Yesterday was my granddaughter Amy's eighteenth birthday so there was no wheeling done then, and on Monday we are holding a big get together for the whole extended family so I shall have to hide my work from prying eyes! There are some members of my family (not many!) who think I might be on to something and they always come to see how I'm progressing. But on Monday they'll be nothing for them to see.
The weights I've used for the last few years are not suitable for the current construction so I've bought some new fishing weights, made from non-toxic lead. They are ideal as they are round discs.
The problem has been that the former weights were cut from a length of solid steel squared rod, so were rectangular in shape. I drilled a hole through the middle of each one, but slightly off-set and this has worked fine until now! The part of the mechanism to which they attach needs to be able to move freely, but the weights always try to hang downwards which is fine for some positions.In the current design, during rotation the weights continue to try to hang downwards and this causes them to interfere with the mechanism. I can't fix the weights without fixing the mechanism. The answer is simple. I need to use round or cylindrical weights, that can turn without affecting the mechanisms and remain balanced. Cylindrical weights! Sounds familiar.
I know I could use heavy flat washers but they too have problems. The only ones I can find have holes in the middle which are too large. But fisherman's weights are perfect. I only had to drill a hole in the middle to attach them and they are really heavy.
I am using ten weights and I can imagine that with the Kassel wheel containing two systems, one the reverse of the other, Bessler would have used twenty weights, and at 4 pounds a weight that comes to 80 pounds plus of course the weight of the wooden wheel. This is just my opinion and not to be taken as factual, although I'm convinced!
I am using ten weights and I can imagine that with the Kassel wheel containing two systems, one the reverse of the other, Bessler would have used twenty weights, and at 4 pounds a weight that comes to 80 pounds plus of course the weight of the wooden wheel. This is just my opinion and not to be taken as factual, although I'm convinced!
JC
Sorry about your setback, John. It's always something isn't it? It sounds like you've got it now, maybe. Balanced cylindrical weights attached to the ends of the freely turning mechanisms does sound familiar.
ReplyDeleteHow much does your wheel weigh?
Each weight is 2 ounces or 57 grams, Doug. So ten weights comes to 570 grams or about 1lb 4 ounces. The wheel is three feet across and made of 6mm plywood, but I don't know how much it weighs. There are also the mechanisms to add to the weight and I'm guessing that they're between 4 and 6 ounces in total.
ReplyDeleteJC
Go inside and use that inner small voice to guide your mind and hands..... We are all counting on you
ReplyDeleteAs Doug kindly offered for a supposed palliative "Sorry about your setback, John. . . ."
ReplyDeleteWith all respect from here offered, as deserved by Doug, one might rightly say that there ARE no setbacks to this endeavor of rediscovery.
No!
On-the-contrary actually - only good opportunities to progress in some small way when some thing 'goes south' - it becoming then but one more bit of peskiness set-aside, having been eliminated mercifully from any consideration the-further.
Now, THAT'S progress - the progessive process of ELIMINATION!
"Progress is our most important product!"
As-for the newest adoption of weights being now-all-rounded, as is sayed in the higher circles of The Bessler Forum itself, "function follows form" so, surely, on account of this, they will be found LIGHTER on the one side and HEAVIER on the other.
Were they to remain but squared, the greatly desired effect could then elude one sure.
The tricky elf that rocked the cradle that was Bessler's, well-knew that his precious charge would grow to be a great man among great men, a man that could impress the world of then as now with exhibitions of the seeming-miraculous that, as would happen rightly and justly according to Nature and to Naure's laws, "BROKE NO LAWS".
And, finally, to reiterate that profered, sage advice of esteemed respondent Tom:
"Go inside and use that inner small voice to guide your mind and hands..... We are all counting on you"
By even The Bard himself, such a thing could not have been put better.
To that wise advisement of lofty utterance, doubtess-so WE DO ALL AGREE!
(Surely, any day now . . .)
Thank you Tom and you too James, eloquently expressed as always.
ReplyDeleteJC
Hi John,..You know ,I really don't think the Kassel wheel comprised of two systems to make it bi-directional.There is hardly enough space to accommodate one set of eight weights.
ReplyDeleteI rather think he designed it to have a symetrical action that can work both ways.
This is a far easier option.
You could be right Trevor. But for me I think there is plenty of room for two sets of mechanisms, one the mirror image of the other. Eighteen inches could easily contain two sets, each taking up, say six to eight inches of space. I only assume a set of five pairs of weights.
ReplyDeleteJC
Whew!..Thats a tall order.I personally feel that if I can't get two weights to work first,then adding more will be futile.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your tweets by the way.
It's interesting to note that at the beginning of Bessler's clues he states that in the wheel there are many small weights.This seems to conflict with his advisory that you must use large heavy weights,eight in fact.It's possible that the small weights were there to perform other functions.
Here's another interesting bit of info that might be of use.I found out recently that the fishermen are now using non toxic sinkers.These are made of,would you believe it,the metal tungsten.They are nearly twice the weight of lead and can be obtained in a soft form,..probably the tungsten powder mixed with putty.It can be easily molded at a higher temperature to a convenient shape.
How cool is that!
Thanks for the info Trevor, I must check it out.
ReplyDeleteJC