On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:23:31 GMT, MetalHead
wrote:

Eric R Snow wrote:
On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 15:38:06 GMT, MetalHead
wrote:


Eric,
Did you ever resolve the encoder problem you were fighting with a few
weeks ago? If yes, what did it work out to be? Sorry if I missed it at
the bottom of one of the threads.

Bob

Bob,
I'm still working on it. I have made a new pulley with a thread cut
into it for the cable to wrap around. I have also made a mirror holder
for the laser. But some other more important things had to be done
first and I won't be able to get back to it until next week. But I
will post the results.
Eric

Thanks Eric, I am curious about that one.

Bob
Bob,
One of the things I'm not sure about is how to determine the length of
an unwrapped helix. If the radius and pitch are known then that should
be enough info to calculate the length exactly but I haven't been
satisfied with the answers I have come up with. Do you know how to do
this? I think that if a right triangle is wrapped around a cylinder
then the hypotenuse would be the length of the unwound helix. Do you
know if this is correct?
Eric