If you used this type of set up the gear reduction would be like a clock.
The threaded rod raising the grill lets say had an 8 thread per inch pitch or lead.
Every turn would raise it 1/8th of an inch.
Then add the worm drive depending on what ratio that was would really slow it down.
Too brain dead to figure it out but you could be looking at 100 turns of the wheel to get the grill to move an inch.

If I follow it correctly.
Everything I have came up with so far involves some sort of contraption.
My best idea is to use something like an OS&Y valve has to move the grill up and down.
I really do wish I would have scrounged more when I had the chance in the plants.:(
By darn I just figured it out and still use the overhead cable.:D

Worth

That's a good point. On the router the movement per crank was pretty small, but they were going for precision. I think it 1/32" per turn. But one doesn't have to use a fine pitch thread. You might be able to go something like 4:1 (4 turns per inch). With a mechanical advantage on the worm, that wouldn't be hard to turn.

The router table was direct drive (crank on one sprocket) with a bike chain to the other sprocket, but as I say, a fine pitch.

That is where the helix angle comes into play.
Just a lead screw will put out tremendous force without the worm drive involved.
The greater the diameter of the treadled shaft the less the helix angle will be thus making the inclined plane less on the treads.
Making it easier to turn and create more force.

There are two drive shafts on my lathe.
One is the lead screw and the other is a feed screw.
The Lead screw is 8 threads per inch with a half nut.
This is used for cutting threads.
The feed screw uses a worm drive and the worm runs on a shaft with a key slot.
It turns the worm wheel that turns gears the run on a rack by way of a pinion gear.
It is for very fine feed.

If anything I would need to step up the ratio of the screw drive not slow it down.
Like a worm drive on a fishing reel works but not that drastic and it wouldn't be practical.
It would be expensive.

To give an example my sausage stuffier used miter gears and a so called lead screw.
It takes forever to move the thing up and down.


.

Worth, now that I understand it better - I think this is a perfect project for you. There's a lot to think about and precision work.

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;653405]Worth, now that I understand it better - I think this is a perfect project for you. There's a lot to think about and precision work.[/QUOTE]

Thank you and yes there is.
I also dont want to just copy off other peoples stuff.
I see small flaws in every one of them even though they are good products.
I am also done with offset BBQ hot smoking for the most part, almost to the point I cant stand the taste of it with some meats.

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;653406]Thank you and yes there is.
I also dont want to just copy off other peoples stuff.
I see small flaws in every one of them even though they are good products.
I am also done with offset BBQ hot smoking for the most part, almost to the point I cant stand the taste of it with some meats.

Worth[/QUOTE]

Exactly, me too. I've gotten to the point of rather eating a cold hotdog than eating meat that has been smoked to death.

[QUOTE=AlittleSalt;653411]Exactly, me too. I've gotten to the point of rather eating a cold hotdog than eating meat that has been smoked to death.[/QUOTE]

Salt I think all of the BBQ snob contest crap on the food TV channels turned me off.
That and I like grilled stuff better.
My mother and myself and many others made and make some of the best food on cheap Po folks BBQ grills.
You cant spend three thousand dollars on a guitar and expect to suddenly know how to play.

Worth

So the coarsest thread your lathe can cut is 8 TPI? Not knowing lathes, I don't know whether that is an unusual limitation or not.

OTOH, a cable system is probably the easiest to pull off, and tricky enough to get right.

I'll be following your progress with interest.

[QUOTE=dmforcier;653442]So the coarsest thread your lathe can cut is 8 TPI? Not knowing lathes, I don't know whether that is an unusual limitation or not.

OTOH, a cable system is probably the easiest to pull off, and tricky enough to get right.

I'll be following your progress with interest.[/QUOTE]

No the coarsest is 4 TPI then 4 1/2, 4 3/4, 5, 5 1/2, 6, 6 1/2, 7 then 8 starts on the same row as 4 again but with the first sifter going from A to B.
The quick change gear box is basically two transmissions one right after the other.
The first one a 5 speed the second an 8 speed.
You're over driving the lead screw to cut anything below 8TPI.
8TPI is direct drive in comparison to the head stock, they both rotate at the same speed.

The first thing I need to do is build the fire box/pit then build around it and I will use the screw mechanism to raise and lower the legs.
Not only can you adjust the height you can make the legs be in contact evenly with the surface they are sitting on, 'no wobble.

Worth

Windlass - [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windlass[/url]

There are a couple of ideas on that wiki page.

The windlass would be a novel idea and you wouldn't have to have pawl on it to keep it from turning on it's own.
Thanks Darrell.

The wheels are turning now.
Almost scared to say what I dreamed up.:lol:
Worth

Dreamed up two things really.
One is to attach half thickness fire brick to the lid and the fir pit so it can do double duty as a brick oven of sorts.
I can get these brick cheap up the road where they make them.

The other is to completely redesign the way a lid or cover comes off the pit and the shape of the cover.

The shape on the cover of the one in the link will not allow the grill to go up very far if it is closed.
Why not just make the cover square and not have angles cut in it or round like most are?
This would allow the grill to move all the way up.
Next why not just make the cover go straight up and not tilt back?
Why not put the adjustment or raising wheels down low where anyone can reach them?
The windlass would solve that problem.
The back of the cover could be made to go up with the cover or stay where it is for a wind block as the cover goes up.
You would have a choice.

Will this thing be big enough to BBQ about 1,000 rattle snakes of all sizes? That's what I wanted to do in my dream when I was surrounded by them yesterday. Yee Gads, I had a scary dream.

If you put fire bricks in the lid you may want to consider installing some type of counter weights to offset the weight of lifting the lid