[Frameworks] K3 crank modifications?

[Sheri Wills]

Thanks so much for the responses! Bernd, I really empathize with your experience of the phantom eBay auction.

David - great idea! And it sounds extremely elegant, compared to what I was about to try (vice grips).

Sheri

> On Nov 1, 2015, at 6:08 PM, Dave Tetzlaff <djtet53 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Yup. K3s are REALLY hard to crank. 
> 
>> Has anyone developed a modification to get a better grip and/or leverage when cranking the K3??
> 
> I don't think a better grip would help much. It's basically a leverage problem. The spring is stiff, and the little crank is close to the center axis: compare to a Bolex crank which folds out several inches from the axis giving a lot more leverage. 
> 
> I don't know if there was ever a manufactured product to help crank a K3.
> 
> I does seem to me it would be easy enough to fabricate or jury rig an extension that slips over the crank wings in the 'up' position, and has a spinning knob on the end. I'd probably:
> 
> Go to the hardware / building-supple store and get some aluminum c-channel, e.g. http://tinyurl.com/pxp2lze. 
> 
> Cut two pieces about a foot long.
> 
> Screw them together back to back, spaced apart with washers so the gap is wide enough to fit over the K3 crank, with 4 stainless steel machine screws and nylon insert lock nuts, two on each end. 
> 
> On the crank end they be just far enough apart so the slot fits over the crank. Closer together on the knob end. 
> 
> Then use a drill to make a wider hole in the gap on the crank end, for a #8 or #10 machine screw. Whatever you'd use as a knob would rotate freely around a screw long enough to go through it and the extension, top to bottom, with locknuts between knob and extension, and below extension, holding it on.  
> 
> Don't know if that makes sense w/o pictures, and there might be more simple or elegant means to do the same thing, but that's all I can think of at the moment...
> 
> 
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