Post by kdog on Feb 4, 2009 19:17:05 GMT -7
Hey guys DOG here to show you a new method (to me) of balancing the pancake arms we race. Here are some photos:
In the first photo you will see the arm magicily suspendid in the air...Hey this ain't magic... it's scince!
The arm is suspended between 2 strong magnets and can spin friction free on a pinpoint. You blow over the top of the arm with a 3 inch straw and it will rotate till the heavy side goes down. Here is the great point, no need to level anything, hold the micrometer any way you want and the heavy side still points down!
Next mark the arm at the lowest point with a fine tip marker (I use.05) . Next I use a cutoff wheel in my Dremel AT SLOW SPEED to cut a groove in the place I marked. USE CAUTION HERE go slow It's better to check and do it once more than to remove to much. When you get it balanced it will never stop in the same place twice, and spin forever. once you pratice a bit it gets very easy to get it right quickly. This goes without saying stay away from the wires.
Second photo showes the things you need. First a micrometer, I got mine at Cummins Tools for $19 Harbor Freight I'm sure has one as well. Make sure you get the one that opens from 1" to 2". next the magnets mine are 1/4" in diameter, and 1/4" and 1/8"long. you can get these for a few bucks at www.rare-earth-magnets.com Next you will need the pin there are a couple of places you can find these the easy one being the Wal mart sewing dept. Look for darning needles they come in a pack of a few assorted diameters pick the one that matches the shaft on the arm. I cut mine with the same Dremel cutoff wheel (wear your safty glasses for this) to 1/2". I glued it into a piece of 1/8"evergreen plastic tubing leaving room to slide the arm shaft into the other side. The tubing was a good fit in my case Take your needle with you possably to check fit.
THATS IT ! for under $30 you can balance arms like the DOG... I mean a pro
If something is unclear feel free to contact me, anyway this is so much fun you will go through your whole junk box of arms
In the first photo you will see the arm magicily suspendid in the air...Hey this ain't magic... it's scince!
The arm is suspended between 2 strong magnets and can spin friction free on a pinpoint. You blow over the top of the arm with a 3 inch straw and it will rotate till the heavy side goes down. Here is the great point, no need to level anything, hold the micrometer any way you want and the heavy side still points down!
Next mark the arm at the lowest point with a fine tip marker (I use.05) . Next I use a cutoff wheel in my Dremel AT SLOW SPEED to cut a groove in the place I marked. USE CAUTION HERE go slow It's better to check and do it once more than to remove to much. When you get it balanced it will never stop in the same place twice, and spin forever. once you pratice a bit it gets very easy to get it right quickly. This goes without saying stay away from the wires.
Second photo showes the things you need. First a micrometer, I got mine at Cummins Tools for $19 Harbor Freight I'm sure has one as well. Make sure you get the one that opens from 1" to 2". next the magnets mine are 1/4" in diameter, and 1/4" and 1/8"long. you can get these for a few bucks at www.rare-earth-magnets.com Next you will need the pin there are a couple of places you can find these the easy one being the Wal mart sewing dept. Look for darning needles they come in a pack of a few assorted diameters pick the one that matches the shaft on the arm. I cut mine with the same Dremel cutoff wheel (wear your safty glasses for this) to 1/2". I glued it into a piece of 1/8"evergreen plastic tubing leaving room to slide the arm shaft into the other side. The tubing was a good fit in my case Take your needle with you possably to check fit.
THATS IT ! for under $30 you can balance arms like the DOG... I mean a pro
If something is unclear feel free to contact me, anyway this is so much fun you will go through your whole junk box of arms
yeah great stuff dog thanks for keeping us up to speed . 
