Re: ATM Rotating Cradle Rings

[andydtg@phoenix.net]

Billy Rudock wrote:

>If bend my own rings from aluminum stock I guess I need to make or buy a 
>rolling former.  Does anyone have plans for one of these gizmos?

I made one once to bend 3/4" aluminum conduit into arcs for the
ribs of an observatory dome. Don't have plans but a couple of
caveats:

- You need guides to keep the bending in a plane, otherwise you
  get corkscrew shapes.

- It takes a *lot* of force to roll the tubing between the rollers,
  some sort of powered setup might be advisable

I currently make my alt-az trunnions and azimuth track from 1 1/2 to
4" steel angle. There are commercial fabricators that can bend and
weld angle, tubing etc into circles & they're not all that expensive,
it costs me about $50 to get a 4' dia steel angle ring made if I supply
the material.

 
Andy Saulietis / DTG Alt-Az-Fp Drive Systems
HDPE Worm Gears, Custom designs & Machine work
12617 Harriet Ln
Santa Fe, TX 77510 USA
409-925-8854 Voice/Fax
e-mail: andydtg@phoenix.net