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what I was thinking about was something that I remember from fish tanks. they had a little spinning thing to show that the water was flowing, that the pump was really working. it was like the vane type air or hydraulic pumps. 6 (or more) vanes from a central hub all sealed in a clear plastic housing.
it would be easier to machine, just cut a round hole (1" to 2") in however thick stock you want and sandwich the sides as with the other one. drill inlets and outlets holes. you could mount a magnet on each side of the hub for balance or do a flat round plate that covers the vanes and color it to set off an optical sensor.
this is along the lines that I'm thinking now, but I not really married to any ideal right now. I had not even thought of doing this until you brought it up and now I think it's a great ideal.
I'm kind of a slow thinker and had some problems visualizing how that ball would get around the backside that is why I was asking about how well it worked for you. nothing like experience with something to see the way.
anyway I'm still building it in my head and have not come up with what I think is a good design so far.
ps where at in OH are you, I grew up in Franklin (between Cincinnati and Dayton) many many years ago.
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