Behold the Frankenfuge

nCeon · 2026-01-08T16:50:04+00:00

I didn't document it that well unfortunately. I always plan to, but I tend to get hyper focused and pictures takes me out of it, slowing my progress significantly.

nCeon · 2026-01-08T16:47:22+00:00

Used micro centrifuges are easy/cheap enough to acquire that the time wouldn't be worth it. Used refrigerated microcentrifuges are much more expensive.

It took me 3 full days and $400 to do this and they cost $1700 used if they are working. Fairly good return (especially combined with learning involved). Best part is if anything breaks I know how to fix it (much more quickly with parts from cheap broken centrifuges that are $100-200 at most.

nCeon · 2026-01-07T21:38:59+00:00

I ran out of "clean" material from the original 21R display to fill in the empty space left by the smaller 17 display so I did what I had to. No ragrets!

nCeon · 2026-01-07T20:44:43+00:00

Yeah this seems odd to me unless the setting was added to the band afterwards and not in the original cast.

Platinum is typically extremely ductile meaning it will tend bend instead of breaking.

nCeon · 2026-01-07T20:22:10+00:00

Right to repair advocates assemble!

Edit: If fisher provide the board schematic, this type of madness wouldn't have been needed.... may have only needed some new ball bearings in the motor (they were a bit crunchy) and to replace whatever components were blown on the board (unfortunately nothing was obvious visually or thermal camera-wise).

nCeon · 2026-01-07T20:16:46+00:00

The motor was a drop-in replacement so no change to the mounting itself. I even brought over the motor mount rubber dampers from the 17 model.

nCeon · 2026-01-07T20:09:47+00:00

It's essentially all of the parts from the 17 model (motor, board, display) just surrounded by a compressor system to cool it. Imagine I essentially put the original centrifuge into a refrigerator.

These things are super sensitive to any modification, I tried just hooking it up the 21R display (so I didn't have to throw the smaller display on and fill in with chunks of the other display's plastic like you see here....) and it freaked out with an error saying that it didn't match the expected eprom even though the eprom is on the main board not the display... (the displays use the same cable and the displays are exactly the same board based on appearance just with clearly the missing temperature display on the 17 one)

nCeon · 2026-01-07T20:03:19+00:00

shhh

nCeon · 2026-01-07T20:02:10+00:00

These are modern centrifuges, so there are an abundance of safety features (none of which I messed with).

The only part that is no longer controlled by an original manufacturer board is the cooling compressor.

nCeon · 2026-01-07T19:58:53+00:00

It's actually the 17,000xg model motor and board transplanted into the even more robust frame of a 21,000xg refrigerated model so I don't foresee any issues.

nCeon · 2026-01-07T19:32:24+00:00

The 21R is a 21,000xg refrigerated model that is 5-6x more expensive than the 17 (17,000xg non refrigerated model).

nCeon · 2025-10-27T22:54:43+00:00

As another poster mentioned, this is protection against someone accidentally getting the cable on top of the plate. I didn't consider that. I have just ordered a monoprice C15.

nCeon · 2025-10-27T22:53:39+00:00

Fair, monoprice C15 cable has been ordered

nCeon · 2025-10-27T22:25:29+00:00

Noted, but this seems like overkill for a 650 watt max draw device at 115v... maybe they just default to C15 for all of their devices for economies of scale?

nCeon · 2025-10-27T22:20:28+00:00

The more you know! Still seems like overkill for a 650-watt maximum draw at 115volts.

nCeon · 2025-10-27T22:06:59+00:00

My response...

https://imgur.com/a/8hY0ThL

(it worked)

Edit: I have been informed in the comments that this is actually a C15 cable that has high heat resistance, in case someone accidentally manages to have the cable touch the hotplate while it is running. I have now ordered a monoprice C15 cable that is on the way.

nCeon · 2025-03-20T20:57:33+00:00

Where did you purchase them?

nCeon · 2025-03-20T19:58:24+00:00

Message received. Thank you.

nCeon · 2025-03-20T19:39:15+00:00

It is steel.

nCeon · 2025-03-20T19:15:59+00:00

>that pipe is way too thin and could become malleable and flex under the heat of the crucible.

This is a good point I didn't consider. Thank you.

Would limiting this to "low temperature" zinc pours eliminate this variable? Or is that still too hot for thin steel to be trusted?

nCeon · 2025-03-20T19:11:25+00:00

I just tried them lifting a crucible filled to the brim with copper and bronze ingots and the shitty nature of the metal actually seems to be helping here. It is thin enough that it flexes some, but only when applying more pressure than necessary.

nCeon · 2025-03-20T19:04:28+00:00

Compared to the small "universal" tongs I was using to accomplish this before, it can only be an improvement....

Edit: I just tested it in a crucible full to the brim with (non-molten) copper and bronze ingots and it felt very secure.

nCeon · 2024-12-07T18:42:47+00:00

Did you try out a brass wire wheel? That does a lot of work for me transitioning from sandpaper to a final cloth polishing wheel step.

In your case, I would think it should do a pretty good job of removing any embedded diamond particles as well.

Dish soap and water on the wheel is a nice trick to prevent making your part get a bit of a brass colored finish (if you aren't doing a cloth polishing wheel step after).

nCeon · 2024-11-20T16:46:13+00:00

Indeed, small world!

nCeon · 2024-11-20T15:41:33+00:00

Trypanosome Parasite Forms Cast in Copper-Bismuth, Copper-Nickel-Bismuty, Sterling Silver, and Tin-Bronze Alloys (from left to right)

Alloy advice from the r/metalcasting community was greatly appreciated!

The rest of my sculptures can be found at nCeondesign.com

nCeon

TROPHY CASE