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Recent developments: I've been working on a frame and mechanical linkage to have the metal Jacob's Ladder run automatically. And now it looks like I'll be able to display it in public, possibly as the first in a series of kinetic sculptures. (Not a done deal, so no details yet.) So I've kicked into overdrive working on it.
Today I switched the drive system from v-belts and pulleys to bike chain. I have the chain rings mounted nice and concentrically, but the exact layout of the axles isn't finalized yet. Currently the frame is mounted on a wood plate, but the final version needs to be hung on a wall, so nothing can project behind it. Also, the ladder currently hits the sides of the frame due to lateral sway. Both of which mean the frame needs to be redone, bigger in both dimensions.
I just finished redoing the way the bike chain is connected to the plates on the ladder. Instead of wiring them in place, I drilled 2-56 mounting holes in the edge of the plates and screwed them in place, using little custom sheet metal clips. This has almost completely eliminated the lateral sway, at the cost of a slightly less interesting cascade both visually and aurally. I might have to go back and loctite them all, but otherwise I'm much more confident in the long term stability of this system.
So later today (maybe I'll sleep some first?) I can start redoing the entire frame now that I know the final dimensions. I'm going to leave it mounted on the wood plate for convenience, but that's easy to switch at the very end.
Today I switched the drive system from v-belts and pulleys to bike chain. I have the chain rings mounted nice and concentrically, but the exact layout of the axles isn't finalized yet. Currently the frame is mounted on a wood plate, but the final version needs to be hung on a wall, so nothing can project behind it. Also, the ladder currently hits the sides of the frame due to lateral sway. Both of which mean the frame needs to be redone, bigger in both dimensions.
I just finished redoing the way the bike chain is connected to the plates on the ladder. Instead of wiring them in place, I drilled 2-56 mounting holes in the edge of the plates and screwed them in place, using little custom sheet metal clips. This has almost completely eliminated the lateral sway, at the cost of a slightly less interesting cascade both visually and aurally. I might have to go back and loctite them all, but otherwise I'm much more confident in the long term stability of this system.
So later today (maybe I'll sleep some first?) I can start redoing the entire frame now that I know the final dimensions. I'm going to leave it mounted on the wood plate for convenience, but that's easy to switch at the very end.