raising and lowering the top of a tank

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thequietcenter
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raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

Hello, I have built myself a working floatation tank. While the entire process is described in a blog post, all details relevant to my construction issue are here.

In this picture:
IMAG0098.jpg
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you can see a containment tank - a plastic tank that holds water.

In this next picture:
IMAG0116.jpg
IMAG0116.jpg (90.62 KiB) Viewed 3858 times
you see two such containment tanks - one facing up and the other facing down, serving as a top. The two containment tanks placed together in this fashion are called a floatation tank.

The two tanks are connected together by the use of a plastic cinch which you can see here:
IMAG0108.jpg
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Now, my question concerns coming up with a way to raise and lower the top. When a person is inside the floatation tank and wishes to get out, he needs to be able to raise the top and have it stay up while he exits. So far, I have been bringing two sticks into the tank with me to raise the top as shown here:
IMAG0018.jpg
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I'm wondering if there is someway to get the top to raise, stay up and lower via some mechanism. The requirements are:
- a person inside the enclosed tank must be able to get the top to raise up (as shown in the picture).
- once the person exits, he should be able to lower the top from the outside
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big-all
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by big-all »

http://www.floatworks.com/

a new concept on me
where are you based :thumbright:
we are all ------------------still learning
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kellys_eye
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by kellys_eye »

You need to look for gas struts. Gasstruts.co.uk have a wide range in stroke and weight.
Don't take it personally......
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mod5
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by mod5 »

The OP is from the US and probably would not benefit from advice about UK companies.

mod5
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kellys_eye
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by kellys_eye »

mod5 wrote:The OP is from the US and probably would not benefit from advice about UK companies.

mod5
Nice if he'd indicate that fact though.... :roll:

Still, gas struts are available anywhere.
Don't take it personally......
thequietcenter
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

kellys_eye wrote:You need to look for gas struts. Gasstruts.co.uk have a wide range in stroke and weight.
ok, well I think corrosion would be an issue because there is epsom salt water in the tank.

And there is some question about how I might secure the strut within the plastic tank, since drilling holes through the plastic is not an option. I'm thinking rubber mats should provide enough traction for the strut.

And finally they would have to extend to about 4 feet high and retract to 32 inches high (twice the height of one the tanks).

but thank you for the advice. I had been looking at pneumatic car hatch lifters up to this point.
thequietcenter
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

big-all wrote:http://www.floatworks.com/

a new concept on me
where are you based :thumbright:
Floatworks is run by Tim Strudwick. I've had numerous conversations with him on our floatation tank community sites.
He had an idea of using pulleys attached to the ceiling.
thequietcenter
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

thequietcenter wrote:

I'm wondering if there is someway to get the top to raise, stay up and lower via some mechanism. The requirements are:
- a person inside the enclosed tank must be able to get the top to raise up (as shown in the picture).
- once the person exits, he should be able to lower the top from the outside
Staring out spa cover lifters has given me an idea ... maybe I can simply slide the top forward and back instead of lifting it... that is what I was doing before I used the cinch. But the problem is that there are no guides to keep the top tank sliding exactly over the bottom.
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by big-all »

my suggestion was going to be a pulley overhead
one end connected to middle front edge off the top
a bag off sand on the other end that hits the floor when the top is open enough

if the pulley is just above the hinge section but clear off the back onto the floor then the weight will help the top stay up and down

if you load up the bag until the lowered lid has a light touch when you lift it above about 25 degrees the weight will open the door until the weight hits the floor

for this to work the pulley would have to be in the region off as high off the floor as the lid is long
we are all ------------------still learning
thequietcenter
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

big-all wrote:my suggestion was going to be a pulley overhead
I think I will be going with a system similar to sliding doors or sliding windows.

But thank you for your suggestion.
thequietcenter
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

thequietcenter wrote:
big-all wrote:my suggestion was going to be a pulley overhead
I think I will be going with a system similar to sliding doors or sliding windows.

But thank you for your suggestion.
I am very happy that drawer guides (glides) have worked perfectly for me:
IMAG0057.jpg
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Thanks again for all the help!
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by big-all »

thank you for taking the time to let us know how you got on we appreciate it thank you :thumbleft:
I am very happy that drawer guides (glides) have worked perfectly for me:
we will await for an echoey request say" my drawer runners have rusted how do i get out" :huray: :huray: :huray:
we are all ------------------still learning
thequietcenter
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Re: raising and lowering the top of a tank

Post by thequietcenter »

big-all wrote:thank you for taking the time to let us know how you got on we appreciate it thank you :thumbleft:
I am very happy that drawer guides (glides) have worked perfectly for me:
we will await for an echoey request say" my drawer runners have rusted how do i get out" :huray: :huray: :huray:
LOL!
:mrgreen:
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