What's the last thing you think would balance a fan blade?

[Cameramonkey]

CSB...

I actually managed to end up with scalp lacerations from a ceiling fan.

Rewind to my yout. I was a junior in HS and was on a cool class trip; Marine Biology. It was a class we would spend the winter Saturdays studying in class, then over spring break we would go to the florida keys to Newfound Harbor Marine Institute where we would spend the week snorkeling and continuing the class.

The dorms had metal bladed fans and bunk beds. BAD combination. The one in our room was literally stuck on high. (knob was missing) I didnt realize how close the blades were to the beds and I went to jump up onto the top bunk that first night and caught 3 blade strikes to the left side of my head. (yes, that probably explains a few things) The wounds werent bad, but enough to get my attention. (no profuse bleeding)

The next day we were scheduled to swim in a natural tank/ closed bay with a 5' nurse shark. I put on my gear and jumped in. Aaaaand then immediately jumped right back out. Salt water to the wounds was not pleasant a mere 12 hours post injury.

I did eventually get back to snorkeling the 2nd day, but that first day was a no go.

 

[flightsimmer]

There is a church in Florida that we attend every winter when we're down there that has this one ceiling fan that wobbles really bad and no one seems to care, but it is a distraction at least to me and I want so badly to get a ladder and balance it before it tares it self loose and falls.
Oh well, such is life.

 

[ATOMonkey]

The other thing that I found that helps is getting all the blades to spin in the same plane. I use a white crayon to mark the lowest blade (while the fan is running at max speed), it requires a steady hand. Turn the fan off and make sure the blade it mounted tight (they're usually loose), and if it is tight, bend it up. Rinse and repeat for desired results.

 

[Thor]

What's the last thing you'd expect would balance a ceiling fan? How about beer cans and twist ties.

I was at a (extended) party at a place in the panhandle of FL a bit back (now gone due to hurricane). During the night it was decided that we needed to play Beer Hunter but we needed a technological answer to agitating the beers...so we came up with the genius idea to strap a can to each of the blades of the ceiling fan and let 'er rip. That fan was perfectly balanced until the moment when all 4 cans simultaneously departed the fan for various parts of the room where they tended to explode. Beer Hunter...where everyone's a winner.

 

[BiscuitsandGravy]

Not with that attitude! And to think I just finally threw out a perfectly good used washing machine motor and transmission!

I do still have a treadmill motor up for grabs...

WHY! Those could be used for a very nice DIY brass tumbler!

 

[jkaetz]

Yeah. I'm not OCD. Nor CDO.

Though I will admit I momentarily tried using my reloading scale to measure the blades in grains. It was heavier than the scale could register, so I settled on grams without a second thought.

COD then?

[video=youtube;Py2fiifvxKI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py2fiifvxKI[/video]

I'd really like to know what his thought process was. Did he really think his head would be faster than his hand? Never mind his hand isn't going to be fast enough to make it between the blades either...

 

[rhino]

If I had a nickel for every time someone called me OCD I'd have $34.70.

I think I wouldn't try to balance a fan with cats, but I'd probably have to hot glue them to the blades, anyway.

The moment of inertia is indeed important. You might make the blades' masses match, but if you're adding mass to achieve this, it matters where on the blade your addition is placed. A good approximation would be to mass the blade balanced on a razor edge placed on the pan of your scale or balance. Make the addition at that point, preserving the point of balance. It wouldn't have to be a razor as such, just narrow enough that an imbalance will be obvious.

Gee, I sure hope no one overlooks that detail. It could be like that . . . forever.

 

[rhino]

I get your point, but my well running fan thinks its a moot point. I placed the weight at the midpoint to strike a balance, and it balanced the fan as it no longer exhibits even the slightest hint of a wobble. So if there is a problem, it doesnt matter in this case because we are literally talking about adding 1-2 grams of glue, so around a half a percent change of total mass. And its a ceiling fan, not an airplane propeller.

Gee, I sure hope it stays the way as balanced as it is over time. It would be a shame to overlook that detail and have a problem later. That could happen. In the future.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Gee, I sure hope it stays the way as balanced as it is over time. It would be a shame to overlook that detail and have a problem later. That could happen. In the future.

What are you, a gangster soliciting protection money? "Nice ceiling fan you got there. It'd be a shame if something was to, uh, unbalance it."

 

[Cameramonkey]

Well, if 5 years of slightly wobbling didnt break something, I SERIOUSLY doubt another 5 of imperceptible wobble will do any harm.

Cant be any worse than the wobble on the downstairs fan that broke one of the plastic attachment points for a non-fan rated box. Fixing that one today with a proper box. (and even less hot glue on this one)

 

[rhino]

What are you, a gangster soliciting protection money? "Nice ceiling fan you got there. It'd be a shame if something was to, uh, unbalance it."

Hush, you!

Well, if 5 years of slightly wobbling didnt break something, I SERIOUSLY doubt another 5 of imperceptible wobble will do any harm.

Cant be any worse than the wobble on the downstairs fan that broke one of the plastic attachment points for a non-fan rated box. Fixing that one today with a proper box. (and even less hot glue on this one)

You're probably right, I'm sure nothing will happen. Probably.

 

[maxwelhse]

WHY! Those could be used for a very nice DIY brass tumbler!

I'm a car guy, which by definition means I'm already a hoarder. Junk eventually has to go!

That said, don't let your dreams be dreams. The price of the treadmill motor is you take the rest of the treadmill with you. Located in Elkhart Co. PM if you're serious.

 

[nonobaddog]

The last thing to balance a fan blade? I would say a 12ga with slugs.
It won't balance the blades but it will eliminate the wobble.