Hendrix, Taylor J. on wed 15 jan 03
Hello everybody,
I have some questions for all you metal workers out there. Everything
is at a standstill on my kick wheel project until I can solve the
problem of brackets for connecting flywheel and wheel head to my drive
shaft. As Vince forewarned, pipe flange and pipe nipple aren't square
enough for my tastes. I don't feel like squaring it with washers, spit,
and bailing wire. My hunt for junked sprockets has come up empty as
well. Even a trip to my local bearings shop was a bust. Good idea,
Vince, but I just can't seem to find any anywhere.
It looks like I might have to try my hand at fabricating the brackets
for myself, but I am unsure of a few things. What kind of tools besides
torches will I need to borrow to cut any scrap metal to dimensions? I
am going to have to pierce some plate steel with a one inch hole, so is
there any other way of making the hole other than a drill bit? My
neighbor does have an arc welder rig and will be pretty happy to help me
with the welding. I just need to know if I will need to beg up some
other tools for the project. Thanks for the help. I hope to put some
pictures up on my website when "Lucile" is finished.
Taylor, in chilly Waco
Vince Pitelka on thu 16 jan 03
> I have some questions for all you metal workers out there. Everything
> is at a standstill on my kick wheel project until I can solve the
> problem of brackets for connecting flywheel and wheel head to my drive
> shaft. As Vince forewarned, pipe flange and pipe nipple aren't square
> enough for my tastes.
Taylor -
The sprockets are out there, so you might have to range a little further to
some larger scrap yards. Basically, there are many different machined
fittings designed to slip onto a machine shaft that might work for your
needs. As long as they have a machined face broad enough to attach a steel
plate to act as a wheelhead or to support the flywheel, they will work.
This could include V-belt pulleys, flatbelt pulleys, shaft flanges, small
flywheels, etc.
I cannot imagine fabricated brackets working in this case, because they will
twist and will not be able to stand the torque, and because there is no way
you can get them machine true. It would be a waste of time building a
kickwheel where the flywheel and wheelhead are not machine true. I wouldn't
consider trying to fabricate an appropriate fitting unless I was willing to
build it very heavy duty and then have it machined to precise tolerances,
and that could get pretty expensive.
You are making this harder than it needs to be. There are tons and tons of
shaft-mounted components laying around in scrap yards. You just need to
spend more time seeking them out.
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
Ralph Naylor on fri 17 jan 03
On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 23:45:35 -0600, Hendrix, Taylor J.
wrote:
>Hello everybody,
>
>I have some questions for all you metal workers out there. Everything
>is at a standstill on my kick wheel project until I can solve the
>problem of brackets for connecting flywheel and wheel head to my drive
>shaft.
I'd send along a picture of mine but it's under a couple feet of snow,
where it'll stay for another couple months. Go to
http://www.mcmaster.com/ and search on "shaft collars" They're fairly
inexpensive, and you neighbor can tack weld them to a piece of sheet metal
with the appropriate holes. You don't need to make the flanges out of
massive plate, 1/8" cold-rolled steel will do. Look in
http://www.thomasregional.com for a source in your area. A precision
sheet metal fabricator will probably have some pieces of scrap you can
have gratis. If you find the right guy maybe you can get the pieces
sheared to size. Regular drill bits don't do a very good job in sheet
metal, I'd suggest investing in a Unibit for nicer holes, safer too. Be
sure to clamp the work securely before drilling. Lastly, give serious
consideration to buying the Brent wheel kit. You'll get a nice straight
shaft, the right bearings and flanges, and a real wheelhead. Cut some
wood, slap it together and get on with throwing pots!
Regards,
Ralph in NH
Kay Howard & Phil Chaban on fri 17 jan 03
The easiest way to use non precision parts and be cheap is to get some shim
stock. This is sold in any industrial supply house in specified thicknesses
(metal) from .001 to about .016 inch thick and 4 or 8 inch width. Use the
shims to correct the flatness or out of line-ness just at the fasteners. The
only expense would be involved in the minimum buy. Phil
-----Original Message-----
From: Vince Pitelka
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Friday, January 17, 2003 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: Metal work
>> I have some questions for all you metal workers out there. Everything
>> is at a standstill on my kick wheel project until I can solve the
>> problem of brackets for connecting flywheel and wheel head to my drive
>> shaft. As Vince forewarned, pipe flange and pipe nipple aren't square
>> enough for my tastes.
>
>Taylor -
>The sprockets are out there, so you might have to range a little further to
>some larger scrap yards. Basically, there are many different machined
>fittings designed to slip onto a machine shaft that might work for your
>needs. As long as they have a machined face broad enough to attach a steel
>plate to act as a wheelhead or to support the flywheel, they will work.
>This could include V-belt pulleys, flatbelt pulleys, shaft flanges, small
>flywheels, etc.
>
>I cannot imagine fabricated brackets working in this case, because they
will
>twist and will not be able to stand the torque, and because there is no way
>you can get them machine true. It would be a waste of time building a
>kickwheel where the flywheel and wheelhead are not machine true. I
wouldn't
>consider trying to fabricate an appropriate fitting unless I was willing to
>build it very heavy duty and then have it machined to precise tolerances,
>and that could get pretty expensive.
>
>You are making this harder than it needs to be. There are tons and tons of
>shaft-mounted components laying around in scrap yards. You just need to
>spend more time seeking them out.
>Good luck -
>- Vince
>
>Vince Pitelka
>Appalachian Center for Crafts
>Tennessee Technological University
>1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
>Home - vpitelka@dtccom.net
>615/597-5376
>Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
>615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
>http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
>
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