11 replies to this topic

[Scooter1]

What a lot of people don’t realize is that many of the materials needed to make great homemade are accessible from the stores near them. This write up will show you how to make a skirt seal comparable to a mcmaster skirt seal from hardware parts.
Materials:
Delta Replacement Cam
1/2 PVC
1/2 CPVC
2X 1/4 Hex nuts
1/4X1-1/5 fender washer
super glue
hot glue
mallet



A delta cam faucet part is the main ingredient for this seal, and you can find them in the plumbing isle of the hardware store by the o-rings and other faucet parts.



We only actually need one part from the kit for the skirt which is this:



As for the steps of making it, it’s dead simple and really doesn't require step by step pictures.

1. cut a 1/4” long piece of 1/2 CPVC out

2. hammer a 1/4 hex nut inside the CPVC

3. hot glue in the tiny spaces between the nut and inner wall of the CPVC so air can’t escape through the tiny spaces

4. cut out a 5/16” piece of 1/2 PVC out

5. hammer your CPVC with the nut in it into the PVC piece

6. flip the skirt from the sink repair kit inside out, apply a ring of super glue around the PVC, stretch the skirt over the PVC and let dry

And finally, when you go to install on a plunger rod/head, you need a drill a 7/32” hole (don’t tap it for strongest hold) and screw a piece of 1/4 threaded rod into it (you’l need pliers to do so). Next you screw on your skirt seal assembly and then the 1/4X1-1/2 fender washer and finally another 1/4 hex nut.

Here are pictures of the finished product:

You can see where I applied the hot glue to seal those small cracks:







And here is how it should be installed on 1/4 threaded rod:

Edited by Scooter1, 30 July 2012 - 08:49 PM.

[roboman]

Nice find!

Does it fit in 1 3/8" ID plunger tubes?

[Scooter1]

Nice find!

Does it fit in 1 3/8" ID plunger tubes?

Yessiree, that's about the ID of 1-1/4 PVC which this seals perfectly in

Edited by Scooter1, 28 July 2012 - 10:33 PM.

[Ozymandias]

Interesting. Not sure if I'd want to pay the $9.35 + tax for just the kit, but interesting.

[zx532]

I agree with Ozymandias,are there any other uses for the other parts?
From what I can see there are two springs (how stiff?) two rubber seals? a piece of metal (how thick/how rigid) and a random plastic thing. Is that right?

[Scooter1]

I agree with Ozymandias,are there any other uses for the other parts?
From what I can see there are two springs (how stiff?) two rubber seals? a piece of metal (how thick/how rigid) and a random plastic thing. Is that right?

Sigh, you guy's questions made me realize I should have researched this more before posting. I started looking around online and it appears you only need to buy a cam kit, not the whole repair kit which has a bunch of useless for nerf accessories in it. I still need to go to home depot and buy a kit to verify, but here's a link to a 3 dollar cam set which should have the rubber skirt we need. http://www.homedepot...ml#.UBc3w0KX-s1

After I check out the cam kit on monday I'll change the write up to reflect the right materials.
These should be much more cost effective than mcmaster skirt seals!
Allso worth mentioning they don't seal when you are pulling them back so, they shouldn't have the vacuum loading misfeed issue with hoppers, though I haven't really tested and don't plan to.

Edited by Scooter1, 30 July 2012 - 08:41 PM.

[KoRnEd]

I actually discovered these around last year. At my HD, they are 3.95, which is cheaper than a regular skirt. For those using cpvc plunger rods, I would actually replace the 1/2" PVC with a 1/2" CPVC Endcap. Much simpler.

[Tangerle]

Wow very nice! Is there any way to get that peice from the repair kit alone? Also what peice is it called and what size?

[Scooter1]

Wow very nice! Is there any way to get that peice from the repair kit alone? Also what peice is it called and what size?

There’s no way or reason to, it’s one of two pieces from a 2 dollar kit… I think the rubber part is called the cam packing.

Edited by Scooter1, 15 August 2012 - 12:37 AM.

[Tangerle]

There’s no way or reason to, it’s one of two pieces from a 2 dollar kit… I think it’s called the cam packing.

Thank you! This helped very much.

[jon evans]

how good is the seal in 1 1/4 pvc? is it 100%?

Edited by jon_evans, 09 September 2012 - 11:22 PM.

[bhajj94]

how goo is the seal in 1 1/4 pvc? is it 100%?

Yessiree, that's about the ID of 1-1/4 PVC which this seals perfectly in.