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Smoke System

olyolson

olyolson

Well Known Member
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I have a Smoke System Helper 4 gallon aluminum tank in the deep well of the forward baggage area of my RV-8. It has been working well but last year after a spilt second of inattention it overfilled and caused a bit of a mess that took a while to clean up after removing the tank. It would have been helpful to have a clear tank like the Smoking Airplane kits so I can always see the smoke oil level. I already have a good pump and all the plumbing so would like to remove the aluminum tank and replace it with a transparent plastic tank and use the rest of my installed parts. I want to keep it in the deep well on the right side so I still have the large fwd baggage area available. I sent an e-mail to Smoking Airplanes so I’m sure I’ll hear from them this coming week but curious if anyone has already done this. Ideally I’d like to just swap the tank and hookup to my existing system.
 

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With the caveat that I'm not flying yet, I shamelessly stole an idea from one of the guys at FFC and got a float style mechanical gas gauge from some kind of small gas tool (a generator or lawnmower or something) and prosealed it into the top of my smoke tank. It's not direct transparency but it should give some kind of useful indication. Hopefully in the next year we'll see how well it works ...
 
rmartingt said:
With the caveat that I'm not flying yet, I shamelessly stole an idea from one of the guys at FFC and got a float style mechanical gas gauge from some kind of small gas tool (a generator or lawnmower or something) and prosealed it into the top of my smoke tank. It's not direct transparency but it should give some kind of useful indication. Hopefully in the next year we'll see how well it works ...
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Picture of this float installed?
 
That’s a pretty good idea since you could mark the gauge at the correct fill level the first time you fill it and not have to guess looking down into the tank. If you had a picture and a link for the gauge that would help. This forum is worth every penny!
 
What I got is something like this:
51T4F+dg6ML._AC_SL1500_.jpg


I don't have a link for the exact one though. I just cut a hole in the top of the tank, carefully cleaned all the swarf, and prosealed it in. I can try to get an installed pic next time I'm out in the shop.
 
That is one of the benefits of a fiberglass tank. I rolled my own system and added a spill well / lip and a very large filler cap. That way you can see better when filling, and any spills are contained and easily wiped up. An in-tank pump keeps the install very clean. Just two wires and one hose to a firewall distribution block. Works great. A few bolts and it lifts out if you need the space. I'm now making a second, slightly improved version that incorporates a sloped bottom to match the 8 baggage well slope. More distractions from my new 8 build!
 

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FL-Mike,
I love it! That is a perfectly designed system with everything thought out very well. So fiberglass holds up well to smoke oil? Well done
 
Here's my solution for RV8 El Zun Zun. I will build a second for my new to me RV14 . . . .
 

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fl-mike said:
That is one of the benefits of a fiberglass tank. I rolled my own system and added a spill well / lip and a very large filler cap. That way you can see better when filling, and any spills are contained and easily wiped up. An in-tank pump keeps the install very clean. Just two wires and one hose to a firewall distribution block. Works great. A few bolts and it lifts out if you need the space. I'm now making a second, slightly improved version that incorporates a sloped bottom to match the 8 baggage well slope. More distractions from my new 8 build!
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Fantastic!!! Thinking here: glue some foam together, shape that, layup fiberglass, remove foam mold/core through access hole! Nice.
Question: any concern for oil compatibility? Did you coat or line the inside with anything?
Love the top side flange bit! Multipurpose!
Kudos.
 
Lucmac said:
The reviews on every one of these I could find are riddled with don’t waste your $ recommendations because of some type of severe defect. Do you have a link to the one you have and how long has yours been working?
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Like I stated before up-thread... I don't have a link to the exact one because I didn't buy it (it was gifted to me), and I'm not even flying yet. It's been working great sitting there indicating "empty" though ;)
 
ksdflying said:
Fantastic!!! Thinking here: glue some foam together, shape that, layup fiberglass, remove foam mold/core through access hole! Nice.
Question: any concern for oil compatibility? Did you coat or line the inside with anything?
Love the top side flange bit! Multipurpose!
Kudos.
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Right. I glued some foam up, radiused the edges, covered it with some Monokote(!) I had laying around to give it a slick surface, waxed it, and layed up the glass and epoxy resin. Took a little work to pull it off the form, but this photo is actually the second pass after some minor form repairs. If you don't care about saving the form, no problem! You could also do a female form. The top is just a flat panel trimmed to fit and setting on some little glass tabs to position it. Same for the baffle. Layed those up on a piece of window glass.
No issues with the oil. Boaters have been building tanks out of glass for ages, and smoke oil is pretty mild stuff. There is a baffle in the tank to reinforce the sidewalls otherwise they will bow out. I'm a total glass hack. I'm sure Dan could make something much prettier, but mine gets the job done. If you have the Bingelis books and some thin core material, you could also panel one up like in his book chapter on building fiberglass fuel tanks.
 

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fl-mike said:
That is one of the benefits of a fiberglass tank. I rolled my own system and added a spill well / lip and a very large filler cap. That way you can see better when filling, and any spills are contained and easily wiped up. An in-tank pump keeps the install very clean. Just two wires and one hose to a firewall distribution block. Works great. A few bolts and it lifts out if you need the space. I'm now making a second, slightly improved version that incorporates a sloped bottom to match the 8 baggage well slope. More distractions from my new 8 build!
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Nicely done Mike. Can you share what in-tank pump you’re using. There are many for fuel systems available, but I’m not sure how well they’ll work with smoke oil. How about nozzle sizes in the exhaust pipes? Working pressure?
 
Perhaps more reliable than a mechanical gauge, and slightly more complicated than having a see-thru tank: A pair of 90º elbow fittings and a length of plastic tubing gives me a sight gauge.

(not my idea, but I'm glad it's there)

- mark



1713852360326.png
 
Anyone know what's going on with Smoke System Helper? I ordered a kit for my RV-8 back in Dec and cant seem to get a response.
 
Xmxer13 said:
Anyone know what's going on with Smoke System Helper? I ordered a kit for my RV-8 back in Dec and cant seem to get a response.
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Posted March 31, 2024
Jim Wolc said:
Greetings smoke system customers.......Jim Wolc here owner of smoke system helper.......so a quick health update to explain our position and the delays some of you are experiencing.....as some of you know i had developed a problem with my back before thanksgiving and was and am still having difficulty in filling kits as sitting upright in a chair causes great pain...1st visit is a chiropractor......he won't touch me without a MRI....he looks at the pictures and sends me to a back surgeon as he believes i have a bone growing into my spine that is causing the pain paralysis and neuropathy.....the back surgeon looks at the pics and sends me to an oncologist.....prostate cancer that has metastasized to my bones.....the pain as subsided somewhat or the hydrocodone is masking some of the pain but am back to filling and shipping kits....albeit slower.......now to address oleg b....he doesn't have any order with me and his purchased was refunded......things are improving and all orders will be filled just a little more patience....thanks for the patronage and the over whelming support both in phone calls and text messages.
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