Re: The 2010 FrankenMerc Project
Balancing Act --- The saga is OVER!!!!
First off, I thought about what was different with my balancing station and my buddies and then what was the same.. Bingo... we both used magnetic bases and my scale. He sent his out for cal when I mentioned that I was going to. The magnetic base was interfering with the scale but only when I tried to weigh the big end. Must have been just the right combination.
I moved my entire station to another location in the shop, unplugged or moved all the chargers, motors, etc. and then screwed the stand down to the bench. I just drilled and tapped a hole in the base and used my pinacle as the new upright.
I then made my sliding axis out of some 1-1/2" aluminum angle and some flat stock then jb welded it together. I cut a knife edge on the top edges so I would have the least possible resitance.
I then taped the axis to the top of the scale so it wouldn't move around and got to the task of weight.. BINGO... totally repeatable. I was so flippin happy
Here's the new setup -
Here's the sliding axis - I tried it without it and went 2 for 5 but close each time. With it I was 5 for 5 and dead on.
What made me even happier was that after I went back through everything and brought the weights all equal on each rod, I only had one rod that was less than a gram out on either end.
Still I went through each one and made them so the tetered between the final number and the next lowest. This should make them within .5 grams or at least close enough to call "Damn Good".
I got the pistons done also and found it wasn't as bad as I thought. I got them to all set level and used the same technique to get them within .5 grams or thereabouts.
All the pin boses are slick now also. Those that I felt might still be a little stiff I hit with a rolled up green Scotch Brite, spinning the piston on it like a wheel on a axel.
These puppies are done!!! Alll I have left to do is clean them and wait for the circlips to get here.
I also talked to a couple of friends about leaving the shot peened surface or polishing and the general concensous was that once the shot peening was done, polishing would be icing on the cake. I went back and polished them all again.