![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYyLI3Op3I/AAAAAAAAEVE/06WN6iwhFKk/s320/11200801.jpg)
A caliper and a set of PeeDee thread wires.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYyKwYs0MI/AAAAAAAAEU8/xKH0AORSUZM/s320/11200802.jpg)
I chose a wire size that was just below the top of the slot.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYyKaG-t5I/AAAAAAAAEU0/1Q-sTU3ygC8/s320/11200803.jpg)
With wires in either side of the dovetail I measured the width, I got .217"
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYyKQlBWGI/AAAAAAAAEUs/Q1TCQGh2OSo/s320/11200804.jpg)
But when I verified this measurement with a gage block stack it would not fit. Calipers aren't that accurate.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYyKEn4gdI/AAAAAAAAEUk/8wAeTI_dprc/s320/11200805.jpg)
So I tried .216" and it was spot on.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYyAIG51YI/AAAAAAAAEUc/d5Afhw_5HNc/s320/11200806.jpg)
A side view.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aNjK3CTQ0DE/SSYx_6ZftHI/AAAAAAAAEUU/Tx5Ev0NJuCU/s320/11200807.jpg)
Here's a drawing.
The value we want is the width of the bottom of the slot.
We know the diameter of the pins, and the thickness of the gage block stack.
I assumed the dovetail was 60 degrees. It seemed to be.
So, knowing those and looking up the formula for measuring dovetails in Machinery's Handbook:
y=b–D(1 + cot 1⁄2α)
y=.2160
D=.063
α=60
b= base length
Since we need to know b, it becomes:
b=y+D(1 + cot 1⁄2α)
"cot" is a fancy way of saying 1/tan
tan 30 = 0.57735026918962576450914878050196
cot 30 = 1.7320508075688772935274463415059
+1=2.7320508075688772935274463415059
*D=0.17211920087683926949222911951487
+y=0.38811920087683926949222911951487
So that's how I got a value of .3881"
Honestly, I just wanted an excuse to do a little math tonight.
1 comment:
Nick,
You're slipping, buddy. I'd have gone to AT LEAST thirty-five decimal places for those calculations.
Derrick
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