2023-08-29 (Tu) GrinderCompassMKII Idea for the next spring maker

I could not keep making compasses where it took thirty minutes to grind down a brass strip that *could* act as a fragile spring. Perhaps I could refine the procedure and become proficient in making two springs per hour, but that is still a lot of tedious work. I considered other sanding methods and tried my oscillating multi-tool while I held the brass strip to a tabletop. The metal got a bit thinner, but it was still slow, more uniform than the rotary tool method, but prone to human error.

Brass strip and oscillating multi-tool

I gave up the multi-tool idea and thought of a method that should ensure uniform thinning. If I wrapped the strip around a disc and spun it with a drill, I could press it on some sandpaper and wear it down quickly. I measured the spring length, converted that to a circle with the same circumference, and attached a couple of notches to hold the ends securely, then called it "reducer." I designed a second disc called "template," which would help me make a brass hoop with the correct dimensions.

Spring bending template

GitHub files for GrinderCompass
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2023-08-28