Hi Bill-
I set up the mass balance arm as follows:
I use small 1/8" cable clamps, that I believe are called "Kearneys", when
installing Nicopress sleeves. Once these are tightened snug, you can
exert quite a bit of tension on the cable with a pair of ViseGrips,
and by moving the visegrips next to the sleeve(clamped snugly by the
Nico tool), using the visegrips or a screwdriver as a lever. In this way
the whole business may be rigged exactly before swaging a single sleeve.
If you first swage the cables and thimbles on the arm ends, using the
Kearneys to get a nice tight fit against the thimbles, there is enough
room to use the usual swaging tool. After the arm ends are swaged and
trimmed, pass the other cable end thru a Kearney, Nico, two turns around
the pitch tube, back thru the Nico and Kearney to the Visegrip. Pressure
on the Visegrip allows very strong tensioning of the cables, after which
the Kearneys are clamped tight. Continue adjusting the positioning and
the tension by loosening and tightening the Kearneys until satisfied,
then swage the Nicos. The space for the swaging tool is admittedly close,
but it is possible. When mine were finished, the position is right in
the center of the wood support, and the cable tension is such that when
plucked a low "D" tone is produced. No turnbuckles are needed!
Happy building,
Pops
A-036
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa@ns1.avnet.co.uk
Subject: Mass balance arm cable
I would like to know how to best correctly tension the cables that hold
the Stab mass balance arm centered over the pitch push tube? I have
heard some use turnbuckles but the ones I have found are pretty bulky
for this application. Has anyone found a small turnbuckle? My
nicopress tool has a large head as it can press multiple sleeve sizes
and it will not fit between the balance arm and the cable when the mass
balance arm is in place. How have you solved this problem?
Thanks,
Bill McClellan
A164
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