First Project - Power Drawbar - Need CAD File

[ElectronMini]

Here is the one I designed years ago.
it happened to be my first project on this mill, because it was too tall for me to reach up comfortably.

Sid

Wahoo... some kind of very good equipment you have

[BCRider]

.....Interestingly, to get accurate measurements, the photo would need to be "flat", meaning straight on with no curvature.

Photography is one of my too many hobbies.

Using pictures for this sort of thing and getting the size relation relies on a few things that are working against us in this sort of task. First off you need to use a lens that is roughly "normal" for the size of the projected image. Phone cameras all use a wide angle lens or they use a wide and telephoto combination. So you get lengthening or foreshortening distortion in both cases. Not a deal killer but it means you can't rely on them as well as you might think. If you have the option in your phone use the tele option and step back a couple of extra paces. It'll give you a better chance of getting the dimensions.

Next up is that the accuracy of the picture relies on the camera being very parallel to the plane of the item being photographed. Your results will start to be way off if the camera is out of square and out of parallel by even a little

All of this adds up to enough sources of error that you're barking up the wrong tree. You'll get far better results in a lot less time just by measuring the body of whatever impact tool you get with a set of calipers and a ruler. You don't need a whole CAD model complete with ever little detail. You only need the relationship with the square nose and whatever mounting points are that you'll use and the inlet fitting.

Besides. for the sort of cradles as seen in the videos you'll want/need a nice round or near round feature. The nose of the tools I'm mostly seeing is as cast and sanded. So mounting the wrench into the lathe and lightly skimming the case to generate a band of at least spots that are all circular would be a good idea. And if you do that you can then measure the diameter and use that for making your cradles.

[lovemesomemachines]

psomero...I have been using Fusion 360's Canvas tool to take measurements of an overhead photo that I took with my iPhone. Interestingly, to get accurate measurements, the photo would need to be "flat", meaning straight on with no curvature. I find that's not the case with photos though as they are more curved spreading out from the lens point of focus. Is there anything you do to make your imported photos more "flat" to take actual accurate measurements? Just thought I would ask.

[lovemesomemachines]

aliva...That's very nice!

[aliva]

I made this a few years ago, used push buttons to actuate the air cylinder and wrench

[Tundra Twin Track]

You can't fool us TTT. We know when you saw Sid's pictures you were disappointed he didn't use handle bars with brake levers. You are busted big time!

I guess I’ve seen so many Nontypical setups over the years in Agriculture they are usually the most interesting.

Thanks TTT!

Yeah, I remember the great handle bar debate!

I have the CAD files for this somewhere I’m pretty sure.

Sid

Was thinking of Sir John the other day when I was using the brake on Mill,he sure gave me a $hitkicking over those half handle bar may he RIP.

[dian]

please enlighten me: why do you have to disengage the tool? is it not free wheeling like an electric one?

[sid pileski]

Thanks TTT!

Yeah, I remember the great handle bar debate!

I have the CAD files for this somewhere I’m pretty sure.

Sid

[Black Forest]

That’s Awesome Sid,really like the cable controls you can’t beat stuff that just works!!!

You can't fool us TTT. We know when you saw Sid's pictures you were disappointed he didn't use handle bars with brake levers. You are busted big time!

[Tundra Twin Track]

Here is the one I designed years ago.
it happened to be my first project on this mill, because it was too tall for me to reach up comfortably.

Sid

That’s Awesome Sid,really like the cable controls you can’t beat stuff that just works!!!

[psomero]

yes Solidworks can do in effect the same thing with sketch picture (insert a raster image then sketch on top of it) and there is an edge detection un-rasterizer thing if you have professional or premium (can't remember the name of it, never use it because it's super fussy)

Still, pictures are hard to get lined up right. Honestly, it's easier to just get a caliper and a scale and rough the thing out IMO.

[lovemesomemachines]

psomero...Thank you for the reply. Fusion 360 has a Canvas feature that allows you to import a picture and calibrate it for size to make accurate measurements. I've been using Solidworks, off and on, and I don't know if it has a feature like that or not.

[psomero]

Hi there. Professional CAD monkey here. It is a big part of my job to integrate CAD models from all over the place into products, and make sure they fit.

Even if you were to get a cad model of the specific impact wrench you have, you should measure and verify the model dimensions anyways because:
A. people who make cad models of impact wrenches and post them on the internet are mostly idiots and don't or can't measure or enter dimensions correctly.
B. the manufacturer probably has five different variants of the same part number that vary slightly in ways that will have a material impact on the fit/function for your application.

TLDR; don't trust, and do verify.

[lovemesomemachines]

Sid...Nice work!

[sid pileski]

Here is the one I designed years ago.
it happened to be my first project on this mill, because it was too tall for me to reach up comfortably.

Sid