The design of the electroflocator provides for the presence of a housing with components of a microcircuit and a remote type emitter. The generation and supply of the emitter to the electrode is provided by the circuit components. This element is located inside the hopper filled with flock and creates an accelerating electrostatic field accelerating the particles of the flock. There is nothing complicated in this design, and with the help of this article you will know how to make a flocator with your own hands.
Preparation of work components
Work begins with the preparation of materials necessary to create the unit.
First, the sheet parts are cut out of cardboard, and then individual parts of the emitter are selected, the size of which is influenced by the parameters of the hopper and emitter handles, the thickness of the cable and tube:
- The hopper can be made of hard plastic containers. It should tightly twist the lid, have a flat bottom, and its capacity vary from 250-400 ml.
- Tube - it must be made of polypropylene with a minimum thickness of 3 mm, otherwise the reliability and strength of the unit will decrease.
- Handle - it can be made from a pipe without seams.
- Cable - to make a flocker with your own hands, you need a coaxial cable with the following parameters: central core (d = 3.4 mm), external insulation (d = 14 mm), insulation between the braid and the central core (d = 11 mm).
Manufacture
According to the regulations, the electrode is positioned so that it is at a distance of 1/3 of the total height from the bottom of the hopper, and between it and the walls there should be a gap of 15 to 25 mm.
Making a flocator with their own hands, a hole of 12 mm in the center and a hole of 80 mm in the lid are cut out in the bottom of the can. Then, a circle (d = 78 mm) is cut out of the grid on the window, and a ring (d = 68x78 mm) is cut out of the ordinary polyethylene can lid, after which they are sealed with each other.
Plugs and adapters are machined on the machine, in which holes are cut (d = 5 mm). The same holes must be made in the tube and handle. Also, a groove is drilled in it, in which the contact will be soldered.
Materials for the manufacture of parts
To create a flocator with your own hands, you will need:
- Steel for the rack.
- Brass sheet for contacts and side electrode.
- Sheet steel for the electrode.
- Textolite and tourist rug - for washers.
- Plastic rods included in the modeling kits.
- Corrugated hose for watering plants made of polyethylene or a hose from an automatic washing machine.
Assembly process
Do-it-yourself flocker assembly is carried out as follows: the cable tip is stripped to the central core, to which pos. 38. After that, the outer and shielding braid is separated from it so that up to 50 mm braid “pigtails” remain on the cable. Details are put on the cleaned cable in a certain sequence, and then the rack end is passed through the housing openings in the hopper, washer, electrode and adapter and the cable core contact is attached. It is necessary to tighten gradually so as not to deform the holes on the side electrode.
The contact fixing point must be filled with epoxy, but before that the electrode should be attached to the rack inside the hopper itself. To do this, you need to bend the side electrode around the perimeter of the object and pull the tube onto the adapter so that the holes match, and install rivets in them.
Then the washers should be inserted into the pipe so as to leave 40 mm of its cavity free to accommodate the part 41. The holes should coincide with each other so that rivets can be installed.
Further contact pos. 44 you need to solder to the braid "pigtail", fasten with the handle with a screw (the handle must be set so that the contact is in the flat of the adapter), combine all the holes and fasten with rivets.
The last stage - the handle is installed with sealing washers and the plug is screwed, all the protruding elements are fused with a soldering iron, they are put on the mesh and the fixing cover.
As you can see, making one or two flocators with your own hands is not difficult. The main thing is to have patience, desire and precisely follow all the points of the instruction.