Hi Chip,

I would be just a little concerned about the wood holding up under prolonged immersion in the pump body.

I can get you some free sheet polypropylene that machines very well--1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 1".... for the cost of shipping only, or I can even bring some to SSTIKS for you. (It's the same stuff I'm using for the folding AA frames, and for the tips on my GP's.)

shawn

: I redesigned the piston on the homemade footpump. Er, actually I checked out
: the mechanism on my MSR water filter and borrowed a few ideas.

: Where do I start... here is the blueprint
: www.chipsandresky.com/paddles/images/footpump3.jpg These pistons are
: driven off a foot operated teeter. The piston will tend to rock side to
: side as the teeter moves around but the seal is good enough that you don't
: get a loss of compression. This design is vastly simpler than the previous
: version. A preliminary "bucket" test indicates that they will
: work okay. Here's another shot of them
: www.chipsandresky.com/paddles/images/piston2.jpg The residue is mold
: release wax. The push rods are morticed/glassed into the heads.

: Here's a shot of the stuff boxes (notice the fancy pump terminology ) and
: check valves www.chipsandresky.com/paddles/images/twin_pumps.jpg These
: will protrude through a forward bulkhead and are designed to be fully
: serviceable from a front access hatch. Here's the teeter still under
: construction www.chipsandresky.com/paddles/images/teeter.jpg That is the
: part that failed in my previous design. This one is much more serious. I'm
: optimistic overall; I'm hoping they will move an honest one pint per
: second - what's that 7.5 GPM? Should be ready for a test in the coming
: weeks.

: www.ChipSandresky.com