Buildguide3

From Electric Eel Wheel
Jump to: navigation, search

Builder's Guide (Version 3)

Required Tools

  • Wood glue
  • Blue Thread Locker (Locktite)
  • Pliers
  • Philips and regular screw driver

Assembly Instructions

eew1.jpg Parts:
  • Laser cut birch veneer pieces
  • Laser cut low friction plastic pieces
eew2.jpg Parts:
  • Circuit board (Schematic and Program)
  • Power supply
  • Motor
  • Mounting standoffs
  • M3 8mm screws
  • M3 nuts
  • Potentiometer
  • Dial
eew3.jpg Parts:
  • Flyer tube (longer tube)
  • Bobbin tube (shorter tube)
  • Yarn hook
  • 6x #4 1/2″ Bolts Flathead
  • 17x #4 3/4″ Bolts Flathead
  • 1x #4 1″ Bolt Panhead
  • 1x #4 Locknut
  • 23x #4 nuts
  • 2x #4 washers
  • 4x #8 2 1/4″ Bolts
  • 4x #8 nuts
  • 4x Nylon eyebolt
  • 4x Nylon wingnut
  • 4x Nylon washer
  • Belt
  • String
  • Sticky rubber feet
eew4.jpg Assembly Tip #1:

Apply thread locker to every bolt. If you don’t the bolts will loosen over time and could lead to damaging the Electric Eel Wheel.

eew5.jpg Assembly Tip #2:

The Electric Eel Wheel is built using “T-Slot” construction, which is a common technique used with laser cut parts.

Put the parts together. Slide a nut into the nut slot of the “t”. Then insert a #4 3/4″ bolt (don’t forget thread lock from previous step) and lightly tighten with a screwdriver. Once the parts are aligned tight a little more so the screw head is flush with the box. Do not over tighten.

If you have trouble holding the nut in the slot a piece of tape can be used to hold the nut in place and free both of your hands to hold other things.

eew6.jpg All the laser cut parts have a paper sheet stuck to one side. This is used during the laser cutting process to improve the quality of the cuts. Remove this paper from all the laser cut parts.
eew7.jpg Take the bottom and two side pieces show in the photo and place them together. Make sure the 2 X’s and 2 O’s are next to each other. These marks guarantees assembly was done correctly.
eew8.jpg Next take the front (piece with Electric Eel Wheel Logo) and similar back piece; place them together with the sides and bottom piece from previous step. The Electric Eel Wheel Logo should be facing outwards, and the 3 X’s and 3 O’s should be in a corner (see the photo for what the O corner should look like).
eew9.jpg Now use 8x #4 3/4″ flathead screws and nuts to hold all these pieces together. Make sure you use thread locker and follow the assembly tip above for t-slot assembly.
eew10.jpg For the next step you need the motor and 3 circles marked with an “M” (M stands for motor). Apply a small amount of wood glue to the larger circles on the side with the “M”. You will then sandwich the smaller circle between these. There is a flat part of the smaller circle that needs to be aligned with the flat portion of the motor shaft. You many need to tap the smaller circle on since it is a snug fit on the shaft to prevent slipping.



The reason to apply the glue to the “M” side is so those marks are hidden after assembly.

eew11.jpg Here is what the motor assembly will look like. You can balance it on the wooden circles with the motor facing upwards while the glue dries.
eew12.jpg Next we will assemble the bobbin. There are 4 circles with “B” on them and the shorter plastic tube. One circle is smaller than the other 3. That smaller circle gets sandwiched between two of the larger circles at one end of the bobbin. You can hide all the “B”s on this end of the bobbin by facing them inwards. The other end of the bobbin is a single larger circle. There is no need to glue the wooden pieces to the plastic tube. They holes are cut to be a snug fit.
eew13.jpg This is the assembled bobbin.
eew14.jpg There should be 5 wooden pieces with an “F” on them (F stands for flyer), and the longer plastic tube you will use to assemble the flyer. Glue 4 of them together as shown in the photo. You should slide one onto the flyer tube at a time to make sliding thme on easier. Again face the “F” inwards on the glued parts to hide those marks.
eew15.jpg There are 3 wooden pieces with “T” markings (T for tension dial), 2 #4 washers, a #4 1″ bolt, and a #4 locknut you will use to assemble the tension dial. Apply glue to the small circles (again place parts to hide the “T” in final assembly). Then on the bolt place a washer, the big circle, and the two small circles. There should be no glue facing outwards on the last small circle since we don’t want to glue this dial to the case.
eew16.jpg Attach the dial to the case as shown. Once the bolt has gone through the case there should be a #4 washer and locknut attached to it. Make sure there is no glue between this dial and the case since you want it to spin, but don’t spin it until the glue is dry.
eew17.jpg There are two wooden pieces with “H” (H for Yarn Holder), a #4 3/4″ bolt and nut.
eew18.jpg Attach these parts as show to the case.
eew19.jpg There are 2 laser cut plastic pieces that hold the flyer in place. Each one uses 3 #4 1/2″ bolts and nuts to hold it in place. Attach these to the case.
eew20.jpg There are 4 nylon eye hooks, 4 nylon wing nuts, and 4 nylon washers. Put the washers onto the eye hooks. Then attach them to the wooden pieces as shown in the photo.
eew21.jpg Now attach the pieces from the previous step with the other flyer parts as shown in the photo. Use 8 #4 3/4″ bolts and nuts to assemble this part. Use the early t-slot assembly tip when assembling these parts.
eew22.jpg In this step just slide the bobbin onto the flyer. Notice the thinker wooden portion of the bobbin is facing outwards.
eew23.jpg Attach the 4 standoffs and M3 nuts to the circuit board as shown.
eew24.jpg Next screw the 3 wires from the potentiometer and 2 from the motor into the circuit board as shown in the photo. Lightly pull the wires after screwing them down to make sure they are snugly attached to the circuit board.
eew25.jpg Place the circuit board and potentiometer in place as shown in the photo. Then use 4 #8 bolts, nuts and the wooden mounting plate to bolt the motor into place. Tighten the nuts until the motor is secure, but don’t over tighten.
eew26.jpg Remove any washers from the potentiometer and discard them (they are not needed). Use the nut for the potentiometer to hold it in place as shown.
eew27.jpg Use a small regular screw driver to attach the dial to the potentiometer.
eew28.jpg Use the 4 M3 screws to hold the circuit board in place.
eew29.jpg Put the plastic nut to make the pedal port. If you have problems getting the threads to hold it in place, you can use a little glue to hold it in place.
eew30.jpg Attach the string to the tension dial as shown in the photo.
eew31.jpg Attach the other end of the string to the other side of the case in it’s hole as shown.
eew32.jpg Stick the 4 rubber feet to the bottom of the case as shown.
eew33.jpg Put the flyer into it’s slots on the case and maneuver the string so it is resting in the slot on the bobbin.
eew34.jpg Put the belt around the small pulley on the motor and then maneuver the flyer so the belt is attached to the pulley on it.
eew35.jpg Congratulations. You have fished assembly of your Electric Eel Wheel! Before using it go read the user manual.

Links to old Build Guides