Chain Gang winder

[Andrew D]

Hi Lincoln,
Art was quite adamant though that gears are not as efficient and as friction free as a chain drive.

Hi George,

Straight cut spur gears (against helically cut spur gears) are exceptionally efficient, equal to or even marginally better than a chain drive, and at the scale of your winder there wouldn't really be much in it.

In either case a big factor in the friction of the system overall is the pivots or shaft bearings.

I have a question though.  Why would the efficiency be that important?  It just means a marginally more elbow grease on the part of the operator against the torque of the motor - or have missed something?

ATB

Andrew

[g_kandylakis]

Hi Andrew,

It was not efficiency per se but minimal friction that would allow the person winding to get a full feeling of the rubber resistance/torque.

Art's intented use was for F1D models where a very smooth and easy running winder would be of advantage.

Not for larger thicker rubber...

[Andrew D]

Fair enough, just wondered, but it still stands that gears would be equally efficient....

I have pondered making a very low cost winder using a round (toothless) rubber belt as the gearing.  The problem of course is lack of "synchronicity" (wasn't that an album by the police? ) however with a counter on the output it wouldn't matter.  Belt drives are very inefficient though...

Watching with interest.

Andrew

[lincoln]

I think I may have mixed up my comments on this thread with ones in a thread on rubber strippers. I don't think Ray ever made a fancy winder.