that would connect with the existing stubs in the wall and connect to the filter housing. I also wanted to use the mounting bracket, which meant the while thing needed to stay close to the wall. I measured carefully several times but my 'center-to-center' measurements are almost always off. I measured, marked and drilled 7/8-inch holes into a piece of scrap furring and then turned the holes into slots. Checked the fit on the actual pipe and surprise, surprise they were off by a bit. The second piece of scrap yielded a good gauge. Then I put fittings together in a dozen different ways. Each version had one or more problems so I won't bore you with versions A through K. Here is Version L:

The new setup had to be easily removable so a new filter housing can be installed without cutting everything up (I plan to buy a spare before they become obsolete or "out of stock"). If this one lasts 17 years I won't have to worry about this job until I'm 89.

There are two unions to allow the removal of the whole thing in the future. The piece in the center is an alignment pipe. It won't be part of the final installation but it will ensure the whole mess fits without forcing it.

I hope it makes more sense with the alignment pipe removed. The setup on the right side is simple, with the union and a threaded elbow. It has to screw into the filter housing inlet side without hitting the housing so the big nut stays on the wall stub.

The left side is more complicated, because it has to compensate for the extra width of the new housing. I'm not crazy about the three elbows impeding flow but there isn't much I can do about it. The fittings are tight together with about a 1/8-inch gap to be sure the solder wicks into the fittings on both sides. It's about as tight as I can make it to the wall so hopefully a 3/4-inch or less piece of plywood will space the mounting bracket off the wall for a good fit.

Like the right side, the pretzel side has to clear the housing so it can be screwed in. That's why the union is where it is and oriented the way it is.

Hopefully this will fit and replace the two braided lines, one of which is leaking a drop every second. I used PTFE Pipe Thread Sealant, which has never worked as well as tape for me but I was in a hurry. Unlike my dummy setup, the mounting bracket is designed to fit under the pipes and screw into the top of the filter housing.

By the time I was finished dry-fitting everything it was getting close to dinnertime so I set it aside for another day. I'll be cleaning and fluxing everything for the final fitup and then assemble it for final sweating. I expect to run out of MAP gas at the worst possible moment but thankfully I have another tank in the workshop.... if I can find it.

Bob looks like something I used to see in nuclear submarines. Did you ever think of coming out of retirement and working for the government? You would probably have to make it cost even more though; or you would never win a contract. Needs a do not operate or use head while blowing sanitary tanks sign though.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Bob, you have done well.

The manifold looks a treat..

Regards

 

[Terrick down Under]

Great work on the filter Bob, just a side note...you should change your filter every 12 months. We install 20 micron paper cartridges similar to what you have used, except we use 1 1/2" ports so as to reduce friction loss going thru the housing under gravity feed situations. The only thing I would have done slightly different would be to fit an valve to each side so as to eliminate the mess while changing the cartridge and to reduce the amount of air when finished.



The last one was tricky, it has to feed the main house and the garage but only filter the shed as the house has its own filters, BTW the twins are because the second filter is Activated carbon to remove colour taste and some odour, they have gum trees over both the house and shed.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Bob:

I really like looking at your plumbing.

However, I expect you to keep it polished, flossed, and shined. Looks as nice as an air manifold.

 

[Guster]

Crikey Bob! You did well taking on those large screens.

Fixed my little brother’s screen door the other day and even their neighbour came around to see what all the consternation was about. Not my favourite job but glad I wasn’t using the older style wire mesh. Probably did help that the little spline roller that came with the kit was made of the same quality as those cheap cooking utensil sets they make for 2 year olds. Eventually holding the wheel axle between thumb and forefinger. Your spline roller looks absolutely awesome by comparison. May have to see if my special import arrangement(Amazon) has anything like it. Worst part is that I bought a few rolls of black fibreglass mesh on clearance and mice got into it of all things. Just managed to find on roll with enough width left to fit the screen door. Hope the rest provided ample indigestion, respiratory and dermal distress to the pests nesting in it.

Bob:

I really like looking at your plumbing.

However, I expect you to keep it polished, flossed, and shined. Looks as nice as an air manifold.

Don't forget to clock your nuts!

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, you have done well.

The manifold looks a treat..

Regards

Steve, thank you very much.

Great work on the filter Bob, just a side note...you should change your filter every 12 months. We install 20 micron paper cartridges similar to what you have used, except we use 1 1/2" ports so as to reduce friction loss going thru the housing under gravity feed situations. The only thing I would have done slightly different would be to fit an valve to each side so as to eliminate the mess while changing the cartridge and to reduce the amount of air when finished.


The last one was tricky, it has to feed the main house and the garage but only filter the shed as the house has its own filters, BTW the twins are because the second filter is Activated carbon to remove colour taste and some odour, they have gum trees over both the house and shed.

Hey Terrick, thanks for stopping by. You're right about the annual filter replacement but I had so much trouble getting the last filter sealed up (silicone grease helped but it took four tries) I let it go. There hadn't been any drop in pressure so I let it go for another 7 months. My filter is another belt and suspender item because our municipal water supply uses a 40 million-gallon-per-day membrane (reverse osmosis) softening process. It's actually too effective because it makes the water very flat tasting. They add water from a lime softening process to improve the taste. It's actually better than most bottled water but half the people in town buy cases of Fiji or Fuji water (pretty sure it's filtered city water from somewhere in Texas).

I use the activated charcoal filters because they still add chlorine to our water in the final stage of treatment before it goes into the distribution lines. My last filter change was also a bit of a disaster because the cartridge wasn't in a sealed package (last of a two-pack). The charcoal absorbed the smell of the penetrating oil that was in the same cabinet. Lesson learned!

I like your filter setups but they make a shiver go up my spine. Our automatic landscape watering system uses 1.5 inch PVC with 6 zones. I had to replace the indexing valve, which required cutting all 6 pipes below ground and re-connect them to the new valve. The pipes were stacked on top of each other and some crossed over so I had to connect them in a specific sequence. Spent a lot of time sitting in a hole staring at PVC pipes. In addition, the original owner thought it was OK for the plumber to install the main shutoff valve below grade. I made a Travertine marble box so it could be used without a shovel (some leaf scooping required).

Bob:

I really like looking at your plumbing.

However, I expect you to keep it polished, flossed, and shined. Looks as nice as an air manifold.

Andy, I knew I couldn't get away with dull plumbing so I spent time selecting the best fittings and buffing them before assembly, staining them and polishing again after assembly and repeat until the sun went down.

Crikey Bob! You did well taking on those large screens.

Fixed my little brother’s screen door the other day and even their neighbour came around to see what all the consternation was about. Not my favourite job but glad I wasn’t using the older style wire mesh. Probably did help that the little spline roller that came with the kit was made of the same quality as those cheap cooking utensil sets they make for 2 year olds. Eventually holding the wheel axle between thumb and forefinger. Your spline roller looks absolutely awesome by comparison. May have to see if my special import arrangement(Amazon) has anything like it. Worst part is that I bought a few rolls of black fibreglass mesh on clearance and mice got into it of all things. Just managed to find on roll with enough width left to fit the screen door. Hope the rest provided ample indigestion, respiratory and dermal distress to the pests nesting in it.



Don't forget to clock your nuts!

Guster, I do remember aluminum screening but I think it involved sandwiching it between the frame and a piece of trim. I love rats with terminal indigestion. I keep a bait station stocked with rat candy in their scenic highway beyond the pool enclosure.

It's very hard to clock shriveled nuts!

 

[Bob Heine]

It's done! I measured more than twice and was very careful but apparently the threaded fittings shortened the manifold once it was connected. No big deal, I just un-sweated one fitting and shortened the tubing. Having the correct measurement means nothing if it's the wrong direction. The tube I cut needed to be lengthened, not shortened. OK, un-sweat two fittings without affecting the adjacent ones, cut a longer piece of tubing, ream out the solder inside the fittings and put it all back together. TEST THE FIT and then sweat the fittings back on, again without affecting the adjacent fittings. All I have to do is polish the copper and put it all together.

It appears you should wait until you are done handling the copper before you do the final polish and it's a good idea to clean the filthy flux from your hand. It needs another polish but here goes:

The white thing on top of the filter housing is the wrench to open the housing. It's going to stay there because wherever I put it will be a complete mystery a year from now. The fancy side is OK too...

Again, I apologize for not going back and giving the copper a final cleanup. It will be given the full GJ treatment when I install the cartridge. I need to go back to Home Dumpster but we avoid weekend visits except in dire emergencies.

I didn't plan it but was pleasantly surprised when the wheel flossing stool fit in it's old spot. I was even more surprised that the double bucket fit as well. Being lucky is always a welcome bonus.

I still have to cut a piece of wood to fit behind the mounting bracket to take the weight off the copper lines. That's going to be done when I have the cartridge housing out of the way.

 

[wasfast]

Clearly you forgot the rest of the Garage Journal Required checklist items:
Clean all items and remove dirty fingerprints after installation
Polish all items whether they need it or not
Clock all screw heads

Certainly these would all apply for such important things as a water filter

Hah!

 

[Bob Heine]

Clearly you forgot the rest of the Garage Journal Required checklist items:
Clean all items and remove dirty fingerprints after installation
Polish all items whether they need it or not
Clock all screw heads

Certainly these would all apply for such important things as a water filter

Hah!

Wasfast, I feel like such a slacker.

 

[Bob Heine]

I removed a bush from the swale out front and also removed some of the dirt and pebbles (I screen the dirt out). The wife found a spot that needed the pebbles so I rolled the full and half-full 5-gallon buckets of rocks to their new home. As I was passing the big staghorn fern hanging from the mahogany tree, I noticed it was opening up.

This thing is like a family pet to my wife and it would be a catastrophe if it broke apart. I thought about ropes or chains but I couldn't make it tight enough to prevent further opening up. Then I remembered all the pieces of 4X4 posts I have that are just waiting for a purpose. At first I thought saw-horse design but settled on a tripod. Cut one end of each post at 15-degrees with the 12-inch miter saw and then cut one side at the same 15-degrees using the table-mounted Portaband (metal cutting blades are real slow for rip cuts in wood). Flattened the faces of the cuts and the top of the tripod with my power plane. Got a little carried away with it cleaning up the 4X4 faces but realized I didn't want it to stand out too much. Screwed the three legs together and then screwed a scrap piece of 1X8 shelving to the top. I coulda shoulda thrown away that piece of shelving but this way it is a sacrificial surface on the posts' end-grain.

I don't know how much the fern weighs but I can't lift it. I just pushed it to one side, tilted the tripod under the middle of the ball and pulled it back to center. Seems to be holding...

The fern is big enough that it covers the tripod on the sides visible from the street and the house. Only one neighbor can see it and they are new renters who have avoided contact with us.

This was a fun and quick project using stuff in the scrap piles. No need to leave home.

 

[Terrick down Under]

B, I think I heard somewhere that you put 2 banana skins between the tree and the staghorn and this helps it bind to the tree.