Cheap centrifuge testing - an Acme juicerator, it works!

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Posted

quote:
Originally posted by ONADAY:
I am a bit confused .. there seems to be three different models of the Acme juicer... Which one seems to be the best one to use??

The 2 most common models are almost the same and I have tested both to work identical:
From my post on page 1: Many of the 5001 and 6001 model# parts are interchangeable, the difference is the top part is stainless on the 6001 models instead of very hard plastic on the 5001.

YVORMV - Your veg. oil results may vary, see www.burnveg.com/forum
95 Dodge Cummins 4x4 +87 300TD wagon Running on 2 tank WVO, 81 Mercedes 300D on V80/D20 blend
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Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

ONADAY

member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by SunWizard:
quote:
Originally posted by ONADAY:
I am a bit confused .. there seems to be three different models of the Acme juicer... Which one seems to be the best one to use??

The 2 most common models are almost the same and I have tested both to work identical:
From my post on page 1: Many of the 5001 and 6001 model# parts are interchangeable, the difference is the top part is stainless on the 6001 models instead of very hard plastic on the 5001.

You mentioned that one model seemed to have a bigger motor as the base was an inch or so higher..

Location: YAKIMA, WA | Registered: 22 March 2007

Ignored post by ONADAY posted

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by ONADAY:
You mentioned that one model seemed to have a bigger motor as the base was an inch or so higher..

Correct but that has nothing to do with model#, some are taller.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

Member

Posted

JoJoJaro pm'ed me this and wanted it added:

I am PMing you to mention an idea that I read about in the ACME centrifuge thread. Miss Maria has not been checking her approval queue so I can not post directly. Please post this idea on the ACME thread for you or other people to try. I think this is promising in solving the balancing issue with ACME bowls.

I read in the thread about an idea that JMJ had. He thought that we can take some kind of paint and spin it in the centrifuge bowl. The paint would harden and seal off the pores of the bowl. Since we are spinning it while it is hardening, the resulting bowl would be inherently balanced even if it started out unbalanced.

Well, I think I have found a promising paint product for this application. I don't have an ACME so I can not try this myself.

There is an epoxy-based paint like substance at Home Depot called "Klenk's Tub and Ceramic Refinishing Kit". Its a two part epoxy paint. Supposedly it has the consistency of thick paint when mixed but it hardens into a ceramic like surface with the hardness and strength of a ceramic countertop. It is used to refinished cracked and broken ceramic tubs and surfaces. It can be applied with a roller brush.

One could seal off the pores from the outside of the bowl with tape and then apply this paint inside. Spin the bowl until the epoxy hardens. Apply 2nd or more layers as necessary. One can also apply on the outside of the bowl after the first layer hardens. This would help balance the bowl better and would make the ceramic structure stronger. By spinning the bowl, it should evenly distribute the paint as it dries and hardens while automatically balancing the bowl.

The product is $32 and it is about 1 pint in size. The hardener is about a 3/4 of a pint in size.

Please share this idea to have people try it. This could be the magic bullet in making the ACME a stable balanced centrifugre for WVO cleaning. I don't mind other people taking credit for this idea, I just want it tested so that I can use it to build my own ACME centrifuge.

Thanks for your pionering work on this

Jojo

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

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Posted

I don't like the idea of spinning it while it hardens since you want a very small amount of epoxy on the rotor. Just enough to fill all the holes and no more. If you spin it, then some could come out of the holes. If you had enough to move around in there to try to achieve balance while spinning, thats too much.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

weelliott

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Posted

hmmmm. that could be why mine is so out of balance. beyond the fact that it started out out of balance. I have enough on the inside and outside that you can't see the metal unless you hold the bowl up to a very strong light. Then you can see the holes. My epoxy is gray.

Bill

The more I learn, the more I realize just how much more I need to learn.

Location: Maryland, United States | Registered: 19 December 2006

Ignored post by weelliott posted

flysurge

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Posted

how about covering the holes on the outside with packing tape, spinning, and slowly add enough epoxy to coat the holes. Leave spinning until set.

Registered: 13 October 2005

Ignored post by flysurge posted

JuanMooreThyme

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Posted

Someone gave me their old acme juicer after I discussed this forum/thread some and I'm eager and ready to get started. I've got a couple of questions.
#1My PRIMARY concern that is driving me towards centrifugal cleaning is removing WATER.
How well is the acme centrifuge removing water?
#2What is the preferred epoxy for sealing the bowl?
#3 How far from the outer circumference do you need to drill the clean oil overflow holes?
I'm inclined to drill three for balance reasons.

I've heard read more stories of non-success on thread than successes. How many people are running this method successfully?
I'm getting that rotor balance and even epoxy coating is going to be about the most important issue.

Registered: 19 June 2007

Ignored post by JuanMooreThyme posted

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Posted

1. No one is reporting any water removal testing, and I haven't tested that since the balance is tricky enough I don't trust leaving it for 3 hours, so I just keep using my dieselcraft.

2. I prefer the polyester resin with hardener from auto parts store.

3. It depends on how out of balance your rotor is. The holes that worked for me are about halfway in the rotor as you can see in the pics on page 1.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

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Posted

Here is the problem I see in spinning the rotor with epoxy in it: Thicker is worse for balance. If you had a low spot in the rotor, it will fill with epoxy. This makes that side heavier, increasing the amount of out of balance. Which is the exact same thing that happens when its full of VO.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

ONADAY

member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Schroeder:
quote:
Originally posted by canolafunola:
If you are gonna machine rotors for it, can you try this idea I have? Instead of a cylinder shaped rotor with a flat bottom, how about a cone shaped botton and top so as to naturally force the heavier stuff to the perimeter?

quote:
Originally posted by Ron Schroeder:
I see from the latest pictures how the rotor is attached. I will try to find one of these juicers and machine a one piece rotor for it.

Ron ... Ron .. Have you made a rotor for this juicer yet??

I think the best would be just enough cone to the lip that you can reach under the lip to clean out the goo and just a small radius between the cylender walls and the flat bottom to also make cleaning that part easy.

Mostly a cylinder will allow more waste holding and make machining as concentric as possable more likely.

Not only does the rotor have to be balanced, the layer of oil and crud that is spun out to the cylinder wall has to be a consistant concentric thickness for balance while processing.

I am trying to figure the best way to machine a rotor from a 2 inch thick block of aluminum that I have.

Location: YAKIMA, WA | Registered: 22 March 2007

Ignored post by ONADAY posted

bill howard

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Posted

It is simple, but would it work???
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ALUMINUM-MARCH-UNDERDRIV...ash=item220133573127

Registered: 05 August 2006

Ignored post by bill howard posted

weelliott

Member

Posted

quote:
Originally posted by bill howard:
It is simple, but would it work???
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ALUMINUM-MARCH-UNDERDRIV...ash=item220133573127

You would still need to mount it to a motor somehow. You also need to seal the open end, which doesn't seem like it would be to hard. The trick will be mounting that to something that can spin. Maybe find a 5.0 liter engine crankshaft and cut off all but the end, mount it in a bearing, and go to town with it. You coudl actually run this suspended beneath an electric motor so the opening is on top. In reality you could also run it over the motor and have the oil fall out the bottom. The centrifugal force would keep the rest of the crap in... until you shut it down.

Bill

The more I learn, the more I realize just how much more I need to learn.

Location: Maryland, United States | Registered: 19 December 2006

Ignored post by weelliott posted

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Posted

Please keep this discussion on the Acme juicer CF, and use another thread for all the other possible types of CF.

Location: N. Colorado | Registered: 31 August 2006

Ignored post by SunWizard posted

bill howard

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Posted

Your right. Sorry about that.

Registered: 05 August 2006

Ignored post by bill howard posted

jeepin, moggin Jessup (coachgeo)

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Posted

Got my Acme filters today. Turns out they are slightly taller than the actual basket. They also are NOT joined into a circle. Just a long rectangle you fit into the basket. I spun mine to let cenrifical force fit it into place.

Because of the height the top edges of the paper bulges and wrinkles some what. Going to get a fine cutter and try some experements. With various materials such as even a sheet of plastic cut to the right deminsions to fit in the basket cleanly.

_________________________
If you believe you can't YOUR RIGHT;

But equally so.... if you believe you can, YOUR RIGHT as well.

Location: North Tx | Registered: 23 November 2002

Ignored post by jeepin, moggin Jessup (coachgeo) posted

jeepin, moggin Jessup (coachgeo)

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Posted

RE: Spin on something to seal the holes.

Thanks for all the input on material and ideas. JoJo thanks for emailing in your .02

As to putting tape or something on the outside to help what ever your spinning inside to seal the holes:
This might defeat the purpose of the concept of spinning to help ensure balance. The material added to the outside changes the balance of the whole thing so the material spun inside to fill the holes will locate itself according to the balance of things WITH the material there. Once you remove the outside you change the balance.

Think your better with using something to help ensure the holes get blocked be put inside only so it can stay in there. This is what got me thinking of just using the filter paper made for the units. Filter paper holes are smaller than the basket holes anyway.

This might be better especially when taking into account what Sun has said. Thick stuff (paint, oil etc) throws it off balance easily as it is. Might need thinner paint/sealer. Maybe a hand full of BB's too if the dried sealer will lock them in place.

Sounds like all this should be done AFTER drilling your holes in the top. Again so your not removing material from a balanced unit and making it unbalanced.

_________________________
If you believe you can't YOUR RIGHT;

But equally so.... if you believe you can, YOUR RIGHT as well.

Location: North Tx | Registered: 23 November 2002

Ignored post by jeepin, moggin Jessup (coachgeo) posted

jeepin, moggin Jessup (coachgeo)

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Posted

Dug around the crafts store yesturday (hobby Lobby). Up by the section where they sell cutting boards I found some plastic sheets. Sheets thickness was just less than the thickness of the metal they used to construct the top of the bowl.

So far I have done a poor cut of one the length and height of the inside of the bowl. I have little tools left here at the house now so it was a ruff ugly cut. (took a load of tools to TX where I am moving too already) Ended up too short by 1/8".

I gooped the edge of the piece cut out w/silicon adhesive. I should have used the type ok with fuel and oil. Used a very small bead. I only wanted to adhear to the lip on the top and bottom of the bowl that the mesh material is welded to.

After putting it into place I spun the bowl in the Acme. (this is when I found the gap). I let it dry for a while.

Filled the gap wiht silicon adhesive front and back. let it dry. Not long enough. next time I spun it this slung out. Did it again and waited longer.

Since I did not use gas/oil impervious silicon I added a sealant that is suupose to be so on the edges. Well tried to atleast. Reaching inside the bowl with this tube of stuff that runs out of the tube easy was just leaving a mess so I just poured it on in there near the edges top and bottom. Reattached the bowl and spun it again. This slung this adheasive to the edges.

Temporary test one. poured some water in the bow with my finger jamed in the bottom hole. Sloshed it around. NO LEAKS.

Will wait longer till its fully dry before putting water in it and spinning it to see if it truely got sealed.

Next test after that will be with some #1 diesel I have that got wet. Want to see if I can dry it this way.

_________________________
If you believe you can't YOUR RIGHT;

But equally so.... if you believe you can, YOUR RIGHT as well.

Location: North Tx | Registered: 23 November 2002

Ignored post by jeepin, moggin Jessup (coachgeo) posted

bio-me

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Posted

ACME on the ROAD
We've come about 700 miles from N.Cal using our hanging Acme to process oil enroute.(See earlier post for picture).It has been working well, but I perhaps overheated some oil to + 180 and blew out a small 1/4" piece of resin near the bottom. I think perhaps the metal bottom or side rail expanded too much from the heat. I've patched the bowl and had a slight bit more instability with the last 10 gal. I'm going to try my backup bowl or else drill the holes ala sun's example.
I do get some instability when filling the bowl between 1/2 to 1 1/2 cups, but then it stabelizes fine. I'm going to try just filling the bowl with 2 cups before starting the juicer.Sorry I'm not able to contribute more to the ongoing development of this. I got to the point where it worked for me and have hit the road for the next 9 months and hopefully 10,000 mi. (www.chicosol.org for pictures and story) Finding oil has been the hardest part so far. I'll check in at the next wifi spot in Yakima, WA. Veggie Voyager.

Registered: 08 August 2006

Ignored post by bio-me posted