Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Every fusor and fusion system seems to need a vacuum. This area is for detailed discussion of vacuum systems, materials, gauging, etc. related to fusor or fusion research.
MatthewL
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by MatthewL »

Ameen,

Are you planning to build a fusion reactor or just a vacuum chamber for various experiments? If so, I wouldn't think you would need an 8 inch CF flange unless you already have a chamber you are going to use and need a blank to close one of the ports, or if you are making a massive vacuum chamber. For fusion you could use a chamber with only 2.75" CF flanges. In that case the flanges could be made on most manual and CNC lathes with proper tooling, or bought for even cheaper from somewhere such as Ebay or LDS vacuum. LDS vacuum has 8 inch CF blank flanges for $120 USD, it would be tough to manufacture a flange of this size even cheeper.
Also, there is no need to quote my post if you reply.

-Matthew
Ameen Aydan
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Ameen Aydan »

Hello,

I was planning to make my fusion reactor 6” in diameter. I just thought I could use a cnc machine from a college that would be willing to help due to their precise technique, and if that doesn’t work, my school has a 2 axis cnc machine that works on old software. And like I said, I would polish this to an extreme to prevent any leaks. As you can see, the price of using a cnc machine does not concern me, but the cost for a $120 flange does. I’m only asking if it is possible to reach fusion atmosphere with a homemade flange.

Ameen
Jackson Oswalt
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Jackson Oswalt »

Yes, it's possible to reach pressures low enough for fusion with a homemade flange. The real question is whether or not YOU Are capable of making a good enough flange. Unless you have experience with precision machining your chances of creating a usable flange are very low. You would be far better off purchasing these flanges. In fact, I have two that are brand new from LDS vacuum if you'd like to purchase them. However, reality is that they will cost more than $120. If the price of the flanges scares you, then you may want to revisit this project once you saved up some more money. Building a fusor is costly.
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ian_krase
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by ian_krase »

It's not needed to have conflat flanges for fusion. If you can do CNC machinist, an O ring groove is more than good enough.
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

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MatthewL
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by MatthewL »

It is possible to machine CF flange on a CNC machine, but it really depends on the machine. I am assuming you mean a CNC milling machine. In that case it will ultimately depend on the specific machine. Is it rigged enough, big enough, etc.? I doubt a college workshop would have the proper machine and the necessary tooling to create the knife edge.
CF flanges are made to work at the ultra high vacuum (down to 1X10^-13 torr). A CF flange is not at all necessary for fusion pressures. Really, any O ring sealed flange, such as a KF or ISO, will work great as long as the proper material is used (Viton, nitrile, etc.). You could make a CF flange, but not use a knife edge, instead you could use an O ring groove. Regardless, stainless is a very difficult material to machine, and if you decide to go with a CF flange, it would be far easier to purchase one.
Are planning to use the 8 inch CF flanges for a spherical chamber?

-Matthew
Ameen Aydan
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Ameen Aydan »

The college that i'm asking has very heavy and precise milling machines (yes, CNC milling machines), that being said, I would imagine that it is possible to create a knife edge. Just thinking of it, MDC or Kurt J. Lesker probably have the exact same CNC machines in terms of specs. The CNC machines they used in accuvac, in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGNRapSjGVU, are also the same as the colleges from what I have seen. So maybe it is possible, but I would need to know the accuracy of the knife edge to what degree in order to integrate it into the making of the ConFlat flanges. If that doesn't work, I would be happy to look at the design of an O-ring ConFlat flange. And yes, my plans are to create a spherical chamber with a diameter of 6", and if my plans to make a ConFlat flange go well, maybe even 8".\

Ameen
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by John Futter »

ameen
will you pplease stop copying in what others have said in your replies
it wastes server space and makes things hard to read and as such is frowned upon on this site
Last edited by John Futter on Tue Apr 17, 2018 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Ameen Aydan »

i apologize, i am new so thank you for giving me these tips, it is quite helpful.
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Richard Hull
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Richard Hull »

I went back and edited out the quotes and am sensitive to the needless quoting by many noobs and will continue to delete and edit out long needless quotes.

As always, we, here, are smart enough to follow a thread from beginning to end without repeat-re-quotes within a single original posting.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Ameen Aydan »

ok thanks, can we get to answering the question now... please?
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Jackson Oswalt »

Your question has been answered countless times. Is there something you’d like to hear? Yes, you can make your own conflat flange. Go ahead. The question you are asking is not a yes or no question, but you want a yes or no answer. If you truly believe you are capable of making a decent flange, then do it. Maybe you’ll learn something.
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Jerry Biehler
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Jerry Biehler »

Yes, you can. You dont need a CNC machine. And CNC is much more complex than throwing a CAD file at a machine and make it go.

I made this adapter years and years ago, manually machined:

ImageIMGP4940 by Jerry Biehler, on Flickr
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Jerry Biehler »

Better pic with less glare:

ImageIMGP4948 by Jerry Biehler, on Flickr
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Richard Hull
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Richard Hull »

I also hand turned and hand milled my first true fusor flanges, view port window and adaptors. Many hours and great fun at the time. When figured against a paying wage for my efforts versus the list price of true conflats. I would have been payed a bit over $1.00 per hour, once material costs were figured in. At my age I rather live those hours doing more fun stuff than standing at a lathe or mill as I have more money now than time.

If you have full access and command over a CNC system, and all materials needed, go for it. No need to discuss it, just do it!

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
Ameen Aydan
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Ameen Aydan »

thank you so much for this reply this was exactly the answer i was looking for fromthe last two people. is it okay if i pm you for some more information about this subject, just so i can get a little help to start up.
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Richard Hull
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Richard Hull »

No need to PM me.....I know zero about CNC beyond how cool it is and expensive to own. I know lot about lathe work and milling and I know I would never make one more vacuum fitting during my lifetime for less than $100.00/hr!!! I would be glad to make you a single 8" CF flange for $2300.00. Nuff said....

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Tom McCarthy »

Ameen I would advise printing off something like the following:

https://www.kimballphysics.com/multicf- ... dimensions

It contains most all the dimensions needed for making your own flanges. Your next step is to find someone locally who can help you turn those dimensions into a real flange, perhaps someone in that college's machine shop, or someone from another machine shop locally.
Ameen Aydan
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Re: Can I make my own ConFlat flanges?

Post by Ameen Aydan »

Hello,

I recall further back in this thread that John Futter mentioned that I can get some ConFlat flanges from China at cheaper than the material costs. IS this true? If so, can anybody reference where to get them? As well, would they be of any lesser quality than the average you can purchase from Kurt J Lesker? Would they perform the same in a vacuum (keep the vacuum at a low pressure)?

Thank You
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