zane thang

Good discussion.

My usual recommendation is if you want a really good controller that is easy & quick to install, get the Thang, you won't be disappointed. If you want to save a few bucks and your handy with building that sort of thing from scratch, then build your own and have fun doing it.
I think there is room for both.

George

If you are referring to the below link where I have offered to send the manufacturing drawings out for a Position control that is easily manufactured at home. Then you are off base. These drawings are not for Zane's design.

There are at least 4 position control designs available. All work well and work on the same basic principle. Two are available commercially, one is easily made at home and one is out of production.

If this is not what you are referring to then my apologies.

My beef, is the perception that there is only one way to skin this cat. If you do not endorse Zane's design then you somehow are insulting the individual or are showing dis-respect to the person.

I am in favor of education and knowledge. Let the individual decide if they want to make or buy, and if buy, what is available.

Respectfully
Jeff

p.s. to all who want drawings of a simple to make at home position control, please leave your e-mail in the posting or e-mail me and I will send them.

These drawing & photos were originally created by Rick. To properly give credit where it is due.

casey

With all due respect to Barry, danct, and cst (and Zane), making your own part that does the same thing as someone else, is not unethical. Even the "Zane Thang" does the same thing that Ford did, abeit less expensive with add-on parts. Read about how he invented it.

And I think that we all would likely agree that making and selling an identical copy of the "Zane Thang" would be unethical. And some would say that even making an identical copy for oneself would be, also.

Some other examples: Would it be wrong to make your own hitch when you can buy one? Would it be wrong to make any part that works better (or worse) than one you can buy? Would it be wrong to make a replacment part for anything even if you can buy it?

I'll probably buy the Zane Thing just to see how Zane did it then make my own anyway...

Jim

Zane himself made his own and tried to improve on what was already out there. Then he spent the $$$ had several made and sells them. That is good for him. I wish him well and success.

Again, I get peeved at the attitude that if you do not buy Zane's product you are somehow a crook. That to even hint that there is another way you are insulting the person.

If I may, let me make one more attempt to explain how these things work.

Picture yourself at the controls.

If you want the lift to rise you pull the Quadrant control (QC) aft, or a Counter-clockwise (CCW) rotation looking from the tractor's right side. The responce is the lift arm moves up... a clockwise (CW) rotation.

If you want to lower the lift you push the QC forward, or a clockwise rotation, again looking from the tractor's right side. The responce is the lift arm moves up... a counter-clockwise rotation. All the position controls hard link the input lever and the lift arms together. Thus as the lift drifts up (clockwise rotation) it forces the QC to rotate Clockwise also... but remember, a clockwise rotation of the QC is a command to lower the lift.

Thus, the lift is commanded to lower to its originally set position.

The opposite is also true. If the lift drifts down, (a CCW rotation) is pulls the QC in a CCW rotation with it. Again, a CCW rotation of the QC is a command to raise the lift.

Thus, the lift is again returned to the originally set position.

Hope this helps.
Jeff

P.S. my fishing trip last summer up past Wawa was fantastic. You all have some beautiful (and very remote) country up there