I use small accumulators in my ships that have trips or quads. Singles or twin guns can get by with just the airline, although I still use small accumulators on them for good measure. Now since I have a bad left arm and hand, I can not hit the button all that fast.... because of that, I only need small accumulators. Now if you fire as fast as Jeff Lide does, you may consider hauling around a 55 gallon air drum behind your ship! All joking set aside, I have not had any issues with my quads using only a small accumulator on each Kip. I attach them directly to the kip on the intake side and they get all the air they need. For this "how to" I am making a set of 1/2" brass tube accumulators for my Mutsu. She has quad sterns and a rotate bow, so I will make five in total. I use 1/2" brass tubing from the hobby shop (I always try to support them when I can) and clippard parts for the rest. I use standard brass bulkheads www.clippard.com/part/15027-BLK for the ends that have a threaded hole for the barbettes. I use a small 10/32 nipple www.clippard.com/part/11999-BLK to attach the accumulator to the kip along with a reducer, www.clippard.com/part/2CPF-BLK All the parts except the tubing can be purchased via clippard.. If you havn't done so, I would recommend going to clippard www.clippard.com/ and ordering a catalog.... it's big and full of all kinds of goodies... and it's free of course. *Disclaimer.... I am not the best at soldering so I dont want to hear about my messy joints.. Here is how I make the small brass accumulators... Of course there is the parts and tools..... standard solder and flux. I use a dremel for cutting the tube since I overheated my small cutoff saw I got from harbor freight... Standard propane torch. Some people use map gas and silver solder... either works here. Here you can see the different types of fittings from clippard I can use.... I luv the push to fit connectors. Here is a close up of the bulkhead for the ends.... ...and what the finished project will look like. Right after you cut the tubing, debur the ends... I use a hobby knife to do this... the deburring tools just don't seem to work for me. Once the tube is ready, clamp it into a vise or other holder that can take the heat. Just do not over tighten.... Then apply some flux to the inside of the tube.. you want to place flux where ever you want the solder to attach to... and don't place flux where you don't want solder because it will follow the flux... I also flux the threads on the bulkhead.... I use the propane torch to heat up the tube and bulkhead.... A little tip you don't see here is to snip off a little piece of solder from the roll and place it on top of the joint to be soldered... that way you can tell right when the tube is hot enough because the solder will melt and run to the flux... The one thing you don't want to do is over heat the material... the solder will "bubble" and run off if the tube is too hot... When the flux is boiled off and the tube is hot enough it's time to place the solder onto the joint. Place it on the opposite side of the flame and let the heat of the tube melt the solder, not the flame... You will see the solder run into the joint and pool up some on the bottom... no big deal as it can be filed off later... what you don't want to see is what I have here below... you can see the small gap in the solder at the joint.... you want a smooth steady seam of solder... If this happens, do not panic, just add a little more flux, it will burn off fast... then add a little more solder when hot enough. Then do the same for the other side. Do not drop your accumulator in the water to cool it off.... it will make the solder brittle... let it cool on its own.. Here is a finished joint that looks good... for my ability anyway... Be sure to use a little soap and water to clean off the flux. It is very corrosive and will cause a build up of green crap on the brass later on.. and the Kips do not like chips of green crap in them... And the five are done... Now all I need to do is add the clippard parts to finish attaching them to the Kips. Hope this helps those who are just learning....
Much easier than how I have been doing it with the copper pipe and end caps, soldering a 10/32" male-to-male on one end and a barbed fitting ont he other. Nicely done and pretty, too! Stickied!
Yep. the bulkheads fit very nice into the 1/2 brass tubing... http://www.clippard.com/part/15027-BLK I added links in the original post for all the fitting parts.
Will the flux just become corrosive if it's still on there and it comes in contact with water? Just asking because it seems like you do put quite an amount on the threads that go on the inside of the tubing and I was wondering if that has ever caused problems or if you have been able to clear it out with air or does the solder run down inside there also. Just wondering, been awhile since I soldered anything in general. Also what kip valve series are you using? Thanks
valve number 141115-13 they are 6vdc 1/8" oriface The flux will run burn out... I use soap to clean as much as I can... never been too much of a issue.
okay thanks McSpuds. Also have you had a look at the kip jr valve then and if it would work in regards to space savings? Figure price is not to much of a worry when a valve will pretty much work forever with normal maintenance.
I am not positive, but I think I read a thread earlier about the Jr's... I think the air flow was not sufficient enough. Not sure.. I can check. Do you have a link?
http://www.norgren.com/us/info/43/kip_direct_acting_solenoid_valves You have to download the datasheet. It's just pdf. Thanks again.
