brass solenoid valve modded succesfully!!

[Brian the brain]

I jst wanted to share this with you guys!!
I think I'm the first to succeed in
modding a brass pneumatic solenoid valve ( Bürkert, if I remember correctly) for pneumatic actuation.
Rated to 16 bar, so in my book that means double that!
Only thing that could fail is the diaphram anyway..and that can be replaced by neoprene!!

A shame it's only a 1/2"one!!

It wasn't even that hard!!
I had to take the solenoid off, file down the top of the valve untill I had a flat surface.
I then tapped a 1/8 hole in the top and put in a 1/8-1/4 adapter.
I turned the top 180 degrees, so the "vent channel ", that is normally used to trigger the valve, no longer lined up with the corresponding hole in the body of the valve.
I put he valve back together again and it works perfectly.
It feels very solid and strong, so I'm as happy as stuffing in a turkey!!

Tomorrow I'll use it on a cannon.I was thinking...small bore sniper, relatively small reservoir, onboard shockpump, and pressure washer handle as the pilot...

Later I'll see if I can use it as a pilot valve for my bigger cannon .
Project Overkill ( the '2'steel cannon I'm working on, for those of you who don't know)is giving me a LOT of problems due to leaks.
I could use other fittings to solve this, but those would not give me the compact look I'm after.

greetz...BTB

[MrCrowley]

I've always wondered about those, Good job and finaly someone has the balls to buy one and mod it.
Only thing that stopped me was I heard they are used for airbag suspension and have low flow compared to a 1/2" sprinkler valve.

I guess we will soon find out. Congrats.

[Brian the brain]

I've read somewhere thatwhen both are unmodded, these are better than sprinklers.

I was once offered a 2"solenoid valve for 60 euro's, wich isn''t very expensive..
I didn't feel like buying it at the time because it looked huge to me with the solenoid on, and I thought, at the time, it was impossible to mod it!!
Boy, does that hurt right now!!

It would have saved my whole "Overkill" project!!


Oh well...
regrets...I've had a few..but then again...too few to mention...

[Hotwired]

Ahh Brian you should check the UKSGC forum more often, CT modded one back in April

http://www.uksgc.co.uk/forums/index.php ... l=solenoid

He had to buy it to open an account at a supplier so he decided to mod it - 1" valve for ~£55.

[MrCrowley]

I've read somewhere thatwhen both are unmodded, these are better than sprinklers.

I was once offered a 2"solenoid valve for 60 euro's, wich isn''t very expensive..
I didn't feel like buying it at the time because it looked huge to me with the solenoid on, and I thought, at the time, it was impossible to mod it!!
Boy, does that hurt right now!!

It would have saved my whole "Overkill" project!!


Oh well...
regrets...I've had a few..but then again...too few to mention...

60Euro is alot of money, thats like $80US!
Anyway on www.trademe.co.nz im currently bidding on two 50mm solenoid valves(plastic) for $2NZD which is like $1.2US

[Velocity]

Thats pretty cool... but a LOT of people over on spudtech have modded them for pneumatic actuation. Most people just don't do it because of price. But whenever anyone finds one cheap... they'll buy it and mod it.

Back before my piston valve days, I modded a couple of those metal solenoid valves... my biggest was a 2.5" valve; it soon broke though, because I didn't use a tap.

[Brian the brain]

So, I'm not the first...I'm just ONE of the first...few...hundred...hahaha

Thanks for the link!