Cutting the pipe

[worley]

Well, it was a lot easier to cut:
[attachment=1:3mncyk01]TOM_3874.jpg[/attachment:3mncyk01]
The new one is on the one on the right (duh!)
It didn't have the problem of the first plastic, where it melted behind the cutting wheel, the PVC-C seems to withstand higher temperatures and is slightly more rigid.
It did, however, pinch a little in the middle, so I simply ran the Dremel down the whole line again and it came out much more even.
I can now happily say that I've got nearly perfect even flow over the whole mesh, with virtually no splashing, it's completely silent, and now very few bubbles in the water (that were occurring where the flow was highest).
I've now cemented (with glue) the fittings together, and made a slight design change, by adding a 90 degree angle on the end so that the pipe doesn't kink (which it was when coming out from the side of the main pipe):
[attachment=0:3mncyk01]TOM_3875.jpg[/attachment:3mncyk01]

[Patrick Pending]

I scored a line along the pipe then drilled small holes all along the score line and cut the slot with an ultra-fine dovetail saw. So my screen is gripped by a a sort of postage stamp serration on each side. My reasoning was, that a straight slot might clog with algae and reduce the water flow. In practice I have found that even the serrated slot clogs with algae :roll: I think I need to shield the slot from light to stop any algae building up and blocking it. This system needs to run for at least a fortnight, unattended, when I go on holliday.

Cheers,

Pat. Pending

[worley]

Hi there,
Yeah, it may be a good idea to shield, say, the top inch of the mesh from light if you're going away for a few weeks, that should stop most of the growth from blocking it up and causing any splashing.
Let us know how well it works.
Tom.

[nm983]

Here is what I did to get a clean slit:

1 - cut a narow slit clean as possible.
2 - using a file thick as you want the slit to be go over the first slit.

this will result clean and accurate cut.