Real Life Puzzle

[Tom Wesenberg]

OK, this time I have a real life puzzle for someone to figure out. I built this engine lifting frame years ago, repainted it this summer, and since it spends so much time outside, I made a rain cover for it, but it mainly serves as a sun shade for my picnic table. Now, with the heavy wind catching top on it, I have to worry about the wind blowing it over. I have a 50 pound steel ball I can hang off the hook to help hold the frame from tipping over. I'll slide the table out of the way.
Am I better off to hang the ball 6" above the ground, or should I winch it tight to the top, or does it make any difference?

Sun Shade 2.JPG

[DaWizard]

Well, first off, IF you were to use the ball, it would be better served hanging at ground level. If you raise it you will add weight to the top and make it top heavy. Also, with it hanging low, it would act against the wind.

Now, to keep the lift from being blown around and toppling, I would simply toss an anchor at either end, I know you could build a simple stake to hold down the ends. You can't tell me you don't have a couple old dead axles hangin around that could be used with a simple re-bar hook welded to it. If you really want to anchor it, use 6 axles, 3 per side, 2 inside, one outside on each leg. That will surely hold it down.

[Big hammer]

How about a third choice and attach it to the table?
When I was lifting my tudor body from the bottom, I almost lost it !
I then made a frame and lifted it from the top of the door and top of the quarter windows.

[George Miller]

OK, this time I have a real life puzzle for someone to figure out. I built this engine lifting frame years ago, repainted it this summer, and since it spends so much time outside, I made a rain cover for it, but it mainly serves as a sun shade for my picnic table. Now, with the heavy wind catching top on it, I have to worry about the wind blowing it over. I have a 50 pound steel ball I can hang off the hook to help hold the frame from tipping over. I'll slide the table out of the way.
Am I better off to hang the ball 6" above the ground, or should I winch it tight to the top, or does it make any difference?

Sun Shade 2.JPG

At some point as it is tipping ether way will make it tip faster. the weight should be on the bottom where it would have to lift the weight to tip. But you already know that. This is a test.

[Mitch]

Tom do you get along with your neighbors? Just kidding

[Jim Mason]

If you maintain the center of mass within the base of support you have stability. move it outside the base and it will tip. lower increases the distance the ball would have to move to move the CM outside the base. did I pass?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Tom do you get along with your neighbors? Just kidding

My neighbor just moved into an assisted living place, and that's why I've had to spend so much time cleaning up my back yard before some relator sees it and complains to the city.

Since there is a gap between the top plastic boards on the table, I did think about making a plate to connect the hook to.

[DaWizard]

Oh yea Tom, a simple T style from a rod welded to the T part, just slip it down between the gap and twist and hook to it. I'm sure you could fashion some sort of eyelet on the top end of the rod, say at a 90° to the T so when you slide it between, it couldn't drop down to the ground if it slips from your grasp, or better still, just weld a flat washer around the shank to keep it from falling through.

[Mitch]

That's an idea

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Ever see a FLYIN' TABLE???
SA Dad

[Tom Wesenberg]

I think it won't make any difference whether the 50 pound weight is at the top of just 6" above the ground, because it is free to pivot at the top, so the weight will always be directly below the top bar, even as it tilts. I'll use my spring pull scale and do a test to verify this, and also show how I fixed the problem of tipping.