Hi John, Thanks for the opportunity to discuss this.
I'd be happy to answer any questions that anyone has, if I can. Also, Dave T. can answer as well as Bernie and the beta testers, all of whom are probably Shoptalk members. I'll try to give you all a run down of what the NF4 is all about. Our goal all along is to prepare plans for clubmakers for a very complete shaft testing and matching instrument that they can build in their shops as a DIY project. The NF4 will introduce the use of a digital scale to measure the force of deflection instead of using a spring and dial indicator that measures the deflection distance. The NF4 design allows for calibration between units, which proved to be near impossible on the NF2. This means that your NF4 should be able to read the same as mine, etc., and we can share data. The NF4 uses differential deflection, which allows the stiffest and softest plane of the shaft to be found, regardless of shaft residual bend, something that standard bearing finders cannot do that. Differential deflection is also the basis for all shaft deflection measurement on the NF4, since it can remove shaft anomalies from the equation, like masking tape on the shaft, the effect that stepped shafts can have on readings, humps in the shaft, or residual bend in the shaft. The NF4 will also allow for shaft profiling in a very easy and quick manor. I takes just a few minutes to profile the full length of a shaft, in 5" increments, with a built in ruler to act as a guide. The NF4 uses a sliding extruded aluminum t-slot arm that provides for adjustability of the unit from about 19" beam length to about 48". The NF4 is about 36" long in it's smallest setting, down from 52" for the NF2, so it will take less room on your bench. It is also designed to allow for either wall mounting or table top use. It is very portable as well (weighs about 17 pounds or so) and has a carrying handle. It will even profile a completed club, not just a raw shaft, something no other profiling system that I am aware of can do. I expect the parts to cost quite a bit more than the NF2, but we are not a certain how much at this time. Hard to find parts are available at the website and eventually full parts kits are likely to be as well. Also, the plans cost will be increased to $30 (up $10 from the NF2), but current NF2 discussion group members can update for half that amount. There are very few parts from the NF2 that will be re-useable towards building the NF4. We will probably have completed units available for purchase at some time in the near future. The NF4 plans include a set of construction plans, master parts list, component parts list, and a component assemblies list all in a downloadable pdf format. Also, there are extensive online help files with embedded photos, etc. that describe how to build it in a step by step manor. There are online instructions for how to adjust and calibrate the NF4. We are working on the detailed instructions for the shaft matching process (which will be very similar to the NF2, but using differential deflection) as well as spine finding using differential deflection and shaft profiling. They should be online in the next week or two. The NF4 can still do traditional bearing based feel finding as well. Our current concept for the shared database is to allow any NF4 user, who has calibrated his unit, to post profile data to an online, interactive database. Only calibrated NF4 users will be able to actually post information, since it all has to be comparable data. However, we are leaning toward making this database available to the public, not restricted to just the NF4 users, but no final decision has been made at this time. That's about all I can think of to say for now. Thanks, Dan > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 10:12 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: ShopTalk: Neufinder 4 plans now available > > > I'd like to open it up to discuss what you've been doing on this > project in detail if there's interest. > Looks like a great product and I'm especially interested in the shaft > profiling database. > John > shoptalk > >Hi All, > > > >John indicated it was ok to make a one time announcement to the group > >when the plans were ready. The website is now up and running at > >http://www.neufinder.com . We have the plans ready as well > as some of > >the hard to find parts. More will be added over the next > few weeks and > >eventually completed units will be available for purchase at > the site. > >Also we plan to have a shaft profiling database, most likely > available > >to the public. The database will probably allow calibrated > NF4 owners > >to post their profile data to the database which should allow it to > >build very quickly. > > > >I want to thank our beta testers (especially Andre Cantin, Orazio > >Bianchin and Royce Engler) as well as Bernie Baymiller, Tim > Hewitt and > >especially Dave Tutelman for their efforts in making the NF4 > available > >to you all. We would not be to this point without them. > > > >Thanks, > > > >Dan Neubecker > > > -- > Thanks! > John Muir > http://clubmaker-online.com > http://gripscience.com > http://elevongolf.com > 810.923.7396 > >
