At 4:38 PM -0400 10/14/00, Jon Page wrote: >McMaster Carr has force gauges. >http://www.mcmaster.com/ > >Check out the digitat readouts: #'s 8727T17 & 8727T54 $608.00 & $842.00 > >Their Pivot-Arm gauges are $135 (lower on same page). The above is what you'll need, ones with auto-zero and peak memory storage. Springs and weights don't have this. Remember that springs work by measuring their distortion. This is easy to read while the key has yet to break into motion because the object on which the distortion is based is stationary. As soon as the key moves, your hand holding the spring gauge has move at the exact same speed as the key, so as to be certain of reading the force required for the minimum readable motion of the key. I bought the P.K.Neuse set of three (10-0-10, 50-0-50, and 0-150g) twenty years ago when they were being offered by Jensen Tools. For the reasons detailed above I decided that, for DW and UW, dead weights were better than spring-based force gauges. But when my MacArthur grant come through I'm definitely getting the digital model. (RS232 into a PC would be nice!) About 8 years ago David Stanwood was investigating strain gauges to do this measuring. It is finicky work, when done seriously. Industrial engineers have all the best toys! Bill Ballard RPT NH Chapter "If ducks were smart enough and well-built enough, they'd be shooting at us. It's not my fault they can't aim and shoot." ...........Talk Show host Rush Lamebaugh, explaining why duck hunting is a sport, 1/12/98
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