Re: Bucket laser level
Harv, Rick, Larry
I guess I'll start with, everything is easy for those (me) that don't have to do it.
Harv,
<font color=blue>I think it would also be possible (and inexpensive) to build in some electronic dampening to smooth out the readings.</font color=blue>
Yep, your right, no big deal, once you have bitten the bullet for a basic electronic assembly, integration with analog circuitry or digital processing, is no big deal. You can pack a lot of functionality in square inch of circuitry. A PIC processor is less than $5.
Larry,
<font color=blue>I'd like to hear everybody's thoughts about how knowing the attitude of you bucket relative to true horizontal/vertical, instead of relative to the tractor,</font color=blue>
I don't think you have to make a choice, both are easily available once a suitable sensor is developed. i.e. two sensors one on the tractor, one on the bucket. Common display and processing multiple sensors, mode switch for what you want to do.
Rick,
<font color=blue>The only problem I had was finding one with light enough friction on shaft to make it work right. All the ones I tried needed such a large weight that is was not feasible.</font color=blue>
Right on here, a deadband exists at small angles from normal. The tangential force on the pot is the Sin of the angle and is only 2-3% of the weight. This force has to overcome the static friction of the wiper and the bearing friction. Pots in general were never intended for unbalanced loading of the shaft. I have been succsessfull with double shaft Spectrol wire wound pots with 0.5% linearity. These would not survive in a tractor environment very long. I'll send you one if you want to play around a bit.
Rick,
<font color=blue>Twinkletoes, please e-mail if you would like to assist.</font color=blue>
Hummm..... Bahamas. I think the Pot and the Pendulum(thanks Harv) is interesting and simple, not sure it's a rugged enough to survive the environment of the tractor world. From freezing rain, 100% humidity, salt atomosphere, -40 to 150 deg F temperature, constant shock and vibration, thats a tough environvent for anything with parts that move. But you knew this and that wasn't your question. Let me give this some thought and if I believe I have a concept that is viable in a commercial market, I will send you a private email.
