Main > Project Announcements
Game Grid -- *ALMOST FINISHED* Rotating panel and rotating monitor.
Turnarcades:
Not meaning to piss on your chips, it's just that building cabinets for UK homes means I'm always focusing on space economy so all US cabs look big. Kudos to the rotating monitor mount system though as this is one thing I mean to try eventually and if yours works half as well as you expect I will come to you for advice.
phildo77:
Okay, big steps today.
Reinforced the tv mount disc. This meant cutting another disc and sandwiching the TV mounting brackets between them. Routed out one of the boards so the mounting brackets and bolts would be "inside" the disc. Sanded the outside of the discs down for smooth rolling. Routed out the chain seating in one of the discs. Mounted the motor to the cabinet and began a preliminary test of the motor.
Here's my buddy Chad holding the supply getting ready to test the basic operation of the rotating TV mount. Excitement is building...
Attached the chain into the top edge of the disc in the routed seat with bolts through the chain pin holes.
Mounted the motor to the cabinet using half of a 2x3 and a L-bracket.
You can see the movies of the thing in basic testing
and
.
Lesson learned... DO NOT DO THE ROTATING MONITOR THIS WAY!! ;D The other ways here on the forums are much more maintenance free and less risky. This is a hack job as I didn't originally plan on doing a motor powered rotating monitor. Luckily everything here will be behind a smoked piece of glass/plexi so its ugliness will be unknown to the average player. I'll post a movie of it under operation a little bit later. I would highly recommend not placing the chain directly on the mount. I think it makes more sense to attach each end of the chain to the mount and run it OVER the motor sprocket so the motor is between the chain and mount. I couldn't do this because my chain was too short. Because I mounted my chain around the disc it goes "bump bump bump". I can just hear the remaining rotate life count just draining. :timebomb: I'm going to try and see what I can do about the noise and extra friction. Will update when done.
DaOld Man:
Alright! Another rotating cab project! I will be following this thread.
Its good to see someone else doing a setup like I did. (But it was not my idea.)
My chain setup works good, I dont hear a bumping sound, but Im using a plastic cog on the motor, so that may be quieter.
I couldnt open the links you posted, would really like to see this in action.
Good luck on your project. It looks like you are off and running!
DaOld Man:
I got the links to work.
Looks like a good setup.
I mounted my motor on a disc at the back of the monitor, so the video interference from the motors magnets wasnt as bad, however I could still see it slightly.
I power the monitor down during rotation. When the monitor powers back on, it degausses, so that takes care of the magnetic interference.
I have a new project in the brain phase right now, using a LCD monitor and a stepper motor.
It looks like the stepper may be the way to go, but with my tests thus far, I need a stronger motor.
I would imagine you will need a very powerful stepper to rotate a CRT. (Or TV).
Anyway, I like this project and will be watching, but I will try not to put in my two cents worth unless asked. LOL.
phildo77:
--- Quote from: DaOld Man on April 19, 2010, 07:48:44 pm ---...
I mounted my motor on a disc at the back of the monitor, so the video interference from the motors magnets wasnt as bad, however I could still see it slightly.
I power the monitor down during rotation. When the monitor powers back on, it degausses, so that takes care of the magnetic interference.
...
--- End quote ---
That's one of the main things I'm worried about. I'm not using a monitor, I'll have a 27" CRT TV. Last time I rotated a TV the degauss didn't work well... If at all. (factory degauss). I think I'm going to have to do the same thing (power off, rotate, power on/degauss) and pray that it works.. Otherwise I'll have to build my own degauss circuit and figure out how to mount THAT as well.
--- Quote ---Anyway, I like this project and will be watching, but I will try not to put in my two cents worth unless asked. LOL.
--- End quote ---
I really appreciate that you're watching! Your project was one of the jobs that inspired me to go ahead with my rotating monitor w/MOTOR build! If you have any ideas/advice go right ahead! I feel more like MacGuyver (wheres that gum wrapper?) building this machine than I do any esteemed decorative builder... Any advice would be great! PLUS I have no problem telling any of you guys that you're full of dukey and that I don't like whatever idea you came up with! ;D
The next step I've got is figuring out how to decoratively cover the plexi joints on my rotating control panel. I'm currently thinking aluminum strips bent to the angle of the panel joint and then powder coated to the T-molding color. I'm a little concerned about the aluminum edges being sharp, so I'm trying to figure out how to bevel them down to be safe and look nice. I'm also still trying to come up with other options.
Included in that step is routing out a large part of the side panels to a 1/8" depth. I decided that some aluminum tread plate ("kickplate") powder coated the same color as the trim would look pretty sweet. I can't imagine how heavy this thing is going to be when its done.