Thread: Started my 72" belt grinder build.

As far as the tensioning arm goes I'll be doing a design similar to this one but with the strut facing the opposite way

I would think both angles would change. The travel of the tracking wheel will change also but maybe not that much to make a difference. I am not sure but if the gas strut has the same pressure at all points of travel , this would give it an advantage over the spring. Well according to the pull test in that video anyway. I seem to remember the spring had variable pull weight at different levels of compression. So as long as the strut has enough travel to operate no matter which wheel is on it should be fine. I think we will find out when the drive wheel gets here. The one thing I would worry about as far as putting the strut at an angle would be wearing it out quicker. To much side pressure on the piston and seals. I would have to agree on the 90 degree angle for that reason. Maybe it would be okay if you put bearings in the ends ?

You mean with the bottom more towards the wheel? If you flip it over the seal will be catching dust.

Originally Posted by 10Pups

You mean with the bottom more towards the wheel? If you flip it over the seal will be catching dust.

Good point..!

As far as the pressure between a strut or a spring goes, I just noticed this. It appears this strut also has a spring inside

If it didn't it would be a shock and you would need a spring. That is the difference between the 2. The gas merely controls how fast the strut goes up and down just like a shock. Simply put,, a shock has no spring, a strut does.

I didn't realize that. I guess you're never too old to learn, Ha? Well, I figured I'd get what I had done put in a coat of primer. Not sure what color to paint this thing. Maybe yellow with green polka dots?

Painted, with with flat black. Just waiting for the drive wheel and need one piece of flat stock for the arm.

Looks good. Flat black was a good choice. I painted my KMG battleship grey. I'm concerned about the location of your gas strut. If you connect it to the idler arm where I think you are going to attach it, it will form the hypotenuse of a right triangle, and will not exert the full 30 lbs on the arm. I'd have to brush up on my trigonometry to calculate exactly what it would be. I think it should be mounted more like your temporary wood dowel. Think about it. If I'm wrong, so be it.

Originally Posted by skipnord

Looks good. Flat black was a good choice. I painted my KMG battleship grey. I'm concerned about the location of your gas strut. If you connect it to the idler arm where I think you are going to attach it, it will form the hypotenuse of a right triangle, and will not exert the full 30 lbs on the arm. I'd have to brush up on my trigonometry to calculate exactly what it would be. I think it should be mounted more like your temporary wood dowel. Think about it. If I'm wrong, so be it.

Thanks, I was going to go with grey also but had some black and figured, "what the heck"... I'm gonna go with the mount on the arm like I have it. I figure, If it don't work out I can always move it. If you look at post #61 it seems to work out for someone else. And I am gonna try with a reverse angle from his setup going against the arm instead of with it thinking it just may provide more power and stability. Give it a shot I guess.

That is looking good, I am enjoying this build thread.

Thanks for the updates.

Charlie