ceiling fan install and blade weights & balance site is UP ...

[dave]

thanks to all for advice so far on blades balancing, fan blade weight placement, etc. this fan deal "ain't over yet"

I put up a small site with some pretty good pix of this one-man-alone ceiling-fan install job "in progress", including shots of some of the stuff I made to hang the fan from, the jacking and cribbing involved to get this monster up nine feet in the air by myslf, some of the obstacles I ran into along the way, the weights I cast to balance the blades, etc

guys that've responded to my "blade weights and balance points" question are especially gonna wanna see the last two or three shots at the site...

oh yeah-there's a rub: the weights I made might not be useable in their neccessary "balance point/center of gravity" locations (see last few pix and their captions)

again, guys, I appreciate your help/thanks again

@ the site, just press your F11 key to enlarge your browser window, because the nav links and captions are BELOW the big images.

[Phil Munro]

[t gilb]

That a fan or the Liberty Bell?

[Joel Corwith]

It's been a while, but I seem to remember something about just swapping blades to see if it smoothes out. I notice I have no weights on mine so it must have worked :)

At this point I'm really hoping that's a supported ceiling fan box and not just a light fixture box.

Joel. phx

[Ken Sterling]

If I remember correctly, I believe the auto parts stores (and maybe tire dealers) have self stick lead weights that are used on mag wheels where the rim would be all scratched up by hammering on the standard weights. You may want to check that - and they could be stuck to the top of the blade, in the middle of the open triangle bracket. HTH Ken.

[Ken Sterling]

Oh, by the way - CRAZY looking support system :-) Ken.

[Jeff Wisnia]

Great photo series, I felt like I was right there!

Izzat setscrew in the original "yoke" to clamp onto the pipe and keep it from looseing? It looks like it's almost beyond the end of the pipe.

Re fittings to lower those light sockets...Looks like the stuff you've got is made with the ubiquitous 1/8" NPS (straight pipe thread) used on table lamp parts. You can get plumbing "els" and "fortyfives" in 1/8 NPT in cast iron or brass, as well as nipples in steel or brass, and they'll screw together well enough to hold things, you're not trying for a leak proof seal there . You can also try finding parts to do it with in those zillions of drawers of small sized pipe threaded fittings and adaptors at Home Depot or Lowes. So, you should be able to find something to lower the lights with.

You can always spray them and the sockets with a can of antique brass paint, or paint some on with a brush. The stuff is usually available at crafts stores. The pieces will be high enough off the floor and masked by the fan blades so they won't be subject to close scrutiny.

Re the weights, how about just attaching your weights to strips of tin can stock with one small self threading screw in a drilled hole in the weight and then clamping the strip between the blades and the metal blade arms? They'll only be seen by flys on the ceiling, and you can go nuts fine tuning the balance by shifting the weights around under the blade arms.

Just my .02,

Jeff (Who thanks you for that "F11" tip. Amazing what things I never learned about web browsers...)

[Roy]

Most of the time any inbalance in the fans I have ever had occasion to have to work on has been attributed to warped blades or bent blade hangers. Never yet had to install any kinds of weights, but I have changed blade mounts and blades lots of times. Visit my website:

expressed are those of my wifes, I had no input whatsoever. Remove "nospam" from email addy.

[J]

Wow, this is completely insane. First, what is with all the wood blocking? I'd hate to have all that fall on me.

Simply loosen the set screws at that fork part and unscrew the fan from the bracket. Climb on the ladder and hook the fork into the hanger bracket you made. Then climb up the ladder with the motor and screw it back in. Your bracket rotates right? - if not you just need to twist the motor one or twice until it engages the threads. If you are worried about dropping it, tie a rope around it and loop it through the eye of your hanger. Now install the blades.

I have no idea why you are concerned about putting weights at the balance point of the blades. That makes no sense. Once they are bolted in the balance point doesn't matter at all. Since you do not know if the mounting bracket is balanced or even concentric or whether the blades are perfectly aligned and identical even if there was a point in doing that there would not be a point in doing that.

Balance them when they are on.

Turn on fan. If it doesn't wobble throw the weights in the trash. If it does wobble use a small clip or clamp or clothes pin. Clip it on a blade (pick one at random). Did it get better? If not, move it to the next, and the next and the next... Note which blade made the most difference. Now try moving the clip in and out to see which way works best. Further out means you have too little weight, in is the opposite. It you go all the way out and it still wobbles then use another/heavier clip. When it is all OK, find a weight the same weight as the clip and stick it on. There is a chance that two blades may need a bit more weight (if the imbalance is between the two blades), principle is the same, but you may need two clips and a bit more trial and error.

-Jack

[Roy]

YOu would think that fan weighed about 2 tons with all that cribbing ......8x8's no less..........Great day in the morning................ Visit my website:

expressed are those of my wifes, I had no input whatsoever. Remove "nospam" from email addy.