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Id second the schematic, it has me curious i've had a simillar idea but havent went ahead with anything out of laziness

Very cool Loud

650ed wrote: You convinced me! That is really nice! I'll be looking for you to demonstrate it on the TV program "Shark Tank." Maybe you can start put it into production; I believe it would sell. Ed

Hey Ed, if you like them so much maybe you'd be willing to part with that crappy old school set you have

JD

Maybe; but only after testing the two side by side for a few years.

too cool i would like one

or a list of parts and schematic

That is some badazzness.....real cool stuff.....

Well, just a list of parts and a schematic won't do it, since there is software and and an IDE (Integrated Developement Environment) involved. Since this is just the first attempt, I'm sure there will be some simplifying and streamlining to make it all more builder-friendly.

If anyone is truly interested in a project like this, they may want to look into Arduino. That is the brains of this whole thing. Radio Shack has just started selling some of their products, but it's a pretty involved thing to get into. It requires some electronics knowledge along with some programming. There is nothing easier, or more user-friendly, for working with microcontrollers. The best thing is that it is all open-source, and the software and IDE etc are free. The hardware protion of the microcontroller really only comes to about $10, as long as you know how to setup a chip with power etc. If you buy the pre-made products, it's less work, but more money.




Here's a cobbled together video to give an idea of what's involved with calibrating the manometer. You really just have to do it all once, but it doesn't hurt to re-calibrate the zero and idle vac before each use.

Too cool Loud, thanks for posting the vid.
I wish I had more electronics savvy , I'm pleased with my self if I can just wire a guitar correctly.
Your stuff is over the top.

JD

Very nice Lou.
Are you going to Patent this and start selling them?
I'm sure there are plenty of customers right here.

Awesome Lou...

If interested, Parallax Spin processors...
Been using them @ work in my designs from Basic Stamps to the new spin propeller processors...
8 simultaneous controllers working, compiler language easy to learn as well.... They Rock!


Parallax Spin Processor...

Lou's Geek Fu is mighty!

Thanks guys. I might try to CAD the board to get some small numbers made up, but there are still quite a few details that need to be ironed out.

Really, the most troublesome area is simply the hookup of the hoses to reducers, then to the sensors. The reducers I made were brass tubes soldered into brass fittings. That type of thing would cost a fortune to manufacture, and is quite overkill. It would be great to find an off-the-shelf, plastic part that had four reducers from 3/16" to 1/8" all in one block with a robust mounting flange.