REFLECTOR:Balancer

[Robin Ream]

Hello guys,

    I'm the bloke who sent Greg Poole the copy of the video down under.
Actually, I've balanced just about everything EXCEPT a propeller so far (I'm
still building my V, so no prop to spin yet) and there are a couple of
things I've found in the hours of playing with the instrument that might be
of help.  Number one culprit.  --  The sun.  It just plays hell with the
reflection and photo sensor.  Once I realized the photo sensor was being
fooled by the sun's errant reflections from things besides the piece of
reflective tape all went well again.  I learned that tidbit balancing tires
on mag wheels in bright sunshine.  --  The shiny wheel is just about as good
a reflector as the tape, so all kinds of erroneous readings can occur.  I
solved the problem by putting the tape on the black tire and moving the
photo sensor close to the tire where it wouldn't "see" the wheel as it
turned.  Still, the various shapes and contours of a curved wheel can
project some pretty unpredictable reflections.  Getting it out of the sun
made instant improvements in the readings.  The curved airfoil of a prop
turning in direct sunlight could very easily create the same situation.
    Second:  --  Don't be stingy with the tape...  If you're using a piece
of tape less than a good square inch you might get in trouble with a good
reading too.  Tape is cheap and it doesn't have to be the exact same design
as what was shipped with the unit at all.  Hell, if your sensor is within a
few inches of the rotating disc, a piece of white masking tape could do in a
pinch.
    When you do your set-up, be absolutely sure you're getting a good strong
reading on the peanut light as the tape crosses in front of the sensor.
Curved surfaces don't necessarily bounce the light just exactly where you
thing it's going to go.  You might have to play around with it a bit to get
the photo sensor angled just the right way to pick up optimal reflection.
One other thing:  The further out on the radius you have your reflective
tape the faster it's going by the photo sensor, and if the light signal
isn't being read optimally, it might get misinterpreted by the computer.
    Having said all that, I once again admit that I've yet to balance a
prop, but I've used in on wheels, drive shafts, fan blades, etc, etc.  -- 
And so far it has behaved just as advertised.  Maybe I've been lucky, I
don't know.  It does take some practice though.  I've spent plenty of time
putting trial balance weights in the wrong place because I didn't follow
directions to the letter, and that gets very frustrating pretty quick.  Try
balancing something easy like an electric fan until you get the hang of it.
They really make good learning tools.  You also learn how to make guesses
about the amount of correction weight it will take based on various rotating
masses that way too.  It's kind of fun, but don't do it when you're in a
hurry.  The little mistakes you make when you're rushed will soon make you
bald headed in the balancing business :-)

Best of luck to all,

Robin


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tony Babb" <tonybabb@alejandra.net>
To: <reflector@tvbf.org>
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 5:59 PM
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Balancer


> Seems to me like you've done (much) more than any vendor can reasonably
> expect a customer to do. Suggest you tell them you want an exchange unit
or
> your money back, warranty or not this unit appears to be not fit for the
> purpose described.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <HYTEC45@aol.com>
> To: <reflector@tvbf.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 3:29 PM
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:Balancer
>
>
> > In a message dated 6/9/03 2:27:40 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> > wamowens@bellsouth.net writes:
> >
> > <<  Is your propeller white? Maybe
> >  white to retroreflective  tape is not enough contrast.  >>
> >
> > On the Velocity it's white (mt), but not the C-172(black),
Lancair(black),
> or
> > EZ (wood).  I even have gone as far to cover the area under the
reflective
> > tape with blue masking tape to prevent reflection.  Also, I positioned
the
> > sensor under the wing to cast shade on it, and also adjusted the
> photooptic sensor
> > to be perpendicular to the reflective tape.  The tape is the honeycombed
> tape
> > supplied and the peanut light always illuminates statically.  I sweep
the
> > reflective tape through the cone of illumination of the peanut light to
> get the
> > center of the reflective area.
> >
> > The unit is sitting in my office now.  I guess if I get the motivation I
> will
> > install AGAIN, then take an AVI file of it not working for Vibetech.
> >
> > TEC
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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>
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