[Silverback]

Ken Kelley, on Jun 21 2008, 12:11 PM, said:

If that is the case, I would assume that the center line of tooling arm to centerline of contact wheel distance is standard (the same) on everyone’s machine? What is that distance on your setups?

...
If I knew what you're planning to do with that measurement I might be able offer a little more in the way of enlightenment.

I thought that I said it in my post but I guess I didn’t…

What I’m planning (or at least considering) is if I’m going to bother make something KMG like I might as well make it so KMG accessories work in it, and besides using the same size tooling arm, the biggest other issue I could see is getting the centerline of the tooling/contact wheel… whatever to match that on the KMG so that the drive and tension/tracking wheel end up properly inline. I might as well take advantage of the existing standard so I don't need to "reinvent the wheel" if one already exists.

FWIW, Deker, it’s not like I finally found time to actually do this, but you’ve almost convinced me that I’d be wasting my time building something smaller so I thought about it last night and I think that I might have a more “efficient” approach to the thing. Instead of these heavy ($$$) blocks of steel that you’re all using I’m considering bending a complete chassis out of probably 1 or 2 pieces of some 3/16” or ¼” steel plate (sheet? When does sheet become plate?) and then welding it together. If I have enough scrap sitting around I might just slap it together…. It would be nice if I can find 12-18” of something hefty like some 6 or 8” channel or rectangular stock to attach it to. Sheet metal bent or welded into a proper 3 dimensional shape, maybe with a welded gusset or 2 should be every bit as strong as some of these setups, and if the finished assembly proves a little too light to dampen vibrations it’s easy enough to make a base for it full of sand or concrete….

[Silverback]

deker, on Jun 21 2008, 12:46 PM, said:

I can tell you that on the "real" KMG that the measurement from the edge of the tooling arm (rather than centerline) to the edge of a 2" wheel (again, rather than centerline) is .980". I had Rob measure that for me when I was building mine

Huh… are you sure it was a 2” wheel? The site lists the wheels and idlers as 2-1/5 and 2-1/4 when it gives width dimensions, and since those don’t seem to be consistent that was the reason that I was looking for CL to CL distances.

[Pelallito1]

deker, on Jun 21 2008, 12:46 PM, said:

Hey Mark

I can tell you that on the "real" KMG that the measurement from the edge of the tooling arm (rather than centerline) to the edge of a 2" wheel (again, rather than centerline) is .980". I had Rob measure that for me when I was building mine.

So, to translate for you, it should be 2.73" center to center. Not certain why it's that .02" off, but that's what I know.

Oh, and yeah, the tooling arms are 1.5" square by 20" long. I'd buy cold-rolled for the arms, I've found that the variance in hot rolled bar can be JUST enough to cause some cursing.

-d

Hi Deker,
Maybe the 20 thousands difference is because of the slight radius on the end of the arm. Or it might have happened if some material was taken off the end of the arm to clean and deburr the end. I am trying to come up with a logical reason.:>)
Regards,
Fred

[deker]

Silverback, on Jun 21 2008, 05:38 PM, said:

Huh… are you sure it was a 2” wheel? The site lists the wheels and idlers as 2-1/5 and 2-1/4 when it gives width dimensions, and since those don’t seem to be consistent that was the reason that I was looking for CL to CL distances.

2" wheels on the platen, 2 1/5" for drive and idler.

-d