redneckgearhead
Active member
From the pic it looks like where the screws go into the gear motor is enough to countersink and use flat head cap screws. Its hard to see from the angle of the pic though.
Join me for a strange one...
- Thread starter kcress
- Start date
Looking at the gearmotor picture again, it got me thinking. Most actuators mount right to the valve stem boss. Could you use an aluminum plate to bolt to the valve and mount the motor? The shaft of the motor seems long enough that you could put at least an 1/8" spacer in there to give you a wee bit more room.
Again, I'm not there and you are. Feel free to shake your head in utter disgust
Again, I'm not there and you are. Feel free to shake your head in utter disgust
kcress
New member
Welcome to RC Hands and 1Sik1500.
Gratings H20ENG! You're talking about direct shaft to shaft? I'm not sure the motor has the guts for that. With the 'arms' I get that 2:1 advantage. I'm also not sure about a coupling onto that freaken weird shaft,(splined with threaded nut), on the motor to the 3/4" hex on the valve.
Car parts.. This thing is probably made to screw into some bizarrely formed contoured sheetmetal. The sheetmetal being contoured makes it stiff enough to actually resolve the forces. I wish I'd noticed this a long time ago. Of course I have a case of these &$*#^$%^# things.
Gratings H20ENG! You're talking about direct shaft to shaft? I'm not sure the motor has the guts for that. With the 'arms' I get that 2:1 advantage. I'm also not sure about a coupling onto that freaken weird shaft,(splined with threaded nut), on the motor to the 3/4" hex on the valve.
Car parts.. This thing is probably made to screw into some bizarrely formed contoured sheetmetal. The sheetmetal being contoured makes it stiff enough to actually resolve the forces. I wish I'd noticed this a long time ago. Of course I have a case of these &$*#^$%^# things.
kcress
New member
H20ENG, Bean, anyone? Do linear actuators seize-up when the power goes off? I'd love to put a 10ft-lb spring on this thing to hold the valve seated then just run it open with a 20ft-lb actuator and let it fall closed/seated.
Are they an acme screw running a nut up and down? Can acme nuts drive the screw?
Are they an acme screw running a nut up and down? Can acme nuts drive the screw?
kcress
New member
Hey Ink! I'm all over on this.. Like a bear on honey. I spent hours studying linear actuators and wasn't able to find the 'one' I want. I found one I think "would probably work" but am still having issues making the choice. After checking the prices I thought I should go back to looking at gear motors I can actually mount to see if they come in for less $$. Now I'm seriously considering H20ENGs direct drive suggest as it gets rid of all the linkages and what not which makes the whole package much smaller. If I can find a way to couple to this gearmotor shaft I'll give it a try. After all - I have a sack of them.
As for your suggestion of gears and chains, that would work. They come with the issue of side loading on the various shafts. If I can run direct drive I can avoid that whole issue.
As for your suggestion of gears and chains, that would work. They come with the issue of side loading on the various shafts. If I can run direct drive I can avoid that whole issue.
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Wow, fun build kcress. I'm looking forward to following.
My stand is pretty much the same color as yours BTW, POR 15 in chevy engine block orange. I intially wanted black. It's been a while but the conversation went kinda/sorta like this...
Me: A can of black please.
Him: All out.
Me: I guess I'll go with gray then.
Him: No gray either.
Me: Red?
Him: Not right now.
Me: Orange? (I chuckled in jest)
Him: Yup.
Me: Hmmmm, orange it is. (It quickly grew on me)
My stand is pretty much the same color as yours BTW, POR 15 in chevy engine block orange. I intially wanted black. It's been a while but the conversation went kinda/sorta like this...
Me: A can of black please.
Him: All out.
Me: I guess I'll go with gray then.
Him: No gray either.
Me: Red?
Him: Not right now.
Me: Orange? (I chuckled in jest)
Him: Yup.
Me: Hmmmm, orange it is. (It quickly grew on me)
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
At the risk of getting off topic, I enjoy the use of "funky" colors behind the scenes. One of my favorite buildings of all time is a cogeneration power plant owned by one of my clients. The side of the building is heavily frosted glass and the process plumbing is all painted in bright colors (orange, purple, green, etc). From the outside it has a hint of color but is still understated and simple, but then you step inside and it's like walking into a rainbow. Certainly beats the common "everything must be gray" industrial look...
rogermccray
Active member
Any luck so far rogermccray?
Greetings DWZM! Let me at least fill in what has transpired so far.
Here's what the flanged up valve looks like with stainless steel hardware.
I made a model to test the valve cycling. Since the gear motor swings a 1.5" radius at the link point I guessed that I should put a 3" radius on the valve. When linked together a full revolution of the 1.5" arm causes an 80 degree forward rotation of the 3" arm and a 80 degree reverse rotation back to the starting spot. Yah!! Total luck.
So I turn to the next issue of how to mount the gear motor to some plate mounted to the valve's flange.
ARgh!!!!!! Look at the gear motor. I just now see, how the motor has to be mounted.
See the three little lamoid mounting bosses? They face the rotating arm from about a tenth inch below it. Hardly enough space for even screw heads!! How can I fit a piece of steel or aluminum in there and still run in the screws and still clear the rotating arm?
Stoopid thing.
This is what's derailed me for a while. I am now looking much closer at linear actuators to do an end run on this problem.
Thanks for asking, it is because I am at work and the site is blocked. I will check when I get home
Cant you have a piece of flat bar bolted to the valve stem boss, and have the motor bolted to said flat bar with the aforementioned flat head screws?
Then the shafts would both be sticking up, parallel to each other. Put your "gears" on, dial in the linkage, and let er rip?
Pretty easy from my house!! :lol: :hammer:
Then the shafts would both be sticking up, parallel to each other. Put your "gears" on, dial in the linkage, and let er rip?
Pretty easy from my house!! :lol: :hammer:
kcress
New member
Thanks! Welcome to the color club. Someone in here has a fuchsia colored stand I actually liked a whole lot more than my International Orange. Too late now, but definitely the color I'd do next time. Hey wait a minute! Didn't you paint your stand in your living room?Sounds pretty cool. I'd love to see that! Maybe you could snag us a picture sometime.
I hear you H20ENGR.. I went back out to my truck where the case of gear motors are residing and looked in the box. There were three other interesting styles in there! I'll put up some pictures tomorrow and maybe we can all come up with a solution. I'm starting to shift to direct drive or maybe...... chain?
Linear actuators have the problem that the entire actuator has to move (pivot) to keep the geometries happy.
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miwoodar
Likey the bikey
Si senior. It was a nice clean environment.
Regarding your current effort...I like the 'crash' idea for your wave. I ran a CSD a long time ago. It took about a minute to clear and made a huge gurgling racket.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
It depends on the actuator, but as Chris pointed out, most stay put when de-energized. And yes, many use an ACME ball screw setup.
A bracket for that gearmotor is not too hard to make. If you look around, the guys that build actuated lawn art (haloween is coming) use them all the time to animate people, animals and onraments. In fact, I remember seeing one site where a guy was selling his U-Shaped bracets.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
http://monsterguts.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=250
http://monsterguts.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=249
http://monsterguts.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=164
Different site than I remember, but like I said... these are popular gearmotors that are often usef for lawn art automation. I purchased mine years ago and (as I said) they are still sitting on the huge shelf... you know the "what the hell was I thinking when I bid on that" shelf.
http://monsterguts.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=249
http://monsterguts.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=164
Different site than I remember, but like I said... these are popular gearmotors that are often usef for lawn art automation. I purchased mine years ago and (as I said) they are still sitting on the huge shelf... you know the "what the hell was I thinking when I bid on that" shelf.
miwoodar
Likey the bikey
That reminds me of my parent's garage...piles on piles of junk. Everything had something 'usable' though. There is a reason that I have simplified my life these days...I don't have the ability to organize such a huge pile of options. I completely appreciate the process though. It makes these threads all-the-better. So it goes w/o saying, TTT again!
kcress
New member
Hi Ho srusso. Not really. My work (job) is very off-on and often time sensitive. Lately I'm beset with stuff that all has to be done yesterday and in the midst of it I get emergency calls which back-up and derail everything else I'm doing.
My poor tank is sitting there accusingly staring at me. My Tang has sharpened his surgical instruments and would love to use them on me. I actually have a bet against me that I won't get water in it this year. I can, however, assure you I'll win that bet... I expect to have water in it before Thanksgiving. I got the sand yesterday and now have to wash it and 'install it'. Then I'll start making water in earnest.
The wave is on hold until I get the fish moved in. That way I can evacuate my scary old tanks. One already cashed it in leaking. 15 years is a long run for a glass tank.
I'll picture it all up though, so stay tuned.
My "why the hell did I buy that shelf" is full too but just as I got it under control another friend who spends serious money on his 'shelf' has decided to give me everything on his shelf. Now when he gets all excited about the latest 'thing' he's going to get/do I tell him I want some say because I'm going to end up with it anyway.
My poor tank is sitting there accusingly staring at me. My Tang has sharpened his surgical instruments and would love to use them on me. I actually have a bet against me that I won't get water in it this year. I can, however, assure you I'll win that bet... I expect to have water in it before Thanksgiving. I got the sand yesterday and now have to wash it and 'install it'. Then I'll start making water in earnest.
The wave is on hold until I get the fish moved in. That way I can evacuate my scary old tanks. One already cashed it in leaking. 15 years is a long run for a glass tank.
I'll picture it all up though, so stay tuned.
My "why the hell did I buy that shelf" is full too but just as I got it under control another friend who spends serious money on his 'shelf' has decided to give me everything on his shelf. Now when he gets all excited about the latest 'thing' he's going to get/do I tell him I want some say because I'm going to end up with it anyway.
