[TheForge] Dumpster Find

Fri Aug 1 04:50:01 2003

Alix;
Dumpster diving is a spontaneous art, like jazz. One works with what is 
given.
 For us, as blacksmiths, a dumpster can be a giant giftbox.
We live in an age when iron is so cheap, they literally throw it away.
  It is as close to being rich as I expect to get.    
   Pete F

Alix Peshette wrote:

>Wow Charles,
>Many thanks for the details on the grinding wheel/exercycle.  I really like
>the 'off the grid' aspect of the whole thing. This would be great at
>blacksmithing demos!  Do you have any other cool 'off the grid' ideas to
>share that use dumpster-castoff?
>
>-Alix
>Voodoo Moon Forge
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [email protected]
>[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of [email protected]
>Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 7:16 PM
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] Dumpster Find
>
>
>Most of the excercycles have a large diameter flywheel with a small
>sprocket for #35 chain (standard Bicycle size).   The sprag clutch
>engages in only one direction, much like the hub of a bicycle.  The
>outside of the flywheel is flat or generally slightly crowned.    You
>mount the flywheel on a column( generally this requires a fork to be
>fabricated to support both sides).   You wrap a short section of  #35
>chain around the top of the sprocket with a door spring attached to the
>backside of the chain on one end, and the base of the column on the
>other.   Now you make a lever hinged to the front of the column under
>the sprocket and attach one of the old pedals to it.  Attach the free
>end of the #35 chain  to the lever.   Now you can stand in front of the
>column and pump on the lever and it will bring the wheel up to speed, as
>the chain saws back and forth across the top of the sprocket.    When it
>slows down, give it a couple of pumps.
>
>   As for the grinding wheel, I mount an arbor or polishing head to the
>top of the column.  Generally they will have a 1/2" shaft with a v-belt
>sheave and a couple of spacers all held on with socket head cap screws.
>I remove the sheave, and then run a flat belt around the outside of the
>flywheel and around the 1/2" shaft directly.  It will really spin up
>fast.   You can mount up to a six inch buffing and grinding wheels to
>it. The real concern is it is easy to overspeed the wheels with no
>load.  A real slick unit for off the grid.  I made one years ago for my
>dad to use in his barn, and another later for a woodworking friend,
>although for him I  set it up as a small woodworking lathe.
>
>    The old style grinding wheels used the size of the stone to achieve
>both the  surface speed required, as well as  the kinetic energy
>required, this approach uses the mass of the flywheel and the ratio of
>the shafts.   It is a versatile power source, and could be as easily
>used to power a blower, which is why I don't mind having a couple of the
>wheels around.  They are relatively easy to come by at garage sales and
>on the heap, while high torque dc gearmotors with freewheeling neutral
>levers are not ( and these make good machine feeds) which is why I went
>for the motors.
>
>Charles
>
>Alix Peshette wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Hi Charles,
>>Wanna share how you made an exercycle into a grinding wheel?  I see those
>>exercycles at so many yard sales.
>>
>>-Alix
>>Voodoo Moon Forge
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>
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