You can fasten one end of like a stainless see-saw (gungbräda) where you fastened the spring and put it on the other end to get it out of harms way.
I’m hesitant to making suggestions to a seasoned woodgas driver, as well as a professor , but if it was me I think I would make more room for tar than 2 inches. Maybe too late, I don’t know? Other than that - it looks great.
For no other reasons than space and geometry, I didn’t weld a standpipe in, but instead just a valve to the side of the tank, on a certain hight. I couldn’t think of any drawbacks, but maybe there are? I guess I will find out.
well, stainless springs are not common in Sweden either, probably due to stainless is’nt very good for making springs, it stress-hardens (correct translation?)
The plastic coating seems a good idea, i have some “plasti-dip” paint somewhere, worth a try
Good suggestion Johan, i had an idea about a string and a pulley, just to keep the spring out of the way.
Often it seems i have to put more effort in making things less complicated.
Well, only likeness between me and a professor should be: im absent-minded like one, and not so little eccentric
Suggestions are always welcome, it’s the reason we hanging around on this forum
And: yesterday when i throw my head on the pillow it started “go through” the day, my condensate tank build came up, and as i didn’t weld the stand-pipe in place, i decided i make more room for tar, more like half the tank, 4-5" , Coincidence? Must be right?
As for side valve i don’t think it matters much, tar gets everywhere after all, my reason to build a stand-pipe is only the valve construction, that should make hopper-juice- dumping on-the-fly possible.
If you decide on one size valve and then put in a size bigger threaded reducer, you can thread in a short pipe to the valve and then a pipe in the other end like a standpipe, then it is easy to shorten or lengthen the pipe just by threading out the reducer and get the whole shebang out, pipe, valve and all. Does my explanation make sense?
Perhaps you have already done it this way.
If a spring for smaller forces made of stainless material is sufficient for you, welding wire is a very good solution. Try winding it around a suitable pipe diameter and test its force, it works quite well for undemanding cases.
Good Morning GorenK.
The correct term for metals in use hardening and embrittling is “work-hardening”.
“Stress” is a good enough statement. “Work(ed)” is more accurate for what causes the ultimate breakages.
Regards
Steve Unruh
The commercial plastic coating might be too thick and stretch the spring too much. You might need to thin it. Otherwise, it is probably the best choice.
As a note, acetone to break down polystyrene, which I am not sure is the best plastic to use in this case.
Apparently you can liquify hot glue sticks and that might actually stick, which is probably about the same stuff in the commercial plastic coating since I think they are both polyvynal mix depending on the manufacturer. but if there is no thinner recommendation for your plastic coating, I would see what this guy is using for a thinner.
Thanks SteveU, i recognize that term, probably what i was looking for, therefore i asked if translation was correct, technical terms can be really hard to translate, not much help from google.
And thanks Tone and Sean, very good suggestions, forum help at it’s finest.
For now i use a standard, zinc-plated spring, i made it somewhat easy replaceable, im going to do some “experimenting” with stainless springs, or coated springs sooner or later, or maybe, try surgical rubber-hose/tubing, instead of a spring? That type used for dangerous slingshots?
You could maybe powdercoat the springs, or cerakote them.
Cerakote is chemical resistant. They make an air cure ambient temp version.
Well, almost forgot to post the progress on the hopper juice container.
Welded together, looks like a mailbox

Cut out a “service hatch” the valve is visible down there.
The “drain rod” in the hatch.
Measure where to let the hopper piping in.
I put a handle on it, for ease of lifting it.
Piping in place, glued with some “magic” super sealing compound.
The old can, going to cut it open to save the tar.
Last finish, a thin steel cable connected to the drain-rod, a rubber boot from a clutch master-cylinder seals it up, no air-leaks

Easiest possible routing, the steel cable directly in to the cabin, going to put a snaplink or like on it, to get the cable away if carrying load.
Probably what I would do as well. I don’t think it will rust that fast… You MIGHT wax it like maybe ski wax, paraffin, car wax (does that actually exist anymore?), etc might stick to it.
You could use a solenoid instead of the cable.
The rubber boot is a slick touch, very clean look
Can you show me how you have done between the unit and the filter, with taps and pipes?
göran, for my ram pumps i make the springs also in stainless…i cut a stripe from ss sheet, for example 12 mm wide and 25 cm long, 1mm thick, depends how is needed , and roll it in a conus shape…begin rolling with the diameter of the screw, and than always round, every turn covers half of the turn before…
will try to upload foto, but the connection is very bad actually, the tourists consume all the internet line…
Here you go Jan, hope a sketch will do.
This is very much like the Finn’s build it, short piping, flaring outlet before hot filter.
Ah, flat-semi-helical spring, like the ones on old pliers and bush-scissors?
Good idea