Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Flanges on the Cheap
Date: Oct 10, 10:45 pm
Poster: Richard Hester

On Oct 10, 10:45 pm, Richard Hester wrote:

Those looking for large flanges on the cheap and are intimidated by ready made prices might consider making their own. Consider that a flange is a sheet of metal with: 1) a hole the size of the outer diameter of the chamber 1/2. This could be made with a small lip for welding to the chamber wall (best), or if the hole is exactly the same size of the chamber OD, the two could be welded together if the two thicknesses are not too dissimilar. 2) a bolt circle. This could possibly be dispensed with if claw clamps are used to hold the two flanges together. 3) An o-ring of some type. An o-ring groove could be dispensed with if the ID of the flange and chamber is chosen to fit one of the standard sizes of ISO captive o-ring.

Nobody really said that the outside of the flange has to be round, so the real work is placing the holes for chamber and bolt ring. Having access to a shop (or friend) with a milling machine is convenient for the large hole, but a patient person could rough out the central hole with a drill and do the fine work with a file and lots of elbow grease.

Me, I'm lazy and I will buy the flanges for my large chamber, but if you're abosolutely impoverished and have a lot of time on your hands, things are possible.

Another option is finding a piece of pipe with flanges already in place. A lot of semiconductor process equipment gets built and dismantled in my neck of the woods, so I've been able to pick up some readymade SS cylindrical chambers (read pipes with flanges) at my local junk shops. Cruise scrap yards, dismantlers, surplus places, etc...

Richard Hester