| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Chris Livengood
Joined: 24 Jul 2001
Posts: 2432
Location: United States, Pennsylvania, Da Burgh
|
 Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 8:40 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
The software could be great for calculating verticle CG. It would be awesome if you could enter the height at which you raised the front because that would make it very versatile for many people. It might also be important to include wheel base as this seems to change across kart manufacturers. I am considering this setup for my next set of scales. The ten year old home-logic strain gauge scales are getting a bit to crickety.
_________________
http://www.Chrislivengood.net
http://www.Work-Racing.com
http://www.OurZeal.com
http://www.Karting101.com
"Auto racing, helping white guys get laid since 1887!!!" |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
joseph hollinger
Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 9479
Location: United States, California, san francisco
|
| Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Chris Livengood wrote: | | The software could be great for calculating verticle CG. It would be awesome if you could enter the height at which you raised the front because that would make it very versatile for many people. It might also be important to include wheel base as this seems to change across kart manufacturers. I am considering this setup for my next set of scales. The ten year old home-logic strain gauge scales are getting a bit to crickety. |
Alright Al, post your formula. I'll do the rest. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joseph hollinger
Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 9479
Location: United States, California, san francisco
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Larry Hayashigawa
Joined: 21 Oct 2001
Posts: 399
Location: United States, California,
|
| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
Joseph,
Wow. Pretty neat. The trick to keeping the cost down is to find the scales cheap, as they are not when new.
Question, what model of Fairbanks scale did you use? I believe that the scale has a serial port and not a USB port. If I understand you right, you used a serial to USB converter cable or adapter then plugged that into the hub.
Thanks,
Larry |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joseph hollinger
Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 9479
Location: United States, California, san francisco
|
| Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Larry Hayashigawa wrote: | Joseph,
Wow. Pretty neat. The trick to keeping the cost down is to find the scales cheap, as they are not when new.
Question, what model of Fairbanks scale did you use? I believe that the scale has a serial port and not a USB port. If I understand you right, you used a serial to USB converter cable or adapter then plugged that into the hub.
Thanks,
Larry |
That's exactly right. I used the older version of the Fairbanks Ultegra that doesn't have a USB port. As I mentioned, there are even older Fairbanks scales that are pretty cheap on Ebay ($20-$30 per corner).
The Salter Brecknell PS400 scales can be purchased new for $130 per corner or so. I realize that's a little expensive, but it sets an upper bound on how much this should cost. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Al Barnes
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 478
|
| Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| joseph hollinger wrote: | | Alright Al, post your formula. I'll do the rest. |
I can do you one better. I have all of my kart related formulas on Excel sheets, if you (or any of you other goons) pm me your email add., I would be happy to send it to ya. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RON LAX
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 77
|
| Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: There should be an annual award |
|
|
Ya know guys, this is the kind of thinking that makes things in karting Fun and interesting!!! Great ingenuity..... By the way, why can't an annual award be given for just these types of shared innovations in the karting community!!??? Great job, Joe!!!
Last edited by RON LAX on Wed May 28, 2008 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Scott Weeks
Joined: 02 Jan 2006
Posts: 100
Location: United States, California,
|
| Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 2:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just an FYI, I bought 4 of these scales: Fairbanks 70-2453-4 on ebay for $225 shipped and they work great with this software.
Thanks Joe..... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joseph hollinger
Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 9479
Location: United States, California, san francisco
|
| Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Scott Weeks wrote: | Just an FYI, I bought 4 of these scales: Fairbanks 70-2453-4 on ebay for $225 shipped and they work great with this software.
Thanks Joe..... |
That is totally cool. Let me know if you have any problems or suggestions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
G J
Joined: 02 Mar 2009
Posts: 91
Location: United States, California, Los Angeles
|
| Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 1:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just bookmarked this thread! Ingenious.
P.S. - I too am a programmer but of databases (Oracle), and the suggestion by someone to learn VB first before C or C++ is spot on.
Kinda like learning on a 100cc sprint kart BEFORE you switch to a 125cc Shifter. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
norton wallace
Joined: 26 Jan 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Canada, Ontario,
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 6:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hi Joseph,
If its not too much trouble do you mind to send me a copy of the software?
I really like your setup and would like to do the same if possible.
Thank you very much in advance!
Norton |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Paul Lapierre
Joined: 05 Oct 2007
Posts: 26
Location: Canada, not USA state,
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 6:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hey Guys and Gals,
If you are really cheap or are dying for scales but can't afford them, or you arent a computer nerd, than 4 bathroom scales leveled with a 4 ft construction level seems to work pretty good. No one will steal them, they seem to be within a pound, and they pack and stack really easily!
Paul Lapierre.......SHARING my SUCCESS in RACING |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joseph hollinger
Joined: 12 Sep 2002
Posts: 9479
Location: United States, California, san francisco
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Paul Lapierre wrote: | Hey Guys and Gals,
If you are really cheap or are dying for scales but can't afford them, or you arent a computer nerd, than 4 bathroom scales leveled with a 4 ft construction level seems to work pretty good. No one will steal them, they seem to be within a pound, and they pack and stack really easily!
Paul Lapierre.......SHARING my SUCCESS in RACING |
Paul,
everyone here already knows about bathroom scales. Not trying to be insulting, but you were sort of warned when you showed up and its really best if you don't assume that the rest of us are ignorant.
Bathroom scales are great, to a point. You can't use them by yourself which what the point of this thread. They are also vastly less accurate compared to the scale system that I came up with (or numerous other scaling systems). And that's useful because you quickly learn that things like the position of your hands on the steering wheel or the way you are sitting in the seat or your head position can have a major impact on how your kart scales. And that would be almost impossible to figure out with bathroom scales because you can't look at all of the data at the same time.
I spent a lot of time crafting something that makes electronic scales vastly more affordable. Anyone can go on ebay and buy four fairbanks scales for less than $200. Hook it up the way I described and the result is more accurate that what you can get with the most expensive commercial scales. In my opinion, that's advancing the art of karting. Bathroom scales are a throwback.
_________________
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. -- Winston Churchill. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lance Zabrowski
Joined: 07 Aug 2009
Posts: 379
Location: United States, Wisconsin, Cedarburg
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Nice work! And, it's so much more fun doing it yourself, plus who else is going to have a set up on raceday like yours. Cool. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Steve Kay
Joined: 04 Nov 2009
Posts: 190
Location: United States, New York, Greenlawn
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:11 am Post subject: For the rest of us... |
|
|
I know having a laptop application is the ultimate, but if you're not into programming its a bit intimidating. Since I'm pretty good with a calculator or Excel, I just bought these.
http://www.imarketcity.com/wewxt150lbdi.html
The output boxes have Velcro on the back so mounting them to a clip-board when laid out is simple. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Login to check your private messages
Login
