Re:Guides

At 04:50 PM 5/14/03 +0000, you wrote:

>I new some people wont be happy with unconventional approach.
>However once you tighten up the turnbuckle, all the clearances disappear,

If chains were such a good idea, Harley Davison would still be using them.

Years ago during my first career, I was a machine repairman for a GM
plant. One of the machines I repaired was a spray machine that spray
painted the cars. It used a set of pillow block bearings with a pair of
#80 roller chains turning on about 10" sprockets. There was almost no load
on them, the weight of the arm they moved up and down was less than
10lbs. I lubed the chains twice a shift, and adjusted tension at least
twice a week. We had to replace the chains at least twice a model
year(about 10 months of use), and replace the sprockets at least once. The
wear was awful. The chains stretch badly if too tight, and climbed the
sprockets if two loose. They NEVER run smooth, you always have the
clicking and chatter of going over the sprocket teeth. Depending on the
condition of the chain, and sprockets, you can expect several thousands of
surge/lag movement due to this clicking and chatter.

Given a choice, I would not use chains for a precession, or semi-
precession transport method.

Don

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