fleib, for you, and anyone else considering a Dennesen/Feickert type device, allow me to be more precise. Sometimes my mind works faster than my fingers can type! ;^)
My only issue in using an alignment device such as the Dennesen is the need to accurately locate the pivot point of an already mounted arm. Some arms in my experience (EPA-100, Kuzma Stogi Reference, VPI) have a screw or at least an indentation on top of the arm tube or bearing armature so the reference rod can be positioned directly above the pivot point of the arm. This is necessary for both overhang and offset.
When I’ve tried using my Dennesen on any arm without such a reference marking I’m forced to eyeball the position of the vertical reference rod to the "estimated" pivot point and then hold it in that position while I continue with a one-handed alignment. Given the scale of alignment distances that is chancy at best.
My reference to sighting the cantilever for offset alignment meant relative to the lines etched on the Dennesen base plate, NOT back to the pivot point for the arm. That would defeat the offset alignment.
The last time I needed to mark a pivot point to drill a mounting hole for an arm I made a dedicated template. Using a manila file folder I cut out a 2" wide strip of appropriate length. Then with a good quality metal scale I marked off the spindle to pivot distance and precisely marked both. I carefully cut a X over the spindle marking (that allowed a pressure grip by the quadrants around the spindle) and punched the pivot point with a pin. Then inserting a 0.5 Pentel pencil I scribed the arc line to drill for arm placement. I found that easier than using the Dennesen.
Lastly, perhaps I should not have mentioned the DV-505 since I have no personal experience with it.
Crazy Bill, I enjoyed your story. My nickname "Pryso" goes back to high school so that was fun.
My only issue in using an alignment device such as the Dennesen is the need to accurately locate the pivot point of an already mounted arm. Some arms in my experience (EPA-100, Kuzma Stogi Reference, VPI) have a screw or at least an indentation on top of the arm tube or bearing armature so the reference rod can be positioned directly above the pivot point of the arm. This is necessary for both overhang and offset.
When I’ve tried using my Dennesen on any arm without such a reference marking I’m forced to eyeball the position of the vertical reference rod to the "estimated" pivot point and then hold it in that position while I continue with a one-handed alignment. Given the scale of alignment distances that is chancy at best.
My reference to sighting the cantilever for offset alignment meant relative to the lines etched on the Dennesen base plate, NOT back to the pivot point for the arm. That would defeat the offset alignment.
The last time I needed to mark a pivot point to drill a mounting hole for an arm I made a dedicated template. Using a manila file folder I cut out a 2" wide strip of appropriate length. Then with a good quality metal scale I marked off the spindle to pivot distance and precisely marked both. I carefully cut a X over the spindle marking (that allowed a pressure grip by the quadrants around the spindle) and punched the pivot point with a pin. Then inserting a 0.5 Pentel pencil I scribed the arc line to drill for arm placement. I found that easier than using the Dennesen.
Lastly, perhaps I should not have mentioned the DV-505 since I have no personal experience with it.
Crazy Bill, I enjoyed your story. My nickname "Pryso" goes back to high school so that was fun.
