I want to make one of those rotating display units you see in jewellery shop windows.
The table itself is no problem, a 6" disk routed out of 6mm MDF and painted.
The problem is what to use as a drive to turn it round at about 1-2 RPM. I was thinking of using a clock mechanism but suspect it would either not be powerful enough or would "tick" round in 6 degree jerks.
Does anyone have any idea if such drives exist and where to source one?
Sean
Could you buy an old record player and modify it to run more slowly?
Al
Try one of the following. I'm sure I sure in one of their flyers recently a turntable with just that sort of speed:
Gary
Old motorised valve? Will have the gear train as well.
All I can find on the Maplin site is a solar powered plant turner which I suspect will be way to slow.
The Rapid Electronics site is a dead link unfortunately.
Thanks for the tips though
Turntable motor from an old microwave ;)
Lee
Old belt drive turntable?
or is 33 1/3rd RPM too fast?
I have seen one of those running - they are not as slow as you might expect. If you chopped of the solar panel and drove it from a DC supply with an output voltage set toward the top end of what you would expect from the solar panel you may get enough speed.
UK car workers productivity wheel? ;)
PoP
Buy one of those Swiss clocks (larger the better - about £15) and take it apart. They are well over-rated for the job.
"The Natural Philosopher" wrote | Old belt drive turntable? | or is 33 1/3rd RPM too fast?
*very* old belt drive turntable - 16-and-something RPMOwain
I've seen it done two ways:
1: use a motor with a very small gear on the output shaft, mounted vertically under the table and connecting with teeth on the *inside* of a lip under the outer edge of the table, producing a high ratio reduction drive. 2: use a motor with gearbox... ummm... I bought a few of these a couple of years back and IIRC they were available in speeds down to a few RPM. External gearing then becomes less of a problem. Can't even remember the brand name now, I'm sorry, but I think I got them from RSIn both cases, the turntable should be mounted independently of the motor (i.e. on its own bearings, perhaps on wheels too for stability) and the motor should simply provide drive. Using a high gear ratio and decent bearings means that even a relatively low-power motor can drive largeish loads.
Others have suggested modified record players (a cheap one with a low-power mains motor might do the job if you connect the motor via a dimmer switch?) and microwave turntables, but how about glitterball motors? Again it'd need a bit of hacking about... or that "solar driven" thing someone mentioned from Maplin - rig it to work from a battery or PSU and it might just do the trick.
Hwyl!
M.
One of those add on bbq rotiserie things would do it.
Tony
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I will have a look through the RS catalogue for the motor/gearbox approach and the CPC one for microwave spares.
I think the record player ideas will be too fast and the clock too jerky but the BBQ rotator is a good idea.
I will let you know how I get on.
Sean
I was thinking more about this. BBQ rotators turn with a lot of power and nice and slowly. If you make two disks of wood and route a groove in each and put marbles in between, you'll have made a lazy susan type arrangement. Slot the rotator from below into the upper disk and I think it would turn even a person sat on it!
The rotators only cost a fiver but are battery operated so you may have to wire a supply into it.
Tony
A method used in the "olden days" was to use a small DC electric motor with a long(ish) shaft. Cut a length of thin-wall rubber tubing that is a good interference fit with the shaft and fit it over the shaft. Make the turntable as a dish (could be done with a router, or by bonding a strip all around the edge of the turntable. Make the pedestal the same size as the turntable. Attach the motor to the pedestal using a hing and spring to pull the motor out so that the spindle rests on the lip of the turntable.
Turntable ===================== | || | || | ===== | M | | O | | T | | O | | R | =====
This gives a huge reduction ratio and will allow the turntable to revolve slowly.
CPC do the geared motors, turntables (with square centre hole), turntable supports, and even drive couplers. The job is practically done for you.
Thanks for that Tony.
Is the item you are thinking of MS0012466 under Microwave spares or something else?
It looks like this would be suitable but not sure if it is designed to run for 8 hours a day.
Sean
arrangement.
A person on it will be overkill as its job will be in a jewellery shop displaying a few rings and bracelets etc.
The price is right so this is another option I am looking into.
Sean
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