Pete, Gary, Toto, Kimbo, and Ian vt, thanks Guys,for comments. I'm hoping it's not toooo much of a challenge http://www.clickRALPH
A little more progress on Gantry Crane.The Ten support legs/frames done, All pieces just laid dry till correct positions are sorted Two bits of ply resting on top just to keep wheels in place This geared down motor will do 2.5 RPM , I removed one gear which now runs at 3 RPMstill early days plus trial and error as yet. plus may have to remove one of the small Black Pulleys( motor bought from Jaycar ) about $12.00 Still a long way to go, but getting there slowly.http://www.clickRALPH
Really starting to look good now Ralph, will be interesting to see how the motor works and where you will mount it. Look forward to seeing in the flesh soon matehttp://www.click
Depending on the size you have available - You could use batteries (re-chargeable, Lipo) and an arduino + motor controller + infrared remote controller, it would also allow you to use a servo to rotate the crane, and a second motor raise and lower the hook Paul
A spring loaded spool with sufficient 2 core wire on it to reach from one end of the travel to the other would do it, then you could control (for example) travel, rotation or cross travel, and lift/lower motors using a DCC decoder for each motor, housed within the cranes control cabin. It's a bit late now I know, but if you'd been able to use metal wheels and rails, you could have picked up current via those, so then no need for wires. Keith.
Thanks chaps for different methods of powering / running of crane /motors ect.ect. food for thought for mehttp://www.clickRALPH
Your build Ralph just keeps getting better and better. Reminds me though about aluminium windows to start sourcing some rollers for my own windows in real life. Keith, in real life those window rollers have to be nylon so they are self lubricating, they have a pretty tough life in the bottom track of a window. Metal rollers would chew out the frames, much easier to replace the nylon rollers every 30 years or so. Cheers Tony
A little more done on Gantry Framework Cross supports added Surprising how much sturdier it has become adding cross members.!!! Girders each end are only resting on top as yet http://www.clickRALPH
Looking really good Ralph! Will you fit it to its own separate base and sit it into the layout? When I built my Tarmac plant for another layout I didn't bother putting it onto a base and I was constantly repairing the legs it sat on . Pete.
Hi Pete, thinking as yet of maybe ten separate bases for legs, as it will have to be removable, fromsection of my layout.
Gantry Crane OFF the backburner well for now , hope it's not another 6/7 months before I get round to doing some more on it. Now been glued and painted still work to do in Hoist Hut + Paint. Not sure how it will be operated as yet ( maybe Hand of God ) Ralph
As others have said, that's some seriously impressive miniature engineering there! I struggled to cut two identical pieces of plastic for the jib of the crane I'm rebuilding, let alone what's going on here! Bravo!