Saturday 18 August 2012

the turn of the worm

So, I made a worm gear using this tutorial (I couldn't have done it without this). I'm hoping the worm will deliver enough drive force to turn all the snail cams and lift the weights.

http://makeprojects.com/Project/Roll-Your-Own-Da-Vinci-Style-Worm-Gear/600/1#.UC-xwqOQmSp

This is the worm gear in its rough stages. I used a circular rasp to make the channels. The wood is from a mop handle

This is the slightly more polished version

So I checked the worm with the gear I made and it turns the wrong way. I'll have to do it all again. At least I know the theory now.The next stage had it been correct would to have been to sand it down.

Amateur indeed.

I've also been putting my new tube benders to use and now have some nicely bended brass tubing. The string flows smoothly through it now. Hopefully this will mean less friction is generated so I can use smaller weights. 


UPDATE: After coming home after a night out, I started messing around with the worm gear and found that if I turn the gear at the bottom of the spur gear it would turn the spur gear anti-clockwise. However, if I move the worm gear to the top of the spur gear, it moves the spur gear in a clockwise direction. This means that with a small change to the design, I can still use the work gear I have made. 


I'm a bit too hungover to work out why it does this but I am happy with the outcome.

Thursday 16 August 2012

Spending money...

I haven't done much recently as I am not happy with the tubing which I have used to guide the wire as it looks messy. I have invested in some mini tube benders which arrived today.



I now need to buy some more tubing.

I have also invested in a pair or wire bending pliers for making nice hooked wire. My attempts were always too messy. When they arrive, I'll post a pick as well as my tube bending attempts.