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Final Report - DIY CO2 Manifold for M3 Deluxe Kit
This is just to follow up on my posts regarding the
modification of my M3 Deluxe 6.0 CO2 kit to allow the
attachment of a manifold.
(To review, I was initially told that I would not be
able to remove the needle-valve from the solonoid
because it was thread-locked together. I managed to
separate the two using a large wrench, leaving me
with a 1/8" female NPT fitting.)
I received many emails with advice, and even an offer
from Dave Grim for a free DIY manifold. Well, I
decided that I would build my own 2-tank manifold
from Clippard parts. Dave (and others) had extolled
the virtues of Clippard parts on the list before, so
I decided to use them. (They make various pneumatic
parts for industry.)
Anyhow, I found that with their off-the-shelf parts,
I could make a 2-tank manifold with 2 high-quality
needle-valves for about $25!! In addition, this
manifold can easily be upgraded with another $10
needle valve to add a third tank. (and could be
expanded even further with a couple other adapters to
accomadate many more tanks)
So, for those who might endeavor on a similar
project, here is what I used:
Needle-valve (2): MNV-4K2 $10.10 ($20.20)
1/8" NPT->3, 10-32 ports: 15090-3-PKG $3.20
Screw-plug: 11755-NP-PKG $2.10
Total: $25.50
Basically, you screw the 1/8"->10-32 adapter (which
acts as a mini 3-port manifold) into the 1/8" female
NPT port comming off the regulator/solonoid, then
screw in the needle-valves to the 10-32 ports on the
adapter. The screw plugs are to plug up extra ports -
in my case I just wanted 2 needle-valves. All the
10-32 connections come with little Buna gaskets, so
you don't need to mess with teflon tape.
It literally took me 6 minutes to assemble and test
the new manifold. No leaks, and very precise control
(better than the original M3 needle-valve). Now, as
soon as my PCF fixture arrives, I am ready to setup
my 29G!
I hope someone benefits from this post. Oh, one
thing - the adapter and screw-plugs come in bags -- I
think I have enough parts left over to build about 5
more manifolds! Just add valves. Also, I ordered
from their website, www.clippard.com, so I was
charged a $10 handling fee and $4 in postage. You
could buy these same parts from a Clippard reseller
without those fees. Check on their site for a
reseller nearby.
I have no affiliations with the company, blah, blah...
-Tony
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