Skimming Diaries: Unfiltered Stories – Your Guide to Skimmer Selection and the Mysteries of Reach
Hello, all you skimming enthusiasts,
As the president of Zebra Skimmers, my day usually involves a lot of chat about – you guessed it – skimmers! Today, I thought I’d share a few nuggets of wisdom on picking the right skimmer for your needs, and I’ll throw in a quick lesson on ‘reach’ for good measure.
When you’re standing at the crossroads of choosing a disk skimmer, a belt skimmer, or a tube skimmer, it’s all about knowing each one’s unique charm and where they shine the brightest.
Disk Skimmers are like the compact cars of the skimming world. They’re perfect for shallow sumps where the fluid level stays steady. These little wonders rotate a disk through the fluid, pick up the oil, and then scrape it off into a collection container. Now, they may need a bit more elbow room in a sump compared to belt or tube skimmers, so keep this in mind when checking your sump’s layout.
Belt Skimmers are the off-roaders, suitable for medium to large sumps and more substantial fluid level fluctuations. They operate by moving a belt (which comes in various widths and lengths) through the fluid, capturing the oil before scraping it off into a collection container. It’s a smooth operation, much like an off-roader navigating through rocky terrain!
Tube Skimmers, on the other hand, are the all-terrain vehicles of skimmers. They’re designed for deep sumps or pits where fluid levels like to keep you guessing. Their flexible tube can snake over and around obstacles while continuing to collect oil. The oil sticks to the tube’s exterior and is then scraped off when the tube passes through the skimmer unit.
Now, let’s demystify the concept of ‘reach’. ‘Reach’ refers to the distance from the skimmer’s mount point to the bottom of the disk, belt, or tube when it dips its toes in the tank at its lowest point. Getting the reach right is like picking the perfect fishing rod – too short, and you won’t catch anything; too long, and you could end up with performance issues and unnecessary costs. So, measure twice, choose once!
In conclusion, whether you opt for a disk skimmer, belt skimmer, or tube skimmer will come down to the specifics of your sump, the nature of the fluids involved, and how much room you’ve got to play with in your sump. And remember, sizing your skimmer is all about getting the ‘reach’ right!
As always, we’re here at Zebra Skimmers ready to lend a helping hand in your selection process. We appreciate that every operation is unique, and we’re committed to providing the best tailored solution for your needs.
Until our next Skimming Diaries entry, keep those sumps clean, and keep those machines purring!
Bill Burkey President
Zebra Skimmers
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About Zebra Skimmers:
Our mission has always been simple. It is to provide the metal working industry with the oil skimmers and metalworking fluid management systems they need to complete jobs quickly and efficiently. Innovative and affordable solutions have gained us many accolades. Our continued growth is due in no small part to our excellent customer service… Not to mention our satisfaction guarantees and the performance of our tools.
Among our diverse options of oil skimmers and metal working fluid management systems, you can expect to find:
- Coolant management equipment, which includes coolant mixers, proportioning pumps, and also coolant automation systems to mix and deliver fluid solutions at the desired concentrations.
- Industrial oil skimmers, including tramp oil belt skimmers, disk skimmers, tube oil skimmers, and individual sump coalescers as well for the removal of surface and tramp oils from fluids.
- Aeration or circulation equipment and sump odor control tablets to control fluid odor and overall machine shop smell
- Industrial fluid monitoring equipment, including brix refractometers to verify fluid solution concentrations, pH test strips and also water hardness testing sticks.