What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.....

[Mikey P]

6]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InaQsi1lNiU6]



I think Duane's new units are the nicest looking out of all the Garage Built offerings..

Frame looks plenty stout, love the symmetry of the control panel too. He is dead on on importance and it's appeal.


Duane, do you have a video of a propane powered, waste tank version?

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Thanks, Mike.

I'm not so sure about the term, "garage- built", though. We have a 3,000 sq. ft. shop and currently 2 part- time assistants. I used to do all of the frame welding personally, but got out of that in 2007, when I changed the frame design to an open one. (We do have a MIG and can weld mild steel and stainless.) So now, virtually all of the actual fabrication is done by outside fabricators, allowing us to focus on assembly and speed up production.

The Dominator shown in the video was shown without a tank, but uses one. All Dominators use a full- sized recovery tank, unless specifically ordered "pumpout- only".

The Nemesis (heat exchange system, currently under revision) is basically a Dominator, heat exchange version. So it uses a full- sized tank, unlike the Xcel (heat exchange) which is pumpout- only.

All Vipers have one.

r]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV4xwj7V-V4r]

 

[-JB-]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Nice looking units, like the high flow coupler idea, nice for us high flow guys

 

[Desk Jockey]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

How about Micro-Builder, like Micro Brewery? Anyone that builds less than 100-units a year.

Duane
I saw your unit at MF-6, and I must say I was very impressed with the quality of the build. Very clean, well put together, just looked solidly built. You've really stepped it up several levels from some of your older units.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Nice looking units, like the high flow coupler idea, nice for us high flow guys

Thanks, JB.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

How about Micro-Builder, like Micro Brewery? Anyone that builds less than 100-units a year.

Duane
I saw your unit at MF-6, and I must say I was very impressed with the quality of the build. Very clean, well put together, just looked solidly built. You've really stepped it up several levels from some of your older units.

Thanks, Rich, thankyewvurymuch...

"Microbuilder"... It does have a nice ring to it...

 

[Desk Jockey]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

It works for the Micro Brewery's, they are smaller and the name says it without the negative connotation that small is not as good.

You're a Micro Builder! :mrgreen:

 

[Jay D]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Its a very nice machine, But its a steel frame, needs more bracing on it, uses mufflers for silencers, and where is the stainless? I can get a all stainless EZ3047 for $10,500.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Its a very nice machine, But its a steel frame, needs more bracing on it, uses mufflers for silencers, and where is the stainless? I can get a all stainless EZ3047 for $10,500.

Thanks. It's a steel, powder- coated frame. As for bracing, you need to look closer. The frame is 2" square tube and 2" x 1" channel. Both the deck for the blower and the engine slide plate are 1/4" steel, also powder- coated. The blower plate is 3/16". The deck, engine and blower plate are all broken on the front and back (and sides, for the blower plate), for increased rigidity.

No 1" square tube is used anywhere. Not that 1" is "bad". But 2" is simply much stronger and more rigid.

Mufflers are a plus, in my book.

I suggest that you buy an EZ, then. I've been asked more than once recently to design an "el Cheapo" system to compete with EZ, ChemTex and AmTex. I simply won't compromise.

Building systems has some things in common with cleaning carpet for a living. Mainly, you can charge enough to ensure that there's enough profit for company growth, or not. If you don't charge enough, you're going to have to compromise somewhere. That compromise may be in the form of having a second job to take up the slack, which means that your availability and therefore, your dedication, will be limited, or in cutting corners in some work- related way. But for me, this is all I do (I don't clean carpet on the side) and I'm not going to put 10 hours of labor into something and be satisfied to get $20 and hour for it.

Some people are. Just like some people will clean a whole house, "regardless of size", for $79.

 

[Mikey P]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Jay knows his machine is half assed at best, he was just being a clever loyalist to his neighbor.

 

[FB7777]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

I like your choice of motors, Duane

Do you have a video of the Dominator running? The machine you had in Nashville was vibrating quite noticeably.

Long term, I don't imagine excessive vibration is good for all the components

 

[Bob Savage]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Good looking designs Duane.

I have used belt-drive for years, without any problems, but I see you also offer belt-driven blowers.

I do like your design to align the blower/coupler, but with a belt-drive, you don't have that precise alignment concern.

I totally agree with the vacuum plumbing as far as making it as open as possible.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

I like your choice of motors, Duane

Do you have a video of the Dominator running? The machine you had in Nashville was vibrating quite noticeably.

Long term, I don't imagine excessive vibration is good for all the components

Fred:

No, I don't have one of one running. It's difficult to get everything I want to point out in a video and stay under the 10 minute YouTube limit as it is.

Interesting that you say the system in Nashville was vibrating "quite noticeably". We run them on the stands they're built on (like the ones in the video's) and none do so there, or in the van.

Did anyone else there notice such a thing?

 

[Mikey P]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Have you considered using larger bolts to hold down that blower slide/mount?


I imagine it's in your manual to check those weekly.

 

[bob vawter]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

OR...use SS carriage bolts so the square is in the slot and will slide when loosened a tad???

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Have you considered using larger bolts to hold down that blower slide/mount?


I imagine it's in your manual to check those weekly.

The blower plate is supported by (4) studs made from 9/16" bolts- 1 at each corner. Under the plate are (4) serrated flange nuts (lock nuts with 1.1875" wide flares on them, facing up). On top of the plate is a 9/16" "spring" lock washer and a wide 9/16 nut. (The flange nut below provides a wide base for support. The lock washer / wide nut on top is vibration- resistant.)

I see these 4 corner studs as having to provide structure and stability- so I went to 9/16" for that reason.

The blower is secured to it via 4 studs, composed of Grade 5 3/8" bolts, screwed up from underneath through holes tapped at 3/8-16. Roots washers are used, with 3/8" serrated flange nuts to clamp the blower to the plate.

You can see this best at 3:54 into the Viper video.

The bolts for the engine slide plate are also serrated flange ("lock") bolts. The frame is drilled and tapped to accept them.

If anything, you have to break the "lock" of these bolts, in order to move what they're holding down.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

OR...use SS carriage bolts so the square is in the slot and will slide when loosened a tad???

Bob:

I tried the carriage bolt thing back in 2000, when I did the "v2" Hammer and SledgeHammer systems. (They were my first square tube / open frame design. On that design, the blower plate could be moved back and forth to accommodate different sizes of blowers during assembly. I didn't like them because the height of the "head" under the bolt wasn't compatible with the 3/16" metal thickness of the plate and bottomed out before actually tightening. That's not an issue the way I do it now...

Also, carriage bolts have to be loosened from the bottom. These don't. So they're more accessible, which is done for a reason- ease of access for maintenance.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

DooWayne, what's the average life expectancy of the coupler???
and are they lasting longer on your new design compared to the old design frame??


..l.T.A.

 

[bob vawter]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

carriage bolts have to be loosened from the bottom

not if you put them in from the bottom wit a spring washer to keep them put....a couple of turns from the top and you can slide it easily...

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

DooWayne, what's the average life expectancy of the coupler???
and are they lasting longer on your new design compared to the old design frame??


..l.T.A.

I'm tempted to give you a Forsythean reply:

"There are three different definitions of the term, "average: "mean", "mode" and "median". If by "average, you mean the longest period and the shortest, divided by 2 (i.e., the "mean"), then the resulting answer would be, "approximately 1 year". However, if you are inquiring as to the sum of all coupler life- spans, divided by the number of couplers in the survey, then the answer would tend to be higher, in the "two year" range. However, if you are inquiring what occurs most often, then the answer would tend to fall in the middle of the other two, or about 1.55 years."

At any rate, they're lasting over a year, consistently. Consistently enough, that replacing them happens so little, that it's difficult for me to be more specific. And replacing them is super- easy.

Basically, it's not a concern.

Yes, the new systems couplers do last longer than the previous ones. These frames are rigid. They don't flex. Most of the old ones were rigid as well, after we went to 1/4" plate, which made the whole thing too heavy, IMO. (Open frames are a lot easier to work on, too.)

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

carriage bolts have to be loosened from the bottom

not if you put them in from the bottom wit a spring washer to keep them put....a couple of turns from the top and you can slide it easily...

Bob:

I don't like the unfinished look that that would result in. I like the look of a bolt head at the front of the system where it's more visible, vs. a bolt end, with nut and washer.

(Feel free to suggest whatever, though. I'm open to other ideas. That's how things get improved along the way...)

 

[Shane T]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Did anyone else there notice such a thing?

Duane, I was there and while I was impressed with the layout and simplicity of your TM, The two things that I noticed was the vibration and noise volume. What don't you like about silencers?

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Shane:

Granted, they're not as quiet as say, a ProChem, but they don't interfere with the airflow the way a ProChem or similar system does.

What was the evidence of the vibration you noticed?

As for silencers...

They take up too much space and as a result, dictate the layout of the machine. (The equivalent of what we use would be a 3" port, and the length would not allow the tank to be on the back of some of the designs we do.)

They don't last 4 times longer than mufflers (Though they cost 4 times as much.)

They're not easily replaced by the owners of our systems when necessary.

 

[bob vawter]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

i got a question...WHY do all the smaller slide-in units have the blower exhaust blowing in yor face..IMHO you guys should route the exhaust down and thru the floor..and THEN put another silencer UNDER the truck with a turn down!

 

[-JB-]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Coupler question...

Do they just wear down so that they can just be replaced at such n such hours or months, or do they hold fast until they just "fail" altogether?

 

[bob vawter]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

they just "fail" altogether?

You DID read my post about the guy that brought me his TM.........
his EXPLODED...... half making a giant hole in the roof....
the OTHER half..going thru the windshield.......
i won't name names....
but he does post here!

DAMNDS'T thing i ever saw......
i mentioned...good thing no one was SITTING there....but he reminded me that no one sits there while the machine is running!

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

i got a question...WHY do all the smaller slide-in units have the blower exhaust blowing in yor face..IMHO you guys should route the exhaust down and thru the floor..and THEN put another silencer UNDER the truck with a turn down!

Funny you should mention that. There is one design I did on paper about two years ago that does exactly that... the exhaust goes backwards, through the recovery tank (via a pipe, welded in for that purpose_) and then down through the floor, where a propane tank typically is located. (It was a HX prototype.)

Bob... My designs all exhaust at floor level of the van, or within 6 inches of that height.

SO UNLESS YOU'RE A MIDGET, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM!!!

Still, I have been looking in to turn- down's, to keep the exhaust pointed downward, instead of straight out.

 

[Duane Oxley]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Coupler question...

Do they just wear down so that they can just be replaced at such n such hours or months, or do they hold fast until they just "fail" altogether?

In my experience, they start to slip on one side, then increased vibration quickly finishes the job. They rarely actually come apart. They shred instead. Usually, one side looks okay... the other looks all mangled...

 

[Dolly Llama]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

Coupler question...

Do they just wear down so that they can just be replaced at such n such hours or months, or do they hold fast until they just "fail" altogether?

JB, I think there's a WHOLE bunch of jinky coupler set ups out there
cause you how many couplers I've shredded in appx 7000 hours??
One.
Know how many I've changed in appx 7000 hours??
ONE

we spin a 45 blower at 3000-3100rpm @14hg


..L.T.A.

 

[rwcarpet]

Re: What do you think Stockwell, would you buy one of these.

One quick question???? How and where do you vent the oil fired exhaust? Do you duct it out of the truck, or do you have a roof vent over top of it? That's a mighty lot of heat inside a truck.