Simple Rotor balance approach

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Original poster: "Jim Mora" <jmora@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi All,

I just wanted to mention how I balanced my 1/8? x 
8 electrodes on my 12? g10 x 1/2? with ½? center hole.
I have balanced motorcycle laced wheels before 
and the principal seems the same to me. I had 
about a 5? rod of ½? brass all thread laying 
around. Humm, a couple of high quality bearings 
might be just the ticket. The tolerance was darn 
close to the center hole, so I cinched a nut on 
the  all thread to either side of the rotor on the outside of the bearings.

There were a couple of automobile axle stands in 
the garage that proved to be perfect bearing 
stands. The stands were close enough to set the 
bearings on the inside edge of them. The rotor 
moved very freely. I drilled the holes on the 
outside of the rotor using a 3/8? drill in the 
center between the brass W holders. Perfecto.

Concerned that the nuts or the all thread might 
be a factor, I rotated them around and re-cinched 
and the rotor stayed balanced. Clearly the 
bearings should be as close to the inside edge of 
the stands as possible and maybe shorten the axle 
to prevent extraneous balance influence.

Works for me.

 This has all been good practice before I 
attempt the 18? ½? tungsten rotor. I?m leaning to 
the direct press fit with set screws of largish 
thread yet smallish diameter directly and 
perpendicular into the G10. The angular momentum 
should tend to force them to stay put. Forget the 
lock tight and temperature issues. Thanks for all 
the experienced input on this.

Jim Mora