My diy tig torch cooler

[Robert Hall]

She's finally finished.

Some specs...

3.5 gallon 16 guage stainless tank
45 psi shureflow pump 12v. #8005-292-139
125cfm fan. 12v and way overkill. But it's what I had.
850 watt computer power supply. Again, what I had.
9x12 aux radiator from ebay. $50.
16x24 aluminium base. 12 gauge.

Finished product:

[Robert Hall]

Some of the build highlights...

[Robert Hall]

And...

[Austin Bennett]

That's really cool Robert, a nice use of "stuff I had lying around". What would you say it cost you to build? not including labor of course.

[kuzineddie]

Man that looks good Robert! Maybe I should say "cool"!!!!!

[rhunt]

Mount an indoor/outdoor thermometer on it, drop the outdoor probe through the fill cap (small hole big enough for the probe to fit through and bango, instant temperature indicator. I think you will be surprised at how little the coolant temperature rises with all that cooling apparatus you have there. Nice job! Best Bob

[shovelon]

Nice job!

Building coolers is fun!

[Robert Hall]

That's really cool Robert, a nice use of "stuff I had lying around". What would you say it cost you to build? not including labor of course.

Thanks Austin,

I think I have around $225 in to it with materials, and shop crap in to it. I did buy the stainless bungs, the radiator, and the pump. I had the stainless and aluminum.

[Robert Hall]

Mount an indoor/outdoor thermometer on it, drop the outdoor probe through the fill cap (small hole big enough for the probe to fit through and bango, instant temperature indicator. I think you will be surprised at how little the coolant temperature rises with all that cooling apparatus you have there. Nice job! Best Bob

Interesting thought. I have a pressure gauge and it may mount in the bottom of the switch panel. Right now I want to glue some big metal.

[Robert Hall]

And thank you, Kuzineddie, Shovelon, Steve. The praise is much appreciated.

[MikeGyver]

You really need an air trap on the outlet to act as a pulsation damper. Positive displacement pumps like these diaphragm ones make some pretty crazy vibration in the torch lines. Before I put one on mine it drove me crazy cuz the torch would vibrate.
Are you just running the internal pressure switch to regulate the pressure? Does it cycle on and off like every second? Try running it off the 5v tap on your power supply (or even 3.3v), you may get better performance.

[Drf255]

Robert,

That looks great. Great job. How big is it? Tough to get perspective.

That's one crazy a$$ piece of copper block you got there.

[atg]

You really need an air trap on the outlet to act as a pulsation damper. Positive displacement pumps like these diaphragm ones make some pretty crazy vibration in the torch lines. Before I put one on mine it drove me crazy cuz the torch would vibrate.
Are you just running the internal pressure switch to regulate the pressure? Does it cycle on and off like every second? Try running it off the 5v tap on your power supply (or even 3.3v), you may get better performance.

Love it.

Yes the trap is the bees knees. They are like $7 at home depot. The small 1/2" diameter one works fine like MG mounted it. And the little filters are on McMaster for not much money. I run a 3/8" line into the pump to avoid any starvation from the filter (bigger inline filter).

A fan shroud would trick it out (and make the cooling a bunch more efficient if that matters). But you know that.

The tank is awesome.

Did you gouge those bend lines with a skill saw or something? Just curious.

Thanks for posting. I love looking at different solutions to this problem.

[killdozerd11]

Nice work Robert

[Robert Hall]

You really need an air trap on the outlet to act as a pulsation damper. Positive displacement pumps like these diaphragm ones make some pretty crazy vibration in the torch lines. Before I put one on mine it drove me crazy cuz the torch would vibrate.
Are you just running the internal pressure switch to regulate the pressure? Does it cycle on and off like every second? Try running it off the 5v tap on your power supply (or even 3.3v), you may get better performance.

I think I saw the one you did, Mike. Did that work well for you?

Thanks for the tip. Ill look into that for sure bud.

[Robert Hall]

Robert,

That looks great. Great job. How big is it? Tough to get perspective.

That's one crazy a$$ piece of copper block you got there.

Crazy a$$$$$$ is right. I had to sell my left n#+ for that, but it's +I+s.

The tank is 12x12x6 and the base is 16x24.

[MinnesotaDave]

I dig it - nice work!

i like the copper lines instead of rubber - looks cleaner

[Robert Hall]

Love it.

Yes the trap is the bees knees. They are like $7 at home depot. The small 1/2" diameter one works fine like MG mounted it. And the little filters are on McMaster for not much money. I run a 3/8" line into the pump to avoid any starvation from the filter (bigger inline filter).

A fan shroud would trick it out (and make the cooling a bunch more efficient if that matters). But you know that.

The tank is awesome.

Did you gouge those bend lines with a skill saw or something? Just curious.

Thanks for posting. I love looking at different solutions to this problem.

I scored the lines with a table saw cutting about 60% through. The al won't take more than one bend but it's pretty stiff. I used that on all the 90 bends. Gives a real sharp 90 bend.

The fan I have on out is 125 cfm and the fan itself is a 5" fan but sounds like a jet prop.

[Robert Hall]

Nice work Robert

Thx kd.

[Robert Hall]

I dig it - nice work!

i like the copper lines instead of rubber - looks cleaner

Thanks Dave. I wanted a more traditional look. In another life I was a pipe fitter. 8-)

[Robert Hall]

Are you just running the internal pressure switch to regulate the pressure? Does it cycle on and off like every second? Try running it off the 5v tap on your power supply (or even 3.3v), you may get better performance.

Running of 12v. Yes using the internal switch. It seems to be running smooth, but I'll give it a closer look.

Again, thanks for the tips.

[docwelder]

good job bob. i probably could do the welding but never in a month of sundays could i assemble those components and come up with something that actually works.

[Robert Hall]

Ha! I doubt that Doc.

Regardless, thanks.

[Robert Hall]

So, Mike, you were right about the duty cycle being messed up. It took a minute or two for me to notice it. I just bypassed the switch and let it run. It runs great.

I think on the one hand you might overwork the pump if it has a blockage or something, on the other hand, using a lower voltage on a motor is hard on them too.

Damned if you do Damned if you dont.

And the vibration in the line is so slight I dont even notice it.

Thanks again for the tips.

[Ngray]

My shurflo diaphragm pump gave out after about 2hrs of use. I should have looked more closely at the duty cycle before buying. Got hot as balls and quit.

It was an 8000 something, direct wire with the pressure switch.

Just a tip.