Mk III Terpenator

[Grow4Flow]

I just received a response, something along the lines of "I have been busy with tutorials". Also looking at the SubZeros now. RB, are you able to use Dry Ice with your unit?

 

[mack 10]

@prune, so you can do a run then disconnect tube, empty tube then repack ,re connect and continue?

 

[rb extractors]

yes you can. we pack our column and recovery tank overnight in dry ice

 

[mack 10]

Cool.

 

[rb extractors]

we are working on a more complete inline dewaxing, but the system doesn't really lend itself to it. It isn't an issue for the majority of people, but the big labs will want systems that you can accomplish this

 

[Gray Wolf]

So what are the limitations of the mk3?
what size are the standard tubes? and how much material to fill them?
are they easily switched?
How many times can I repack the tube and not overfill the collection pot ? (I wish)
Any other tips or advice from owners, especially things NOT to do?
should be getting one in the next couple of months and I cant wait!

What Prune said:

The Mk IIIA holds about 150 grams in a 1 1/2" X 24" column, depending on oil content and packing density.

Cycle time is about 15 minutes, to an hour, depending on what you're making.

The columns are held in place by two Tri-clamps and are easily switched.

The number of columns depends heavily on their oil content, but maybe six columns of average stuff.

 

[Grow4Flow]

GW,
I almost pulled the trigger and bought the MKIII from Specialized until Allen came back with a quote which pretty much indicates that Specialized charges about $1k for assembling the parts.

 

[mack 10]

^^ don't they pretty much screw together?

 

[BakedBandit]

I was interested in buying the same setup from specialized, but for some reason I can't load there web page anymore?

 

[Grow4Flow]

^^ don't they pretty much screw together?

I thought they did

 

[Loc Dog]

Has nothing to do with happiness, it has to do with the practical aspects of engineering and building complex systems, involving multiple engineering disciplines.

There are subtle differences between a Mk IIIA, and larger fully automated recovery systems, with multiple columns and collection pots.

Even though Carla is a talented Electrical Engineer, from a practical standpoint, with Specialized Formulations struggling to dig out from their current business load, adding more to their pile hardly seems like a good idea. Supporting any of their efforts to dig out, seems like a better one.

I am not a part of Specialized Formulations, so my ideas and suggestions are also not always appreciated or accepted gracefully. Staying out of her business smooths our relationship as partners in SPR.

Waywardwolf, on the other hand, is ready to start a new career at age 44, and I would like to share with him what I learned in my professional lifetime, as part of his heritage. I have never been able to do so up to this point, because his mother and I divorced and she moved him far away, so as to limit our time together.

We also almost always have a good time together, but I notice that he takes a lot of what I share with a grain of salt as well, and comes up with good ideas of his own, so the success of WolfWurx may lie in Waywardwolf's ability to pick the best ideas, and of course, to run his company, so as to service the customers needs.

In the interim, there are a lot of others offering competitive systems that work too, so may the best system prevail! Hee, hee, hee..................

I wish my father was an "awesome" engineer, that cared about others!!!!! He is a very lucky boy!!!!

 

[Permacultuure]

GW,
I almost pulled the trigger and bought the MKIII from Specialized until Allen came back with a quote which pretty much indicates that Specialized charges about $1k for assembling the parts.

Theres plenty of sources out there. Build your own and you'll begin to appreciate the service provided by specialized and others.

 

[Grow4Flow]

Theres plenty of sources out there. Build your own and you'll begin to appreciate the service provided by specialized and others.

Hmm, they haven't lead me to believe that. It's ok though, i've already moved on, that ship long sailed

 

[BatmanX]

Love this thread, cannot wait to get one. I've seen some crazy cotton candy pictures!

 

[Gray Wolf]

I wish my father was an "awesome" engineer, that cared about others!!!!! He is a very lucky boy!!!!

Thanks for the good thoughts, and wish mine was too! Alas, we all deal with the cards we were dealt!

Mine was successful at what he did, but alas, never had time for me, except to point out where I was failing to meet his expectations and standards and how superior he was both physically and intellectually.

Wound tighter than a seven day clock from growing up in the Great Depression and flying waist gunner in a B-17, being blasted apart around him by radar controlled anti aircraft ground batteries, while doing bombing runs over Germany.

Good to have a high energy PTSD model of perfection to aspire to, yes?

Hee, hee, hee, Son one's mother, my ex wife, argues otherwise about the luck part. She argues I am more like a plague, whom he inherited all his less endearing traits from, and moved him to the opposite end of the US to keep us apart growing up, so it clearly is all about perspective.

Mostly glad we will have some quality time together and I just wish I was as nice as everyone thinks Graywolf is and glad that Waywardwolf and I are such good friends despite any of our less than endearing qualities.

 

[Gray Wolf]

GW,
I almost pulled the trigger and bought the MKIII from Specialized until Allen came back with a quote which pretty much indicates that Specialized charges about $1k for assembling the parts.

Easy to build your own from Glacier parts if Specialized asks too much.

Now Glacier even has the concentric reducer injection tee, and a 6" lid with the 1 1/2" hole already bored, but here is a list of what I get from Glacier to build one.

I would give the part numbers and price, but I haven't built a Mk IIIA for a while and they keep changing both the part numbers and price.

Glacier Tank

1.1 NPT 1/4" female X 1 1/2" end cap 304SS (1)
1.2 1 1/2" Sanitary triclamp ( 4 )
1.3 1 1/2" X 24" Sanitary spool piece (1)
1.4 1 1/2" Viton sanitary seals (3)
1.5 1 1/2 X 1" Sanitary concentric reducer (1)
1.6 1 1/2" sanitary X 1" ball valve 3 piece (1)
1.7 1 1/2 X 12" (1/2 of) sanitary spool (1)
1.8 6" Sanitary tri clamp (2)
1.10 6" X 6" sanitary spool (1)
1.11 6" Sanitary end cap (2)
1.12 1 1/2" Viton sanitary seals with screens (2)
1.13 6" Viton sanitary seal (2)

 

[Gray Wolf]

Theres plenty of sources out there. Build your own and you'll begin to appreciate the service provided by specialized and others.

A good point. Businesses mark up the merchandise to pay salaries, insurance, and operating expenses. One of those expenses is spending a lot of time on the phone holding hands with customers.

Once you hire the first employee to take care of that, the whole ball game changes from an expense standpoint.

Someone also has to pick up the parts and take them to the machine shop and the welder, as well as pre-assemble the system to make sure everything is present and fits, as well as packaging and shipping it.

The thing that is neat about fee enterprise, is that as soon as one vendor stops servicing the market, or gets greedy, they create a market window for someone else to take advantage of and the market corrects itself.

 

[Grow4Flow]

Easy to build your own from Glacier parts if Specialized asks too much.

Now Glacier even has the concentric reducer injection tee, and a 6" lid with the 1 1/2" hole already bored, but here is a list of what I get from Glacier to build one.

I would give the part numbers and price, but I haven't built a Mk IIIA for a while and they keep changing both the part numbers and price.

Glacier Tank

1.1 NPT 1/4" female X 1 1/2" end cap 304SS 1
1.2 1 1/2" Sanitary triclamp 4
1.3 1 1/2" X 24" Sanitary spool piece 1
1.4 1 1/2" Viton sanitary seals 3
1.5 1 1/2 X 1" Sanitary concentric reducer 1
1.6 1 1/2" sanitary X 1" ball valve 3 piece 1
1.7 1 1/2 X 12" (1/2 of) sanitary spool 1
1.8 6" Sanitary tri clamp 2
1.10 6" X 6" sanitary spool 1
1.11 6" Sanitary end cap 2
1.12 1 1/2" Viton sanitary seals with screens 2
1.13 6" Viton sanitary seal 2

thanks GW!

 

[Gray Wolf]

Here are the Paramount parts

Mk IIIA Parts from Paramount

NO ITEM REQ
1.0 Paramount Supply
1.1 1/4" 316SS tubing/.035 wall (4')
1.2 1/4 NPT to 1/4" Compression 304 SS (2)
1.3 1/4" Ball valve (2)
1.4 1/4" MPT X 1/4" Male flare brass (2)
1.5 3/8" X close 304SS nipple (1)
1.6 3/8" 304SS cross (1)
1.7 3/8" X 1/4" 304SS bushing (2)
1.10 1/4" X close 304 SS nipple (1)
1.11 3/8" 304SS ball valve (1)
1.12 3/8 MPT X 3/8" male flare brass (1)
1.13 1/4" X 4" 304SS Sch 40 nipple/ 1/2 used (1)
1.14 3/8" X 3" 304SS Sch 40 nipple/1/2 used (1)
1.15 1/4" X 7" 304SS nipple/Threaded one end (1)

 

[rb extractors]

A couple suggestions on the parts... get hex reducing nipples to reduce connection points and for ease of assembly use hex nipples. You don't need to use them, but it helps