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Post by vance on Apr 10, 2024 15:26:20 GMT -8
I've been saying I'm going to work on a venturi tube for these for a few years, I guess. I've done some experimenting with singlestage tubes, but this is the first time I've gotten around to adding one to the Dacor conversion.
If it works, I'll convert the rest of my collection of Dacor 400 bodies this way. Believe me, cutting a centered hole in the Dacor relieves a lot of the anxiety of cutting offset bores!
Now I'm in for some major fussing with primary and secondary jets.
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Post by vance on Apr 11, 2024 11:50:19 GMT -8
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Post by vance on Apr 11, 2024 14:40:24 GMT -8
I made a little T shaped alignment tool for these today, in order to keep the alignment of the second stage and the IP adjuster in line. It's a simple T, with bends to make it fit, and uses tape to keep it square. I'll use this in subsequent conversions. I will have to reset the IP, of course! This is in aid of the need to get the proper alignment of the second stage cap jets. I'm going to use an 8-32 setscrew, bored out as a jet, to keep the ring and body aligned. You can see it on the right side of the second stage body cap. Fortuitously, the setscrew marked the position of the jet on the second stage for drilling. There will need to be a secondary jet (or two) to keep this venturi under control, I think!
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Post by vance on Apr 11, 2024 15:12:55 GMT -8
The ring that I made for this one isn't going to be needed for subsequent conversions. Hopefully, just turning the second stage cap a bit thicker so it can support the venturi tube, but still pass the IP adjuster w/o interference will work.
It's a process! I want to make these work very well w/o too many hoop jumps! A good thing is, the poppets for this conversion can be standard USD, or modded Conshelf parts.
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Post by vance on Apr 13, 2024 14:46:30 GMT -8
Here's a new cap with the venturi tube, no ring. EZ, PZ. As with most of Vance's machining projects, the ring goes on the scrap pile. It wasn't in vain. I learned something from it. Don't judge me! The lever shown is an early, kinda crude part. I think it was the first double bent lever I made. I have gotten better at making them. This reg and a Trieste/Titan II I'm working on will get new ones. They are very time consuming! Lots of drilling, hacksawing, fiddly bending, and filing. It takes me over an hour to make one. I've made a couple of changes to the second stage seat and threaded tube as well, but haven't tested it yet.
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Post by vance on Apr 14, 2024 20:28:08 GMT -8
I did the test today. It works! I'm having fiddly poppet spring issues, but it's just a matter of finding the right tension/length.
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Post by vance on Apr 15, 2024 11:28:51 GMT -8
More finishing done. The retaining screw is located and installed, and the two retainer grooves machined into the second stage cap. This is tricky since the drilled and tapped screw hole has to be perfectly aligned or the lever won't clear the IP adjuster. This lever is particularly tight since it wasn't made for this regulator. It was originally for a Titan II conversion. Now that the regulator is complete, I have to start the jet tuning process. This will probably need a secondary jet or two, since the venturi tube jet diameter is smaller than the usual 1/8" jets I usually drill.
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