How Do I make the Blast door from the Doom 3 project ?

Very busy weekend but progress has been made!
First here are some pics of the second actuator. :)

No this isn't the original actuator this is the 2nd and improved version.

This gear setup works more smoothly than the original one I made!
I most likley will change it to this gear setup.

Here are three short videos so you can see the differance.

The first actuator
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...26632469626407

The New Improved 2nd actuator.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...06714217200333

The above video was kinda too dark this one is better.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...37349219122814

Now on to the door tracks:
These were not easy to fabricate! After many failed attempts I let my son take over on these and he did a good job! :)

As you see the door track "J" is drawn out on the styrene.

Here are the two door track "J's" cut out.

We used a mitre box to hold the "J" to make gluing the sides easier.

One down one to go!

A closer look at the first track assembly.

The two finished tracks

Next weekend we start to fabricate the doors and install the door tracks so stay tuned I can't wait to see what happens! :banana:

Charles

Well what a busy day I am tired but progress has been made on the door track installation as the pics below will show.

We start by making a support bracket for the tracks.

The two completed brackets.

The brackets installed.

Next week I plan on working on the blast door it is partialy complete but I ran out of styrene and the store was out too.
I also have some samples of heavy sewing pins for the hinges coming through the mail after I choose the correct size I will order these.
I also plan on bracing the tracks better.

So far so good the real fun is nearing!

Charles

Well I have made a run to the hobby store and have more supplies but I can't seem to get anything done this weekend!:(
I hope to get the door assembled by next weekend if I get my heavy sewing pins by then. (These are for the hinges on the door)
This place I found online www.steinlaufandstoller.com sent me samples so I could find the right size.
I selected #24 BANK Pins but when I went to order I have to by 1,200 of them online thats the minimum they sell.
So I went all over the place trying to find that size in a retail store,I didn't even get close!
So I will be buying 1,200 and I only need 50 :D
The price isn't bad $5.50 until they add handling and shipping and tax comes to $20.00 but I need them maybe I can sell the rest.LOL

BTW the #24 Bank Pins fit perfect in 3/32 styrene tubing with good pivot action which is what I am using for my door hinges.


Charles

My heavy sewing pins have arrived and I plan on getting a lot done today!
The rail installation as seen in the previous post has been scrapped due to unforseen problems.
However I have come up with a new plan and will post pics soon.
The door panels and hinges are ready and waiting to be assembled.

Stay tuned!

Charles

I have a tip for ya...Cover the shank of the hinge pins in white lithium grease to make sure its all lubed up permanently as you're assembling the roll door. Just a dab of superglue on the head of the pin will secure it. The tracks also prevent the pin from falling out should the glue pop off. Grease the tracks as well after you've painted all the parts. I used Krylon Fusion paint.

Do not use anything else to lubricate styrene, especially petroleum products--it will melt the plastic in a short time. Keep your unpainted styrene out of direct sunlight. UV rays will break down the plastic in just a few hours of exposure. If it starts to yellow from UV, it becomes brittle.

also, no need to cut the pins short, leave about an inch long shank for stability. ;)

I just used heavy duty straight pins from a local sewing store (The Rag Shop). was $1.99 for 50. You don't want a tight fit on the pins inside the tubing. Styrene shrinks slightly over time. You want those pins fairly loose.

+Rep btw.

congrats on getting featured. Lookin good so far.

A lot of progress has been made! This is the new rail installation plan we decided to start over because of alignment problems and also the old way we tried wasn't very stable.
Thanks Crimson for the very good advice on the door hinge pins I had not even thought about lubricating the pins! Also thanks for the paint info I wasn't sure what to use now I'm not sure what color.;)

As you see by these pics the door hinges have been marked for cutting.
Also the door panels are coming along nicely the reason they are so long is I am making two doors the panels will be cut to length and assembled once the main assembly is complete

Two door hinges complete many more to go!

Five door panels complete and 24 hinges complete these were all filed by hand to round off one end!

A closer look at the hinges.

More door panels marked and ready to be cut.
These were cut out of 0.60 styrene with a 0.40 metal roofing textured styrene piece glued on top this gave the door a metal look without scribing lines on it. Also the final product is 3/32 in thick which matches our styrene tubing size.

45 hinges made several more door panels to go.

Here you see 12 door panels complete and also our box of heavy sewing pins
# 24 Bank pins they fit the 3/32 tubing not too loose and not too tight and leave plenty of room for pivoting of the hinged door panels.

These two cd rom shells are Identical and should make the fabrication of the second assembly easier.

This is the new walls that my tracks will be mounted to!
And also some braces to add stability.
The cut out area is where the Lcd screen will be.

This is how it will look when assembled it's a lot cleaner looking than the original idea.:)

No thats not my hands mine are 30 years older and not as steady.
This is my son cutting styrene he has proven to be better at this than me so I let him cut all the big stuff.:banana:

One major problem in aligning the lcd screen was the location of the "ears" on one side. The side with the ear at the bottom would not allow proper alignment I have fixed this my fabricating and installing a new bracket.
I would like to point out for anyone wanting to do the same that this was very teadious one slip and the lcd would have been ruined!
Therefore I made sure no components were in the location to be drilled and tapped. I also placed a piece of 1/8 inch styrene between the metal and the pcb and took my time drilling.

Here you see the actuator has been mounted to a block of wood I did this by mounting a metal channel to the actuator then mounting that to the wood.
I also cut two side braces to give the mount a bigger foot print and to make it more stable.

The assembled mount.

The completed mount covered with styrene.

Next weekend we hope to get the assembly started and maybe the door fabricated I can't cut the panels until I am sure of the size needed.
So stay tuned I can't wait to see what happens!

Charles

After a very busy weekend but a lot of progress has been made on the project!

The cdrom shell had to be modified to allow the lcd screen to be removed if needed. The cut away section lets the screen pass straight down without any components hitting. Also in this pic you see the floor of the cdrom shell complete with a brace to glue the protective wall to this wall will protect the lcd screen from the actuator.

Here you see the floor installed.

This is the front and back walls of the enclosure.

This is the side walls with the door tracks mounted.

Walls and floor installed in cdrom shell.

Front wall installed The cut out area is to provide access to the buttons on the back of the lcd screen.

The hole to the lower right is to route the wires from the lcd screen.

This is a view from the back.

The front and back walls installed.

The actuator installed for a test fit.

Door assembly started.

Door assembly finished except for painting.

Nice and flexible just like we wanted!

The door installed for a test fit looks pretty good!:D

After much fine tuning and tweaking we got it to work the following link shows a video of it in action!
It goes kinda faster than I would like does anyone know if the motor can be slowed down without re-gearing it? Without loosing too much torque.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...15488827266619

Sorry for posting so many pics any and all comments are welcomed.
Stay tuned Painting will most likely be next.

Charles

Damn that does go quick!

On this slow ass machine all I could do was hear the thump!

Couldn't see the motion at alll!

But it works, well done that man.

Damn nice job dude!

Very nice!...Glad to see the design worked out so far!

You might try a PWM motor controller like this:

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1742.html

I've got a couple of these and they're pretty easy to solder together.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mach

You might try a PWM motor controller like this:

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1742.html

I've got a couple of these and they're pretty easy to solder together.

---

Thanks Mach one question though in order for the motor to turn on do you have to turn the knob on the pot? Or do you just set the pot to the speed you want and then use another switch like say a DPDT rocker type switch which was what I was planning on trying any way.
I want to use the IR board like Crimson used but am not sure I can assemble it.

Charles

Bidirectional DC Motor Speed Controller

This kit allows controlling the speed of a DC motor in both the forward and reverse direction. The range of control is from fully OFF to fully ON in both directions. The direction and speed is controlled using a single potentiometer. Turningthe pot in one direction causes the motor to start spinning. Turning the pot in the other direction causes the motor to spin in the opposite direction. The center position on thepot is OFF. This design avoids the need for a direction reversing switch and avoids mechanical and electrical stress by forcing a smooth transition from one direction to the other.


Only the pot controls the motor on this board. I'm sure a clever person could add switches to it, but I wouldnt. There are other controller boards out there that would suit your needs, just need to do a little digging. The kits are cheaper than the assembled boards--and some are sold as kits only. They are not difficult to put together, you just need a decent soldering iron.

Thanks Crimson for the info on the Bi-directional speed controler I ordered two of them. :D

What do you think of my paint scheme Paint the Door Gray , and the rest of the assembly Black.?

Also can the door be painted assembled or will the paint cause it to stick together at the hinge joints?

I haven't glued the ends of the pins yet just in case I needed to disassemble it for painting.

And what about the insides of the tracks should they be painted or will it cause the door to not slide as well as it did before?


Charles

I would paint the door sections and track (inside and out) with Krylon Fusion paint and reassemble after it's dry. As long as you apply some lithium grease afterwards the paint won't prevent the parts from sticking.

Crimson is right, the pot controls the speed and direction. You would need to physically turn the knob to control direction and speed.

Thanks Crimson and Mach
I will do as sugested and disassemble the door for painting.
As for the speed control board turning the knob to control the door will be ok I just hope that the assembled controller board is not too big so I can find a good place to mount it.
I don't suppose you would know if it comes with a knob?

Charles

It would be no problem at all to just attach long wires to the pot, then solder the opposite ends of teh wires to the board. This way you can put the pot/knob any where ya want on the case. ;)

Knobs are probably sold separately--You could even mount a small gear on the pot shaft and make a slider switch.

The one that I linked to is:

Board dimensions 3 5/8" x 1 5/8" with the heatsinks extending 1" above the board. Too big?

I did as Crimson suggested when I soldered mine together except I soldered a 3 way screw type terminal block where the pot is supposed to go.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/629/1244.pdf

As far as knobs go, what are you looking for? I've got some new smallish ones from another project that look like silver stereo knobs. BTW, it doesn't come with a knob.

Mouser's got a ton of knobs of all shapes and sizes
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/629/1502.pdf

Would it be possible to make the same thing here only with the door panels being about fifteen inches long? Also, can you open the door while the PC is not powered on?

You can make the door any length you want; however there are a few things to consider. You'll need 15" overhead roll space just for the door plus the length of your gear arm. You are talking about at least 22" overhead travel depth to allow the door and mechanism to roll up completely. You will also need a more powerful motor and gear system than the CDROM components we used.

To answer your second question, you can draw 5V power from the PC while its not on using the standby power leads directly from the PSU.

I must not have made it clear.

The width is about fifteen inches but the door only needs to cover about four inches in height. I'll try using Sketchup to show you what I mean.

You said 15" long... length implies height when you are talking about doors. And go and start your own thread regarding this please, so we don't hijack this one.

Just an update:

I have the unit painted (Pics soon).
I also have my Bidirectional DC Motor Speed Controller assembled and will be testing it out soon.

Charles

Just a quick update to let you guys know I'm still working on it.
I have been sick all week and have not felt like doing much.
I'm sitting back and watching my son make his version of the actuator which I am very impressed with! look for his topic soon along with pics.

Charles

Well I thought I would let everyone know whats going on with the project.

First due to me looking at a picture of Crimsons final assembly wrong and thinking the actuator should be mounted the way I have it caused all kinds of problems!

This was not noticed until I tried to use the speed controller it just could not raise the door without being helped.

So I took a time out and looked over the photo's and discovered my mistake!
The actuator should be mounted horizontal not vertical as I had it.

I have since re-designed the way it mounts in my unit and it works great now!
I was also able to shorten the length of it and I needed to do that as it was very close to the power supply.

Pics Soon also a Video so bear with me I hope I have not let this topic die.

Thanks for all the great support
Charles

Ok here are the pics of the reworked actuator.
As you can see mthe actuator is now horizontaly mounted.

Here is the Bidirectional dc motor speed controller it was fun to assembly.

In this veiw you see the door fully raised and the actuator sticks out the back some but not as much as it did originaly this will be covered by a styrene box.

I have a video but Google video is down I will post it later

Charles

HELL OF A JOB! I can't believe someone besides "Old Man Crimson" pulled this off. ;) Mind if I ask, where did you pick up that DC controller?

Thanks man here is the link for the bi directional dc motor controller.
http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1742.html


Be aware this is an un-assembled kit.
For those of you who have not assembled anything like this before, here are some tips.

The main things to know is identification of resitors by the color bands.
Also keep in mind resitors can be inserted either way but diodes and electrolitic capacitors cannot (it's the big black capacitor) be sure to get your positive and negative poles aligned correctly. The circuit board shows you wich way to place the diodes there is a black or grey band on one end of the diode this is represented by a white band on the pcb just orient the diodes in that direction.
Also be sure to identify the MOSFETS there are four two of each kind they must be positioned one each on each side of the heatsinks.

If you already know how to solder you shouldn't have any problems.

For anyone who wants to build this I recommend:

A good soldering iron with some degree of heat control
A lamp with magnifier in the center
Small gauge solder and desoldering tape.

If you need any further help just ask.



Here is the video I promised in the previous post.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...31123562461186

Charles

Haha, that is awesome!

I featured your blast door and linked to your you-tube vid on the front page, great work modder!

I'd like to point out to everyone that this is a great example of good worklog practice. Big, clear photos, handy links, good explanations, the whole lot. +Rep dude.

-Dave

:D :D :D

I went from thinking this topic was dead to this!
Thanks a million guys!

Charles

Just watched the video. Great work +Rep for proving that we to can follow in the foots of a modding god.:p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jdbnsn

HELL OF A JOB! I can't believe someone besides "Old Man Crimson" pulled this off. ;) Mind if I ask, where did you pick up that DC controller?

---

It's a hella thing when you learn from the master ;) Great job on the box, man.

Here is a video of the assemled unit installed in the case.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...38287951384478

The only thing I need to work on is the ker-thunk it makes when closing some foam padding should help that.

I figured I had better post this as I am being upstaged by my son check out his new thread here :D

Charles

Ok guys I have one issue with the by-directional dc motor controller it's the pot!
After raising or lowering the door it must be returned to the neutral or off position or else the motor is still on I have solved this by wireing up a toggle switch to turn the power to it on and off but this looks clunky to have to flip a switch, turn the pot then flip the switch again.
I have looked at a push button SPDT Pot does anyone know if that would work? Also they had a SPST one which do I need?

Thanks as always for all the help I have recieved and all the nice comments.

Charles

What about a return spring arrangement?

Like this

Personally I would do this with a PIC micro controller and some sensors.

But, PIC Microcontrollers are my answer to everything. If you ever want a hand with making one, i'll gladly assist, but my schedule is packed for the next 2 months, so you might also want to PM CrazyBillyBob, who is another guy about here who knows a good thing or two about PICs.

If PIC's are a bit confusing, you can actually program them in C and convert it to Assembler. There's also a thing called the BASIC Stamp, which is very, very easy to learn but very limited in what it can do compared to the PIC.

Look em up on Wikipedia: they might make your door that bit more interesting. All you'd have to replace is your sensors, the motors etc. will essentially remain the same.