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Cuben/Amigo H2O Water Filter Bag/Replacement


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Home Forums Gear Forums Make Your Own Gear Cuben/Amigo H2O Water Filter Bag/Replacement

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  • #1342370
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Sorry Paul, that should be modified, “not cut down”.
    I don’t know why I didn’t notice that. The filter is still full size.

    I have just removed more of the plastic and the “Activated Carbon” granular’s.

    #1342371
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    Bill,

    many thanks for the swift reply. understood.

    Bill, not sure how others feel, but if the “Entrepreneurial” spirit ever strikes you, you could prob. sell a number of the UL/SUL/XUL you’ve designed. Since there is a lot more to design/testing/manufacturing/quality control/marketing than meets the eye, It would prob. be easiest to “hook up” with someone already in the mfr business (similar to how BMW & ULA are cooperating on the design/production of some new UL packs). start small, with one item – like this grav. filter – that way you can evaluate how much of your time it takes and the market for such things without, hopefully, much in the way of initial capital expenditure (take all this with a grain of salt – i know nothing about business. being an engineer, i’m pretty good with numbers, but put a dollar sign in front of them & i don’t know what they mean.) my understanding is that Ray J, basically did this w/some of his designs, hooking up with GoLite for production. after initial “startup” and once production gets rolling, it was prob. less work for Ray J than GoLite – but this is an extremely naive and uninformed guess on my part. i’ll line up to be a customer. just a thought. have a great day.

    #1343641
    Thomas Cole
    Member

    @tcole

    Has anyone tried the Seychelle inline filter in your water bladder…if this works why bother with the gravity bag system at all?

    #1343642
    paul johnson
    Member

    @pj

    Locale: LazyBoy in my Den - miss the forest

    heard of some people going that route. since i haven’t tried it (yet), i can’t comment on how much harder it is to draw water through the filter vs. just a the tube. anyone out there know?

    #1343644
    Thomas Cole
    Member

    @tcole

    Has anyone tried the Seychelle inline filter in your water bladder…if this works why bother with the gravity bag system at all?

    #1347817
    Scott Peterson
    Member

    @scottalanp

    Locale: Northern California

    First…thanks for the incredible innovations in design! RE: the Hiker’s Friend / Amigo water filter: Is it possible to make one of these from scratch without buying the Amigo? I know where to source the Cuben and the filter, but are tubing (the soft pliable kind) and more importantly the connection valves readily available? If so can you also share the dimensions of the bag and the opening?

    Thanks for any help!

    #1347827
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Hi Scott, Thanks for your nice comments.

    Your Question:
    “RE: the Hiker’s Friend / Amigo water filter: Is it possible to make one of these from scratch without buying the Amigo? I know where to source the Cuben and the filter, but are tubing (the soft pliable kind) and more importantly the connection valves readily available? If so can you also share the dimensions of the bag and the opening?”

    I started out with a H2O Amigo so I had all the necessary parts.

    1- I know that Home Depot sells a soft tubing that might work for the hose part.

    2 -As for the valves/fittings you need a 1/2″ male and female connector with a 1/4″ OD nipple on each end of the fitting. Then a couple of rubber washers on the threaded part of the fitting so one seals from the inside and one seals from the outside of the bag part. The hole in the bag part is just a little smaller than the threaded part of the fittings, mine is 1/2″.

    I have look for these fittings but haven’t found them at the usual places. A lot of places sell just the male fitting. I found some on a internet site last week while looking for something else but I would have to buy 100 of each for them to sell to me. I am sure some supply place will have these but really haven’t spent much time looking.

    There may be a way to run a line through the bag without a fitting but I haven’t tried that. I am still looking. There are ays around the fitting problem but they start to get heavy in a hurry.

    3 – I used a pinch clip to open and close the water line. They are lighter than the valve that came with the Amigo. I had one from a Platy line and a few from hospital bags. I used one from a hospital bag as it also was a little lighter than the Platy clip

    4 – The Amigo bag has a 24″ diameter but I didn’t have a scrap piece of Cuben that large so my Cuben Bag has a 21.5″ diameter. As I said above the hole for my fittings is 1/2″.

    If you make a bag I would wait till you have the fittings to cut the hole.

    If I find a place to buy the fittings or a way to do it without a fitting I will post it.

    #1347869
    Scott Peterson
    Member

    @scottalanp

    Locale: Northern California

    Thanks again Bill! I actually spoke to Brian at ULA today and he agreed to send me just the connectors so I can attempt the fabrication on my own. I may need further insight into how you “ironed” the seem on the edge of the bag when I get to that step. Brian was already aware of the use of the Katadyn filter and seemed to indicate that some modifications could be in the works for his own design. He seemed pleased that your prototype was in the 5 ounce range.

    #1347870
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    From Scott:
    “1 – I actually spoke to Brian at ULA today and he agreed to send me just the connectors so I can attempt the fabrication on my own.

    1- me – I had hoped to find a source for the fittings so people who wanted to try and make their own gravity filter could without having to call Brian. I didn’t feel right about asking someone to sell me a part off a piece of gear that they are selling. Some might say what is the difference between that fitting and say a part from Coleman, well Coleman list the parts for sale. Anyway I am glad you will be getting the fittings.

    2 – I may need further insight into how you “ironed” the seem on the edge of the bag when I get to that step.

    2-me – I folded the piece of yellow grosgrain in half and ironed it so it would keep the fold while I sewed it around the edge of the Cuben circle. I put the Cuben inside the fold.

    3 – Brian was already aware of the use of the Katadyn filter and seemed to indicate that some modifications could be in the works for his own design. He seemed pleased that your prototype was in the 5 ounce range”

    3- me – The backpackinglight “yahoo” group had a thread about water filters. I posted some remarks about what I wanted to do and as I worked on the HikerPro filter I posted the results. When I was finished I had modified my Amigo to cut a bunch of weight. Then I made the bag part out of Cuben and cut more weight. Jerry Goller from Backpack Gear Test contacted me and said he was a good friend of Brian’s and he would like to know if I would share, in some way, what I had done with Brian. I had talked to Brian on the phone when I bought the Amigo and I always considered Brian one of the good guys. I told Jerry he could passed on what I had done to Brian’s product and what I did to lighten it up some. I didn’t want anything for the idea as it was his basic product. Anyway someday there maybe another light weight piece of gear out there with my a few of my fingerprints on it.

    IF you have more question as you get into making your water filter just ask.

    #1347874
    Anonymous
    Guest

    “fittings”

    Auto-supply or Auto-parts stores have many types and sizes of fittings which are normally used in vacuum hoses. It might be worth a try. Even the larger “chains” often have a good stock of these. Very often a “grab-bag” of various sizes can be found, otherwise, just ask for the proper size. If they are in a helpful mood, they can find what you want without a part number, or make and model of vehicle.

    #1347879
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Thanks I will try the Auto Parts places and see what I can find.

    #1347882
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Do itashi mashite.

    #1347892
    Scott Peterson
    Member

    @scottalanp

    Locale: Northern California

    Bill –

    I suspect more than a few ultra-light products may have your finger prints on them before long…which is great seeing as it still seems to be an industry in it’s infancy. I’m sure I will think about you and this forum in 10 years when one of North Face’s biggest categories is ultra-light gear. I can even invision the name…something like…Northern Lites. (I sense it is inevitable…and will cross into the pop-culture, REI crowd’s psychi before too long)…not using REI in a negative way…just the department store of gear way.

    As far as asking Brian for his part. I too kind of felt weird, seeing as I know he builds this stuff with passion and not for tons of money. But I purchased a pack from him! That should count for something. And I also explained sheepishly that it may be the only fabrication project I ever take on as my abilities to sew are abissmal (as is my spelling!).

    Thanks again for the help…and the Auto Parts Store lead. Now that I will know what it actually looks like up close, I can possibly direct any friends who would want one on where to dig up ALL of the parts on their own!

    #1347906
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    “Northern Lite” perish the thought!

    UL comes and goes for the major makers every few years. Kelty once made a UL frame (magnesium), Sierra Designs made UL frameless and internal framed packs and Gerry (Gerry Cunningham’s company) was built on the UL concept and using systems. In fact Gerry was the 60’s Ray Jardine: philosophy, technique, equipment, and how-to-make-your-own book. This iteration may be more durable, but only if user groups like this one keep it going. Don’t count on the corporations to do anything but adopt the language and up the weights to reduce returns. Happens every time.

    #1347910
    Scott Peterson
    Member

    @scottalanp

    Locale: Northern California

    Perhaps you are right, but I am not convinced that past history necessarily dictates the future of people’s retail desires and expectations. I think that younger generations are more accustomed to handling and working with increasingly delicate retail products…like laptops, i-pods, blackberries etc. and have an inherent understanding that in a lot of cases…durability has to be sacrificed so that you are not toting a box of 8-tracks to the car for your listening enjoyment. I think this increasing “mechanical sophistication” (for lack of a better term) coupled with the general acceptence of lighter is better (snow boards are now moving this way) would suggest that UL really will have a retail significance and give a lot of rather stale manuf.’s new ideas/platforms from which to forge new and bigger profits. If consumers and manufacturers were only interested in minimizing damaged products to avoid added expense, people would still be paddling out on redwood surf boards and wearing leather boots that were made to “last a lifetime”.

    #1347917
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    I hope you are right. Only the influence of major manufacturers will convince mills to turn out UL fabrics. The last time we saw so many was in the early 1970s when the last of the 15D nylon disappeared. I still have a 3.5 oz. full-zippered, hooded windshirt from before the lava cooled. Alas, its girth did not increase as mine did.

    #1350623
    ronald liljedahl
    BPL Member

    @trout-1-2

    I talked with Brian from ULA who manufactures the H2O Amigo Water Filter. He offered to sell me the plastic fittings and the 2 neoprene washers that he uses in his H20 Amigo water filters so that I could assemble my own using the Cuben cloth and the Katadyn Hiker Pro Filter. The cost will be $7.00 and that will include the postage. He also offered the same price to anyone who was interested. He did ask that you send him a check rather than using your credit card.

    http://www.ula-equipment.com/amigo.htm

    ULTRALIGHT ADVENTURE EQUIPMENT

    159 N 200 E
    Logan, Utah 84321

    Tel: 435-753-5191
    Fax: 435-753-5190

    E-Mail: info@ula -equipment.com

    #1384013
    Kevin Egelhoff
    Member

    @kegelhoff

    Locale: Southern Cal

    Bill,
    You had me on a roll …. as I'm sitting at my desk with my filtered modified down to 3.0 oz and blue plastic all over my desk …….
    Could you please explain or continue with the great photos on how you reduced the weight of the filter from 3.0 oz. to 1.9 oz by removing more plastic and carbon granulas ….
    Not sure where you went from here unless you pulled off the end cap ??

    Thank you
    Kevin

    #1409830
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    If you look above this reply you will find the address and phone number to UAL.

    My fittings came from a UAL-Amigo that I bought from them. I really liked the Amigo but I did not like the filter that came with it. As I was playing around with a filter change I just remade the complete system. My Gravity Filter is very light and removes most of reasons to carry it

    Last year Brian at UAL sold one set or maybe more of just the fittings. I would contact him and see if he will sell you a set. The price sure seems good.

    There are a few pictures of what the fittings look like somewhere in this thread.

    #1433266
    Michael Barber
    Spectator

    @barber5

    Locale: Southeast US

    Just spun off your idea using Tyvek instead of Cuben or Silnylon. Found some fittings at ACE Hardware – $5. Used a Sawyer inline filter which filters to .1 microns and if you get the purifier version for $40 more you get rid of viruses as well. The filter also does up to 500 gallons. It did 2L in 3.5 minutes. Weighs in at 5.5oz WET! Thanks for the images and info so we can learn from you.

    #1531349
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    SO if i am building this system completely from the ground up, do i need to order washers or any other parts besides what i have here:

    Nylon Tube And Hose Fitting 1/4" x 1/4"
    Female Adapter Nylon Fitting 1/4" x 1/4"
    8mm Bore 5/16" PP Miniature Stopcock
    Tubing Clamp accepts tubing up to 1/2 inch O.D. Acetal.
    Silcon® Tubing: 1/4" ID x 3/8" OD
    Cuben fiber
    Sawyer inline filter

    #1531351
    Ike Mouser
    Member

    @isaac-mouser

    What about encorporating a cuben fiber clean bag as well? There are cuben fiber stuff sacks that one could place on the recieveing end, this would take the weight down further, assuming cuben is safe to drink out of.

    Also, do you guys pretreat with your katadyns, or do you not use chem treatment with these gravity setups?

    #1531381
    Mary D
    BPL Member

    @hikinggranny

    Locale: Gateway to Columbia River Gorge

    A cuben fiber bag sounds like a great idea, if it's strong enough to hold 1.5 gallons (12 lbs.) of water without tearing. My silnylon ULA Amigo Pro bag has sprung a couple of leaks. Are any of you creative folk interested in selling a cuben bag?

    I don't add chemical treatment unless the water source is extremely suspect (fouled by livestock or downstream of human settlement). The one exception is for my grandkids–their mother doesn't trust my filter alone, so I add Micropur tabs after filtering and let it stand a couple of hours.

    #1897802
    Brian Johns
    BPL Member

    @bcutlerj

    Locale: NorCal

    I too would like to pay someone to build or re-build my H20 Amigo with a cuben fiber bag and a more simple delivery system (i.e., no on/off tap, platypus bottle connector end, hose from out-end of filter to platypus should be shared with drinking platypus when not in use. Any takers? Alternatively, can anyone tell me who I could call or write to help with such a project. Mr. Fornshell made it look so easy.

    #1897814
    Mary D
    BPL Member

    @hikinggranny

    Locale: Gateway to Columbia River Gorge

    Here are a bunch of different homemade variations on the gravity filter, such as the late lamented ULA Amigo Pro:
    http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=8994&startat=20

    I put one together using a Katadyn Hiker Pro filter (with the blue housing trimmed down). The same setup can be used with a Sawyer Inline filter, but with the filter outside the bag. Mine is a copy of the one by Cola Vaughan near the bottom of page 2 on the above link. If I can do it (I'm really klutzy with my hands), anyone can!

    A new addition to these ideas is the Sawyer Squeeze Filter, which can also be used in a gravity setup and is even lighter than the Sawyer Inline or the cut-down Katadyn Hiker Pro. I'm still working with this. I used a Sea-to-Summit Ultra Sil dry bag as the "dirty" water bag, but switched to a 2 L Evernew bladder since the dry bag has developed leaks after two years of use. Unlike Platypus, Evernew has the cap attached to the bottle (I was forever losing Platy caps and always had to carry a couple of spares). Also, the new model Platypus threads are evidently not compatible with the Sawyer filter or with the standard soda bottle caps I used to take as spares.

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