Re: Re: Re: Re: Hexapod question - rigidity

> From: "Raymond Heckert" <jnr@...>
>
> Actually, you are subject to what we call 'Lake-Effect' snow. The snow
> I can handle... It's the bitter cold that I don't like. When I finally
> got outside this morning, about 7:00, the thermometer on the yardlight
> pole indicated minus 10° F ! (That's not factorial, it's
> exclamatory).

The thermometer on the tree is just not accurate. I usually tell temp by
starting the car. Like the chirp of a cricket, the grind of the starting
motor is proportional to the temp. <I'll probably owe Bill part of
another breakfast at NAMES for this off topic part of the post.>

> My thoughts on the Stewart struts are that they must operate best as
> ball-joints... rather each strut that connects to a common point should
> be a half-hemisphere, mating with each other in such a way as to form a
> complete sphere, retained in an appropriate socket. Note, that these
> two halves will always rotate relative to each other in only one axial
> plane! This fact allows the socket to also be fabricated in two halves
> (actually, they don't even need to be complete halves) suspended in a
> universal joint-like yoke. I may actually try to build one... some day,
> after I apply for membership in the Procrastinators' Club.

Those folk who know geometry would insist that they can figure out the
maths required to transform most any geometric configuration into the
Cartesian form. Your description is very close to the vision that I have
in my head. Thanks for putting it into words. I'll send you a
membership form when I get a chance.

Ray