General > General Technical Chat
Sharing some project planning phase: A (digital) ELECTRO-MECHANICAL Network
RJSV:
Viewing photo, straight down, is seen the 'half-wall' that divides and supports the (front) 'A' compartment. (Other 2 partial walls omitted in this photo ).
The red toggle bracket is seen (back rt corner) must straddle the half-wall as it acts as a bridge: rotary signal goes up, over, and back down, to the movable TIP Wheel.
coppercone2:
the rubber bands are a nice way to transfer energy in a prototype because its torque limiting, so you cannot hurt yourself too bad. A prototype is usually a good place to hurt yourself because you are working with measuring exposed mechanical systems most likely.. so its a good way to go about things. It would suck to get a pinky crushed in some gear chain. Just watch out for them snapping and nailing you in the eye.. you can glue them together with super glue to make sure they are never super taught (custom size), so even if they are less reliable because of the glue joint, they should not have alot of force when they break. *
Are those broccoli bands btw?
*I am just saying this because it looks like something you might show to common people because its interesting and mechanically impressive. If it works then it would be a success at a science fair etc.
I kind of feel like your mechanical intuition is like.. much greater.. then most people on the forum :-+ . I never really built mechanical objects that are this complex/dynamic (moving parts are hard). I tried to build like a micro chop saw that I can put a dremel flex shaft on and lets just say that 2 days later I decided to buy a proxxon lol. Nothing came together quite right and it turned out to be a enormous amount of work designing a seemingly simple pivot. I could probobly do it now after a few years of watching people work on youtube. Also the hole alignment and layout is tricky..
but my mistake was also not making a cardboard prototype.. i went strait for the aluminum pieces
RJSV:
The picture, reminds me of a 'square Porcupine' but those fragile wood dowels are a pain to replace, and so not too good idea, to locate strewn across. .
Boss would say " if gonna have vulnerable, at least minimize that."
So, a better footprint, is three pairs, each of A, B,C channels. Channel 'A' local is only used inside, so that is the short stub output.
Not so bad, a chain of 2 BUS signals, plus a local control, gets you access, albeit minimal.
And so, with another BUS signal, (i.e. channel 'C'), basically along for the ride; that rotary channel can be used for any misc general output.
RJSV:
So it's almost like a 'cartoon caracature' of a machine design...dictated by a Software expert, fabricated by an artist - satirist...(sigh).
Looking HOKEY...very HOKEY!
But...next version gets rid of some complaints (the footprint), gets even larger, more small parts to fab (3/4 inch pulleys, need, like, 50 of them.
And YES, coppercone2, THOSE are 'brocoli' bands; I left my professional rubber bands (in my other car).
The next version puts the 3 switch segments, 'A', 'B', and 'C', in a 'stacked' arrangement, all sizes being equal and uniform, across the three.
coppercone2:
Well the cartoon prevents you from making a large heavy expensive time consuming mechanical piece only to be foiled by some kind of clearance issue...
Do you have a 3d printer or lathe to make pulleys with? if not..
You can cut wood disks out with a hole saw quickly, I would try to wedge them on a shaft and use a upright drill press as a wood lathe with some round files/rasps after some sanding... but you need to be good with your eyes to make 50 identical ones, there are no stops or settings doing it this way... but it should be fastish.. so long you choose the right base wood (easy cutting). I only ever did this for chamfering wood disks, I never tried to cut a groove in it.
Another type of pulley suitable for a band could be made like this:
1) get big piece of plexiglass or polycarbonate
2) cut a bunch of disks out in two sizes, one for the area where the band runs, and one for the 'bobbin'
3) center drill and stack disks on a shaft to make the right size pulley and glue together with acrylic or polycarbonate cement, so it wicks in from the side
4) put it in a drill press and polish the outside of the ring using a dremel with a series of scotch brite buffs on it and then solvent-polish it with the appropriate solvent to make it glass smooth (well, at least smooth enough, really polishing further it would be ALOT of work).. if you don't want it clear on the top and bottom, just scratch it up with a medium grade scotch brite buff.. perhaps texture would even help with grip (not sure how band interface components work).
But its a very.. geometric.. pulley, I am not sure if it would work well.
I guess you can combine the two techniques and try to premake the geometry with flat disks then use files on it to round it out.. maybe you can even use wooden disks but the problem is, I never saw thin wood sheets that are too flat.. I expect it to bow. Don't know what the hell would happen if you try to file plexiglass on a drill press either! probobly a bad idea, but it might be doable with a dremel with a sanding drum on it if you are gentle. It will overheat and crack the plexiglass most likely, don't sand it aggressively
I don't misuse drill press much BTW, if you do this alot you might find that the chuck falls out or something.. need to be real gentle, i recommend gently tapping on the open chuck after you are done doing this with a rubber mallet, to make sure the jacob's taper(re?)seated into the drill press, just make sure the chuck jaws are hidden when you do this.
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