thank you.
that video gave me a perfect explanation.
A new topic for the sawmill project.
Blow pipe, or material handling piping.
I want to install some basic blow pipe work around my mill site, blow pipe was used to move sawdust and shavings using forced air, from point A to point B . In my case I want to run lines from the box factory and planning floor of the main mill building to the fuel bin and TeePee burner.
I found an old abandoned mill site near Medford, OR recently that still had some pipe work in place. Today I stopped and took several pictures for reference to model on my mill site.
Believe it or not I actually worked on several installs of this in the real world when I first started in the sheet metal trade wayyyy back in the day.
Anyway a couple pictures.
Should be a fun project. I will use 3/4" PVC pipe for the “Blow Pipe” , not sure about the tower supports yet, maybe 3/16 brass brazing rod.
Good project for later this Summer.
I’m planning on using 3/4" or 1" PVC pipe for my feed mill. I’ll be following along to see what things I can steal. Brazing rod is a interesting idea for supports. And cheap too!
Getting a start on some of the piping for this project.
Drew the plans for the first Utility Fan and the square to round fitting. Then laid out the half pattern for the square to round on Styrene.
Started on the fan by using a wood block covered in Styrene and built the squirrel cage. I used a 3/4 PVC threaded adapter turned down in the lathe so it will slide inside the 3/4 PVC pipe for a secure fit.
I turned down a piece of 3/4 pipe to get a round, consistent piece than ran it through a jig to get two center lines equally spaced so I could align the cuts properly. Here I have one 3 piece 90 assembled and one ready to put together. Also have the pattern for a 4 piece 90 laid out and need to do some 45’s as well.
More as it develops
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Interesting. These are the kinds of details that make industries visually interesting to me.
Thanks for showing us your step by step.
Rick,
How did you cut the PVC with the various angles? I’m guessing just a normal chop saw?
I’ve got a lot of similar cuts/corner bends when I get to them on my feed mill. I was thinking of using PVC piping for the straight runs but hadn’t figured out a way to do the bends.
Do you really think turning them on a lathe to make a consistent size is a critical step? I don’t have a lathe, so I don’t know if mine would turn out as nice as yours.
Craig,
I cut the pipe on the table saw using the miter gauge and a jig.
The reason I turned the pipe, in 1 ft sections was to clean and true it up because of the marking jig I came up with. This process is only for the pieces used for making fittings. The long straight runs will just be the PVC pipe in it’s natural state.
The marking jig.
I used a 3/4 inch coupler turned smooth inside and out so the pipe would slide through it. The coupler was glued into a wood frame and drafting pencil lead was used on each side as a scribe. First I draw a parallel line the length of the pipe then use it as a siting line to pull the pipe through and mark the sides.
With the lines it makes it easy to set up the cuts and glue joints so the come out correctly.
Another way to build a material handling elbow is shown in the first proto picture, enlarge for a better view. Probably wouldn’t be the perfect fit for grain handling operation as these were used where the material quickly wore through the metal on the elbow heel because of it’s chunky sharp edges. The elbow heel plates were easily replaceable without having to replace the entire elbow.
Or you could probably just 3-D print them and save yourself all this work 
I’ve been thinking about 3D printing the elbows but if I can easily cut them on an table saw that’s an option too. I’m assuming 22.5 degrees for each section?
Another way to draw a straight line on a pipe is to use a door jam. Stick the pipe in the corner of the door jam and run a pencil down the pipe using the jam as a guide. Hits the middle of the pipe. Learned this trick as a kid making rockets.
Interesting idea Craig. 
Do the doors in your folk’s house still have lead marks? 
No but when they moved out, my bedroom carpet had a 'Polly Scale Steam Power Black" stain… I dumped a full bottle off the shelf when I was painting in the bedroom.
As did I. An yes, there was probably lead marks on door jambs all over the place!
A carpet to a modeler is like a fire hydrant calling to a dog… 
Beautiful reproduction Rick 
No kidding …extra periods for the 20 character limit .
A few more pieces completed. I am making up the long runs of pipe in 18 inch sections and putting flange rings every 6 inches this represents approx. 10 foot sections of pipe. The flange rings are just sections of 3/4 inch couplers cut and slid on the pipe. Also turning down 1/2 inch pipe to use as an internal coupler for the pipe sections.
Time to figure out a method of support for the piping.
More later.
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Finally got some of the blowpipe installed from the box factory building headed to the fuel bin.
Now working on the Supports to carry this pipe line to the fuel bin and started the cyclone that goes at the tee pee burner.
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Got the next section done. Only 3 more feet but it is kind of time consuming.
I decided to go with a timber support structure, rather than steel, as this is a saw mill and one thing they have lots of is boards 
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Finally finished this run of pipe to the fuel storage bin.
I plan a second run of pipe from the sawmill building along the same trestle
supports to the fuel bin.
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Looks awesome Rick. Your attention to detail is amazing.
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