I was settin in front of the boob toob watchin something on nbc about firestone and all that stuff. My feeble mind always wanders when bored. Rather than turn the stupid thing off I elected to leave the room and come to the puter room with the BIG Sharp copier. It's on the blink. Well, I fixed it [paper jam] and then set down here in front of this little monitor. I was thinkin all this time about a little project that i'm fixin to build. I have the blueprint in my brane. A VACUUM PUMP! Wow! Exciting ain't it? Well, there are lots of uses for a vacuum pump. Withdrawin stuff -like oil, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, freon [gotta be licensed to do that task] and a SEPTIC TANK! Most of y'all can understand the first list but SEPTIC TANK? Yeppie! It's possible to clean your tank out yourself. Items needed: Vacuum pump, 1/2" OD copper tubing with fittings, trailer and a big tank. How about an old fuel oil tank of 250 gallons? They are handy around here anyhow, cheap and will hold a bunch of stuff. You will also need a hose of about 3" diam. with a 1/4 turn, quick close ball valve at the tank end of that big hose. Close all openings on top of the tank and connect the copper tubing to an air tight fitting. Start the gasoline engine [electric motor will work too] with all openings closed. Let it pull a vacuum for a little bit. Don't wait too long until you open the big hose valve. If you wait too long it will collapse the tank. Make a trial run with the dude before using it on your septic tank. When you got it figgered out you might as well try it. Setting fairly close to the septic, start your engines gentlemen! Draw a vacuum for a little bit and then open the valve after the big hose is submerged about 1 ft. This "Honey Dipper" does work! Keep the engine running until you have a fairly full tank. DON'T OVERFILL!!!! If you do the pump will draw in "honey" and it's ruined! When the tank is full-take and dump it. I don't know how laws are but out here in the country -we can't just dump it on the ground. A dug pit will work fine if the big wigs don't find out. After you've completed the "sweet task" cover up the pit with boards to keep critters out. Clean the tank by droppin the hose into some water. Again be causious as to not comtaminate anything. If you can't get or don't have a 250 gal tank try a 55 oil drum. They work just as well but you'll spend more time "dippin honey" with these smaller ones. I'll post later how to build the vacuum pump. It may be a day or so--I need to let the "stink" die down a bit. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), September 13, 2000

Answers

How to build a vacuum pump. I know everybody is just dyin to learn how! A good 5 hp horizonal shaft Briggs engine. An automobile/truck a/c compressor. Tack weld the clutch/pully together. Mount the dudes on a board or whatever you have handy. Belt them together. You can use the fittings already on the compressor for your lines. The large hose is the vacuum input-[it sucks] and the smaller one is the discharge side-[it blows]. Works great and its cheap to build. Nothin fancy at all. Scrounged parts are usually layin around somewhere on your farm. Now that you have this dude built you can start buildin your "honey dipper". Enjoy! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), September 15, 2000.