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  #11  
Old 12-25-2013, 06:07 PM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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Tom, I'd suggest you kick the front leg out further forward or it will be tippy. Alternatively, you could put a 1/2x3x14" FOOT on it and angle it so the HEEL is about 1/8" off the ground and all the weight is on the TOE. That is what I do with our Crowns. In fact all our floor model machines have feet that are welded so the weight is on the TOES. This gives you maximum footprint without the trip hazard of spreading the legs out. You can also put some sand in the rear legs for ballast if needed. Whatever you do, make sure it's stable. These things are top heavy anyway and you don't want it to fall over on you or anything else.

As far as positioning the adjuster and finishing the lower tool arm. You need to figure out the working height you want...probably about sternum height or a 3-4 inches below your nipples...and work backward to the lower yoke mounting plate. Build the tool arm to fit that location in space. I have a jig that mounts inside my upper yoke to make sure it's where I want it. Depending on your upper and lower yoke sizes and the size of your upper and anvils, you'll just have to do some math and figure it out. I'd suggest a couple inches of upward adjustment also...at least 1" so you can easily get a flanged panel into the machine if needed.

Yep, ESPECIALLY on larger frames, you WILL have some movement when you weld the frame. The bolt on tool arm makes sure you can get things where they need to be PLUS have the flexibility to have a specialized tool arm if needed. For the cost of a couple mounting plates and a few bolts, you simplify the frame building, and ensure everything lines up. We actually drill and tap one of the mounting plates for 1/2" set screws that we use as jack screws if we need to tweak the alignment. You can also just use shims which will work just as well. We do the jack screws only because it is a more professional looking solution.

Tapering the tool arm is another area that is very prone to movement from welding. LOTS of welding and heat almost always causes distortion. We've pretty well learned how to weld so it pulls everything to where we want it but metal moves in funny ways and not always the way you expect it to. Box tubing has all kinds of internal stresses from the manufacturing and induction welding process. You can cut two pieces the same size off the same stick and they will react differently when cut open.

BTW, we originally made our large machines with the same multiple angle top as you have but changed to a simpler flat top because it (1) allows your handwheel to be lower without interfering with the frame and (2), taking a few inches out of the total steel in the frame makes it stiffer and (3) it is a bit easier to build, finally (4) they would fit in our box trailer without taking the legs off. This was a major pain in the rear.
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  #12  
Old 01-02-2014, 05:11 PM
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Kerry I understand what you are talking about distortion on the lower tool arm, when cutting down from 10 x 6" to 4 x 4", the wedge shaped off-cuts curled about 2" in the middle but opposite ways. As suggested I have put an extended toe plate under the lower tool arm which has made a world of difference.

IMG_4931.jpg IMG_4933.jpg

Photo 1 is before the Toe mod, now I hope to get back to the Buck
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  #13  
Old 01-02-2014, 06:33 PM
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HEATNBEAT HEATNBEAT is offline
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Looks nice Tom!
But, it doesn't look like you have enough adjustment on the upper wheel.
More then once I have had to raise my upper about an inch to get around something.
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Old 01-03-2014, 04:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HEATNBEAT View Post
Looks nice Tom!
But, it doesn't look like you have enough adjustment on the upper wheel.
More then once I have had to raise my upper about an inch to get around something.
Thanks Rick, still playing with a few options, I am thinking of cutting 2" off the bottom of the quill to overcome that issue. Look back at post #5, I had the clearance at the top but the bottom of the upper was too low relative to Kerry's spec. on " sternum height or a 3-4 inches below your nipples."

There's loads of capacity on the head, I have 4 pairs of holes holding the adjuster assembly on but can drop that down by 3" twice. (I noticed on another thread that you had made a second lower tool arm) Some thing that I may do if the need arises, also had a thought of perhaps swopping the anvils over "don't ask me why" over here it would be "covering ones back".

I was a while back asked why I wanted to have the last section dropping down to the adjuster, I considered that the Ranalah and Frost have lots of daylight above the upper but on the other hand Edwards and Kendrick have the shaft going across the frame to the column on the upper axis. Personal choice ? and yes I can rotate the anvils as in the sketch.

Can't remember where the 15.4 dim. came from but it would have been something to do with Cobra.
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Last edited by Z5Roadster; 01-03-2014 at 04:08 PM.
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  #15  
Old 01-03-2014, 05:10 PM
Maxakarudy Maxakarudy is offline
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Hi Tom,
Nice looking machine you made there.
On my Edwards I have adjustment on the cradle to allow for any contact discrepancies on the anvils, it has a bolt underneath one of the axle cradles which lifts or lowers one side.
Secondly a quick release makes swapping anvils less hassle than winding the adjuster out every time, I've seen them working on a lever/cam mechanism, I could take picture of Kendrick that has if it helps.
Also my anvil axles are chamfered at each end, so it gives you a bit more clearance.
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  #16  
Old 01-04-2014, 02:04 AM
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Z5Roadster Z5Roadster is offline
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Thanks Martin, while working with Geoff Moss he has an Edwards and a Ranalah from what I can remember there are adjusting screws under both sides of the cradle that he is constantly checking and adjusting. On the quick release he's thought were that they can be more trouble than they are worth, again it's the old do I, don't I.
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