Flowbench build. Fun project that pays dividends

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pittsburghracer

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Not sure I'm putting this in the right area but if you want a fun project that will help your street and strip performance and knowledge of air flow here's a fun little Winter project. Bruce at PTS Flowbench Forum - Login sells the plans to get you going. I built the 8 motor bench so it will handle more than I will ever need. These benches once calibrated are almost unbelievable in how accurate they stay. I never totally finished mine and prettied it up but its going strong with zero maintenance after 100's of flow tests. Here are a few pictures of my build but if you are really interested sign up on the above forum and do some reading.


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flow bench 088 by John Cadamore, on Flickr


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flow bench no 2 089 by John Cadamore, on Flickr


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flowbench002 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

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flowbench3-9-10005 by John Cadamore, on Flickr
 
Do you REALLY need that many motors? I used to work part time maintaining equipment for a family had several laundries here locally, and a couple of car washes. Those car wash vacuum motors are nothing short of scary. I used two of them to repair a central vac in one of the laundries. Ended up unhooking one and it STILL generated so much static electricity in the hose that it was painful!!

Anyhow this is marvelous. I've dreamed of such, but don't know much head theory LOL
 
Not sure I'm putting this in the right area but if you want a fun project that will help your street and strip performance and knowledge of air flow here's a fun little Winter project. Bruce at PTS Flowbench Forum - Login sells the plans to get you going. I built the 8 motor bench so it will handle more than I will ever need. These benches once calibrated are almost unbelievable in how accurate they stay. I never totally finished mine and prettied it up but its going strong with zero maintenance after 100's of flow tests. Here are a few pictures of my build but if you are really interested sign up on the above forum and do some reading.


View attachment 1715208778flow bench 088 by John Cadamore, on Flickr


View attachment 1715208779flow bench no 2 089 by John Cadamore, on Flickr


View attachment 1715208780flowbench002 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

View attachment 1715208781flowbench3-9-10005 by John Cadamore, on Flickr

interesting . I built a cheapy one just to flow intake manifolds, went belly up before I got done. Ended up at a buddies shop using his real one to finish.
 
Do you REALLY need that many motors? I used to work part time maintaining equipment for a family had several laundries here locally, and a couple of car washes. Those car wash vacuum motors are nothing short of scary. I used two of them to repair a central vac in one of the laundries. Ended up unhooking one and it STILL generated so much static electricity in the hose that it was painful!!

Anyhow this is marvelous. I've dreamed of such, but don't know much head theory LOL


I think it maxes out at 540-560cfm@28 inches but if I think a head has an issue instead of 28 inches of depression I can crank it up to 36 inches or so to see if it is a problem. Two motors are on a veristate to adjust depression and the others are on single switches.
 
I think it maxes out at 540-560cfm@28 inches but if I think a head has an issue instead of 28 inches of depression I can crank it up to 36 inches or so to see if it is a problem. Two motors are on a veristate to adjust depression and the others are on single switches.


Interesting, how many of them are you typically running on a head flow? I assume that's " of water not mercury...................
 
Interesting, how many of them are you typically running on a head flow? I assume that's " of water not mercury...................



If I remember right I had a total of 4 running testing my B1 heads that maxed out slightly over 420 cfm. There’s more on the table that I will go after on another set but I had to get going on that engine. I took port molds to speed porting on my next set
 
pittsburgracer,
Whose software are you using? I don't recognize it.
That's a good Idea though.. only turning on as many motors as you need..
I take the last 2 are controlled by the software? or rheostat?
You have a dedicated power source too, I suppose?
 
pittsburgracer,
Whose software are you using? I don't recognize it.
That's a good Idea though.. only turning on as many motors as you need..
I take the last 2 are controlled by the software? or rheostat?
You have a dedicated power source too, I suppose?


I wired in a 220 circuit just for the bench and I bought and automatic depression control from a Bruce but I will never install it because I don’t want to rewire the bench. Bruce has the software program that I use on his forum. What made me build this bench is I bought one years ago that used electronics like this but it was huge in size, and low in power. It tested at 10 inches and converted to 28 inches. l bought another bench that used two fluid manometers but being fluid it was constantly changing with weather and the barometer. So I built one that is totally electronic on reads the same at -20 degrees or 100.
 
I wired in a 220 circuit just for the bench and I bought and automatic depression control from a Bruce but I will never install it because I don’t want to rewire the bench. Bruce has the software program that I use on his forum. What made me build this bench is I bought one years ago that used electronics like this but it was huge in size, and low in power. It tested at 10 inches and converted to 28 inches. l bought another bench that used two fluid manometers but being fluid it was constantly changing with weather and the barometer. So I built one that is totally electronic on reads the same at -20 degrees or 100.

….and didn't you love it when a buddy sticks his hand over the port, to feel the air flow, and half of the fluid got sucks out of the manometer ? :(
My machine uses electronics too. But I still have to enter weather, or it does not repeat well. (Audie)
Love your build though... I'm jealous :)
 
….and didn't you love it when a buddy sticks his hand over the port, to feel the air flow, and half of the fluid got sucks out of the manometer ? :(
My machine uses electronics too. But I still have to enter weather, or it does not repeat well. (Audie)
Love your build though... I'm jealous :)


I almost bought electronics for My manometer bench but I figured being a pilot style bench weather would still be an issue. Bruce has plans now for benches that flow up to 100 depression. That’s some crazy air flow. Lol. He sells some very nice calibration plates that he makes.
 
I almost bought electronics for My manometer bench but I figured being a pilot style bench weather would still be an issue. Bruce has plans now for benches that flow up to 100 depression. That’s some crazy air flow. Lol. He sells some very nice calibration plates that he makes.

Like the electronics SuperFlow offers?
I assume you meant, 'pitot'?
If so, mine is as well. It was fairly inexpensive, start up wise... I sometimes have issues associated with not enough plenum volume. but I've managed to quell them, for the most part.
I did add a accumulator, in line, on both sensor hoses to help dampen signal. It really calms down the readings and it actually improves repeatability.
In all, I like my oldish machine. Tests are performed very quick.. just long enough to make lift changes. (I still use a lift fixture)
Yes, 100 H2o is a LOT. You're gonna have to use thicker panels ! lol
 
interesting . I built a cheapy one just to flow intake manifolds, went belly up before I got done. Ended up at a buddies shop using his real one to finish.

Just get one from flow performance, you can get a Homestyle bench that runs on a shop vac and will flow within LITERALLY a couple CFM of a super flow 600 aaaand on the conservative side... for about 1200-1400 bucks.
Doesnt take up space. Can build a light weight frame and its portable using a laptop.
 
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Just get one from flow performance, you can get a Homestyle bench that runs on a shop vac and will flow within LITERALLY a couple CFM of a super flow 600 aaaand on the conservative side... for about 1200-1400 bucks.
Doesnt take up space. Can build a light weight frame and its portable using a laptop.
thanks, but I couldn`t buy a piss ant a wrestling jacket right now !
 
thanks, but I couldn`t buy a piss ant a wrestling jacket right now !

That's hilarious Bob!
This is a bare bones kit. You will have to build an enclosure of some configuration or another to make it useable. I'd be glad to help out on the tech end of it...

What It Is | Flow Quik
 
This was my very first flowbench of three. I sold this one to a Mopar Friend late last year and he is having some fun with it. This one made me build the one I have now because I loved the electronics it had. this one had 6 motors in it.


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Untitled by John Cadamore, on Flickr
 
This was my very first flowbench of three. I sold this one to a Mopar Friend late last year and he is having some fun with it. This one made me build the one I have now because I loved the electronics it had. this one had 6 motors in it.


26714176009_f22d2a79ac_k-jpg.jpg
Untitled by J

MY... that's a big one.. lol
How many cubic feet was the plenum on that one ?! I see an Audie sticker on it. Love it :)
 
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Mine, '..looks like a baby'. I needed it to be compact. My first shop was 8 x 12..
Here's mine. Taken recently, when I was porting the Strip Dominator that's for sale right now..
my ex-wife is on the wall.
20171220_143401.jpg
 
MY... that's a big one.. lol
How many cubic feet was the plenum on that one ?! I see an Audie sticker on it. Love it :)


I honestly couldn't tell you the cubic feet. I bought it from a guy in Columbus Ohio and fell in love with porting and flow testing. Playing with airs speeds is where I spend LOTS of time now.
 
Now I gotta clean and paint mine. Lol. Most of it has a primer coat on it.

that's the hardest part, isn't it ??
When I was building this one, I had to remind myself, 'you're not 10 anymore' and actually paint it.
do it right. Then I got a finger smudge in the paint. I was so pissed. oh well..

I'm much happier with this design. Much more accurate than the first one.
 
that's the hardest part, isn't it ??
When I was building this one, I had to remind myself, 'you're not 10 anymore' and actually paint it.
do it right. Then I got a finger smudge in the paint. I was so pissed. oh well..

I'm much happier with this design. Much more accurate than the first one.


I had a set of 400-1 Indy heads that needed worked on fast so I bought gun metal grey pain and said as soon as these heads are finished I’m painting it. Then it was as soon as I finish this engine. Damn I wonder if that paint is still good after what, 7 years or so. Maybe more. Lol.
 
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