Capstan angle

[Mark Davidson]

Phillip Ford wrote:
 >>    Well, it's two against one, so you guys must be right.

Make that two against two.  :)  As Phil has noted, the force on the key 
by the capstan must somehow take into account the sideways force on the 
capstan when the capstan is leaning.  The net effect after doing all the 
math is that the distance to the contact point is effectively what matters.

-Mark