April 8, 2010

Here is what I came up with for the control wheels for adjusting the mirrors.

First, I used a hack-saw to remove the bottoms from a number of automotive, truck, and diesel tractor oil filters, and found three with the correct sized center holes that fit some steel tubing. I put three of these tubing pieces in a lathe and squared off the ends so I could weld them into the center of the plate from the oil filter. The bar going over the top of the tubing shaft can be clamped down with the tee-handled bolt on the end. It may be necessary to weld some handles (like spokes) to the wheels if more leverage is required. A large washer will be added to the end of the shaft, and then the cable will go through a hole (in the shaft) and then another washer will be attached to the end.

These three assemblies will be welded to a vertical upright between the oven and the mirror array. (Everything shown has been recycled..tubing from an old WWII rusted out airplane, the bushings for the shaft from a motorcycle frame, the flat bar is from an abandoned hide-a-bed couch, the tee-handle is from some arc welding rod that lost the outer coating, and the white washers are from the mechanism used in 1979 computer tape storage cassettes! Oops..the exceptions are the bolt and the two nuts used to tighten the bar on the shaft.) The test will be when the whole works is assembled: If the mirror rows can be easily adjusted, and then stay where they are put, then—success! If not, back to the welding table...