Motorized....

[purdy]

Hey everyone. I'm currently working on my project (PPCID) and I've come to a dilema. I have a helmet (It is a 5 pound ugly looking helmet) that I'm wanting to be able to move horizontally ontop of my case, but what can I use to make it move? I'm also wanting to make the bottom half of the helmet slide vertically on the front of my case so that when I flick a switch, the two parts slide and meet on the case. If anyone has any idea of what I'm talking about and could help me out with this, then that would be great!:D

[simon275]

I'm not quite sure what you are on about but any way.

You could use the belt drive and motor assemlage out of a scanner to make the helment move. Some one used one a while back to make a desk draw move in and out on its own.

[Cannibal23]

also if you know anyone that has a dead printer there is a motor and belt system inside there.

[purdy]

That's great, thanks for the help guys! Simon, do you know the link to where you saw someone use a scanner motor for that?

[tybrenis]

You could use a leadscrew system to do this.

Have a leadscrew (threaded rod will work) that is connected to a stepper motor. The stepper motor turns the leadscrew, advancing the helmet on a carriage. Then, just use a rod with some bushings on it as a linear slide for stability and whatnot. It's fairly simple to do.

[purdy]

Thanks a lot! Sorry for being a major newb, but do you know of any guides to do what you are talking about?

[tybrenis]

You might try looking for home made CNC machines. They use the same technology I described earlier. here are some of my CNC links:

http://www.cnczone.com/

http://www.storm.ca/~rheslip/cnc.htm

http://www.liutaiomottola.com/Tools/CNCRouter.htm

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/29/how-to-build-your-own-cnc-machine-part-1/

[purdy]

Cool. Now how would I hook that up to a switch. I'm looking for something really easy; all you have to do is flick the switch up and it moves one way then flick the switch down and it moves the other way.

[purdy]

To be honest a pre-made machine would be best haha.