DEC H960 stabiliser feet. Have some questions.

[steven at malikoff.com]

Noel said
> I just took a quick glance at this, and noticed on major thing that's off:
> you're showing the bottom side of the stabilizer foot as at right angles to
> the vertical of the rack; it's not. See here:
>
>   http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/jpg/StabilizerFoot.jpg
>
> in which I have attempted to place the ruler at a right angle to the vertical
> (as available in the plate where the two horizontal bolts go through).

Hmmm. Well that changes things a bit. That's the first actual photo I've seen of the foot, and I
see what you mean.

> I _guess_ I could try and work out how to measure the amount of drop; maybe I
> can get one side of a T-square onto that vertical (on the front), get a
> horizontal from that, and start measuring...

When measuring it, don't just use the ruler on its own. Let's regard the inner vertical surface
where it mates to the rack as the normal surface. If you have a length of something straight
such as a piece of aluminium angle or steel bar, clamp it with a G-clamp or quick-release clamp to
that inner surface and then use an engineers square or setsquare off that. The bar thickness can
be easily subtracted later.
A sharp pencil to make marks on the foot could help (if you're ok with that, they should rub off).

A pencil rubbing on paper, or paper creasing slong eges then drawn over with a ruler can also help
to get angled surfaces. I spent some hours at a military museum some years ago taking creasings
and rubbings of the fittings on a vehicle there, the staff were very understanding :)

Another thing, CAD can make good use of non-perpendicular measurements. So if you're able to
measure something across a diagonal or at some odd angle, then please do so. It can be used to
triangulate and improve other taken measurements, like a point cloud.

> There are two different kinds of kickplates:
>   http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/jpg/Kickplate.jpg
>   http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/jpg/ExtensionFootBolt.jpg
> My vernier caliper says 1.66mm (including paint, of course); whatever that
> turns into. Both types are the same.

Thanks for that, it all helps!

Steve.