Greetings from a rather rainy Scotland.
I am an avid tinkerer and builder of props and have a few questions regarding my latest project, please feel free to move this thread if I have misplaced it.
I am basically making a battery controlled prop chainsaw with 2 tracks of teeth running in opposite directions. The physical building of the item is not a problem however I have not attempted electronics on this scale before, the closest I have been is building small gauge model trains with my father when he was still alive.
The limits I have is that the whole setup would need to be sitting inside the pulley tracks within the sword ‘blade’. I do not have exact sizes in mind but keeping the general profile of a sword blade in mind.
My idea is using two sets timing belts and timing pulleys with the teeth attached, I have tried it out in practice and it seems to run well. The only problem is how to move and power it.
I have looked online for different ways to transfer the movement from the motor to the timing pulleys and thought that a belt system again to be the simplest idea but I am completely at a loss to what motors to use and how to power them.
Ideally they would be controlled by a microswitch for an on/off use and powered by either small rechargable or replaceable battery/s.
My main question is this: how would you guys suggest I design the electrics, motor set up and transfer of power to the pulleys? I currently have the idea of machining my own thin pulley tracks to transfer the power to the timing pulleys that fit directly to low speed right angle geared motors yet such motors are not easily available other than ambiguously on amazon where I have no idea how to best power them!
I have a good school education and can understand basic electronic calculations (thanks to Advanced higher/A level Physics) however I severely lack real world experience of actual hobby electronics.
I know this is a general shout for help from essentially a ‘newbie’ attempting something I consider to be difficult and may be very elementary for many of you but I honestly have looked through the tutorials available and cannot seem to decide for myself.
Thank you in advance,
Harrison
Cool project! Honestly you might even consider a chain / bike sprocket setup and add plastic teeth. No rail system needed.
robotshop.com/en/gears-belts … hains.html
robotshop.com/en/gears-belts … =ServoCity
Ex: robotshop.com/en/0-25-inch-p … RB-Sct-264
Ex: robotshop.com/en/aluminum-sp … RB-Sct-232
There are hubs to transfer the motion from a DC brushed motor to a sprocket:
robotshop.com/en/hubs-couple … =ServoCity
Ex: robotshop.com/en/actobotics- … RB-Sct-501
We offer many DC gear motors, so it’s a question of what speed /RPM you want.
robotshop.com/en/spur-gearmotors.html
Ex: robotshop.com/en/ghm-02-spur … =RB-Hsi-02
You could have it operate via On/Off switch, powered from a battery.
Take a look and
Ok, post attempt number two, my phone keeps asking me to log in.
Thanks for the suggestions, i did think chain to begin with but attaching teeth to the chain was proving problematic unless you have any ideas?
As for the sprockets they unfortunately wont work as the sword blade is not thick enough and the two runs are sideby side. I only have a sword thickness of 2-3 inches to work with.
I was thinking, and please tell me if this sounds plausible, having the motors running inline with the blade or using right angled motors then using pulley belt or chain to turn the sprockets/pulleys from the motor. However right angled motors seem to be very expensive and transferring normal motors through a 90’ angle using gears seems rather fiddley.
Honestly its the thickness of the blade that is causing most of my headaches. I will do some sketches when i get back from work to help illustrate my thoughts as im not always the most clear.
Don’t use actual metal - just plastic glued to the side of the chain (staggered) will look great.
2-3 inches thick should be more than enough for the sprockets and chain?
Using a right angle motor is certainly a nice option, though we don’t have many to present:
Ex: robotshop.com/en/power-windo … RB-Cyt-175 (hub would need to be replaced)
There are many in the category below, but they are likely underpowered for your application:
robotshop.com/en/low-cost-gears-motors.html
We suggest drawing the setup in Google Sketchup (if you are not familiar with a different CAD program).
