Chuck Keysor
12-19-2018, 02:03 PM
Well, I always hate to embarrass myself, and there are constitutional protections against self incrimination but...………….
Last September I had removed the long aluminum extrusions which provided the structural support of my X-car. I had obtained rectangular steel tubing, and cut it to length, set it into position, aligned everything with the two y rails/angle irons of the X-car in place, by carefully measuring the diagonals of the two y rails/angle irons to make sure they were exactly equal.
Then I had the steel tubing spot welded, then removed the two y rails/angle irons, and then had the steel tubing fully welded in place. I then re-installed the two y rails/angle irons, drilled and tapped the holes in the steel tubing
(breaking two taps in the process), then installed the bolts to hold the two y rails/angle irons.
As a final check, I clamped a thick aluminum plate to the bottom end of the X car, set up a full sized 3 foot by 4 foot by 5 foot triangle, and checked the squareness of my rails to the bottom end of the X car..... I was mortified to find an error of 1/8 of an inch...….. I went and enlarged the mounting holes in my two rails/angle irons, and that was just not enough to be able to make up for my error.
I then removed the two y rails/angle irons and set up the full sized 3-4-5 triangle and of course found that the X car was not square...…. :( So I have let it sit for a month or so,,,,, I'll have to grind out the welds, and have it all re-welded.
My lessons are:
1)Square up the X-car itself, and NOT measure the two y rails/angle irons...………
2) CHECK for squareness AFTER the tack welding is done, BEFORE the final welding is done...………
Well, on the bright side, everyone was spared from getting MORE Christmas presents made on my Bot...…..
Chuck
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32321&stc=1http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32322&stc=1http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32323&stc=1
Last September I had removed the long aluminum extrusions which provided the structural support of my X-car. I had obtained rectangular steel tubing, and cut it to length, set it into position, aligned everything with the two y rails/angle irons of the X-car in place, by carefully measuring the diagonals of the two y rails/angle irons to make sure they were exactly equal.
Then I had the steel tubing spot welded, then removed the two y rails/angle irons, and then had the steel tubing fully welded in place. I then re-installed the two y rails/angle irons, drilled and tapped the holes in the steel tubing
(breaking two taps in the process), then installed the bolts to hold the two y rails/angle irons.
As a final check, I clamped a thick aluminum plate to the bottom end of the X car, set up a full sized 3 foot by 4 foot by 5 foot triangle, and checked the squareness of my rails to the bottom end of the X car..... I was mortified to find an error of 1/8 of an inch...….. I went and enlarged the mounting holes in my two rails/angle irons, and that was just not enough to be able to make up for my error.
I then removed the two y rails/angle irons and set up the full sized 3-4-5 triangle and of course found that the X car was not square...…. :( So I have let it sit for a month or so,,,,, I'll have to grind out the welds, and have it all re-welded.
My lessons are:
1)Square up the X-car itself, and NOT measure the two y rails/angle irons...………
2) CHECK for squareness AFTER the tack welding is done, BEFORE the final welding is done...………
Well, on the bright side, everyone was spared from getting MORE Christmas presents made on my Bot...…..
Chuck
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32321&stc=1http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32322&stc=1http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=32323&stc=1