Height Adjustable Grates!

[Joe Jones]

Surprisingly, it happens occasionally.

I am just a guy who doesn't like pieces scraping against each other, when a bearing could solve the issue. But given the low speed of the mechanism as it will raise and lower, I think a simple spritz of silicone once in a while would solve that problem.

Joe

[weldguy]

I think the washer idea is brilliant. Simple and effective for sure.

[Joe Jones]

If I drill and tap the gears so I can mount a flat washer to the outside of the gear, it would work well. Or I could TIG weld washers to the gears, I suppose. I will come up with some way to keep the gears aligned as they climb and descend the vertical gear racks. Ideally, something that follows the gear rack itself, rather than a wheel off to one side, riding a leg surface.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

All of the issues have been solved! Now I have to get out there to make the mechanism. I still need to design and make (have made) the mount plates for the transmissions and the drive motors. That will be a job for SENDCUTSEND. The finished product is not far away now!

Joe

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[Dirtmotor]

Why do you need 4 motors ? looks like 2 would work .

[Joe Jones]

Why do you need 4 motors ? looks like 2 would work .

Thank you for the question!

ONE would work if it were strong enough. These are small, geared 12VDC motors. When you have a device with many linked shafts and such, you encounter TOSRION issues. Since the square of shafts, couplings, and transmission is not rock solid, twisting only one or two of the shafts would create torsion that would cause lagging and uneven vertical movement of the gears. Also, the motors have brakes in them, so when the device climbs or lowers to a specific point, all four of the gears supporting the grate deck are LOCKED to the gear racks at all four corners and cannot rotate even slightly. There is less opportunity for vertical "play" in the action, which makes for a more stable deck. Add to that, the assumption that the motors might be lifting more than just the grate deck itself.

Since I did not design or manufacture the motors, I have to work with off-the-shelf products, and adapt them as best I can.

Joe

[Joe Jones]

I am deciding whether to notch the table frame to make room for the vertical gear racks, or expand the frame and create brackets to retain the original rail positions. I am leaning toward expanding the frame dimensions a bit so that PlasmaCam cannot complain about notching their frame components. The notches wouldn't really affect anything except PlasmaCam's pride.

Joe

SPACE FOR GEAR RACK.jpg

NOTCH FOR GEAR RACK.jpg

[weldguy]

Not familiar enough with the Pcam frame to have advice as to what to do but I say who cares what Pcam thinks, its your table, do the easiest option that will work the best.

[Joe Jones]

Not familiar enough with the Pcam frame to have advice as to what to do but I say who cares what Pcam thinks, its your table, do the easiest option that will work the best.

Yes ... ... That is generally the case. however, PlasmaCam seems to deem ANY alteration of a table as a valid reason to void the warranty. Drill ONE HOLE into a frame member to mount cord holder or an air line, and your warranty is VOID.

This is the reason my 6" Rail Riser Kit requires NO DRILLING or other modifications of the table in order to install it.

Now, for this grate deck elevator, I will have to drill some small, seemingly benign holes into the 11 gauge steel legs to mount the vertical gear racks, but I am almost certain that PlasmaCam would see that as a horrific alteration of the original design that could split the Universe when done improperly, so they will probably declare a table with this mod to be "Out of Warranty." Never mind that there are holes drilled into the legs already, to receive the side panels some people use to contain the smoke and dust. But THOSE holes were drilled by highly trained technicians carefully recruited from a superior species on another planet, and the holes were done in strict laboratory conditions, so that no structural damage to the legs could occur during the drilling process.

I have house guests for the next few days, and then other things that are once again getting in the way of my progress, but I WILL get this thing done! They are going to treat my home's ground foundation for termites, and then the vinyl windows will be replaced. Meanwhile, the grass is growing wildly while my John Deere mower is in the shop, and the ROBOT mower is still in the box.

I REALLY need to find a good, reliable, intelligent assistant!

Joe

[weldguy]

Well how long of a warranty to those things have anyway. I say make swiss cheese of it if you need to.

I REALLY need to find a good, reliable, intelligent assistant!

good luck

[Joe Jones]

I will pull out one of the 4x4 tables and flip it over to separate the main frame that supports the grate slats from the legs. The legs will be bolted as a square frame both top and bottom, NOT using the rails as part of the frame. I think I will use 1-1/2" x 1/8" angle iron to make the new frame rigid.

Once that is done, I will mount the vertical gear racks and position the motors and transmissions for a nice steady climb and descent. I sure could use some help on this project!

I am going to use SENDCUTSEND to manufacture the four mount plates that will mount both the motors and the transmissions to the existing frame bolts, so no drilling is required. Also, once I get this all together, I will post the source for all of the components so other people can do the same modification by purchasing the same parts through Amazon. I will probably just order the motor mounts in quantity, and sell them at cost + shipping to anyone who wants to do this mod to his or her table.

Four additional brackets will be needed to position the rails at the factory span distance, because the legs will all be about 3/4" farther out in both directions. So as to not need to modify the gantry or the rails, I have decided to mount the rails ABOVE the tips of the standard PlasmaCam legs, so that they can be moved inward without needing to trim off the top points of the legs which would otherwise be in the way. So the rails look like they will be about 2.5 inches higher, or whatever the height of the rails is. But when this is all together, the table will function as normal, except for the ability to raise and lower the grate deck inside of the legs with a simple push of a button. It will also make the PlasmaCam pipe cutter obsolete, as pipe cutting can be set up and used in a matter of a couple of minutes, WITHOUT the need to disassemble the table.

Joe

[weldguy]

Sounds like your getting close! Looking forward to seeing it in operation.

[Joe Jones]

[Joe Jones]

Patience was never my strong point. So after watching this thing mow part of the lawn, and now return to the base to recharge ... I decided I need more than one of them. Yes, one mower can handle 2.5 acres, but at what speed? And if it is going to run over the lawn every 4 or 5 days to keep it at a certain level, when would it EVER have a chance to rest?

So I bought a second one today. I will divide the property into two sections, and let each mower handle 1/2 of the work load. I may even have a third mower soon. I would program mower #3 to pick up the small separate segments and then cross the road to mow my neighbor's lawn as well. I will have to see how well two of them can handle this property, first. I really DO like the results though!

Joe

[djreiswig]

when would it EVER have a chance to rest?

It's a robot, Joe. Robots don't need to rest.
Continuous mowing keeps the yard looking nice.

[Joe Jones]

when would it EVER have a chance to rest?

It's a robot, Joe. Robots don't need to rest.
Continuous mowing keeps the yard looking nice.

Yeah, I know that. I just don't want it to be running all day, every day unless necessary.

This first mowing is going slow, because the optical cameras "see" tall grass, so the mower slows down to give the blades a chance to chop it up. Once the entire lawn is mowed, subsequent mowing should be fairly fast.

I am impressed by its ability to maintain a straight line on VERY bumpy soil.

Joe

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jOE

[rdj357]

....

So after watching this thing mow part of the lawn

....


So I bought a second one today.

.....

I may even have a third mower soon.

....

... to mow my neighbor's lawn as well.

.....

Joe

I assume that all this lawn mowing stuff is on topic because it's burning time and money from the 'Height Adjustable Grates!" project? No wonder nothing ever gets finished at your house.

[Joe Jones]

I assume that all this lawn mowing stuff is on topic because it's burning time and money from the 'Height Adjustable Grates!" project? No wonder nothing ever gets finished at your house.

You're funny, Robert! I have house guests at the moment. I can't very well ask them to sit alone in my home while I work out in the shop. I also have the termite people coming (today?) to treat the foundation. Then the vinyl window people are coming to replace all of the windows. Meanwhile, I have to go pick up the John Deere riding mower from Bowling Green after it was repaired. I bought a 5x8 trailer yesterday from Lowes, just because it is faster and easier to use for moving a mower, than hitching up the gooseneck trailer. The trailer will also serve as my motorcycle trailer when I need to take it along somewhere.

Add to this the usual laundry, dishes, house cleaning, etc. etc., There isn't a lot of time right now, to drop everything and head out to the shop to work on the grate elevator. All of the parts are here. The drawings are done. The tables are waiting for me. All I need, is time, ENERGY, and a good assistant who doesn't want $50.00 per hour to stare at his phone.

When these house guests leave, I have to more coming on May 8th for an extended stay. I also have a roommate at the moment, although she is talking about coming back down from Illinois to gather her things and move back into her dilapidated home up there. I gave her a nice, warm home to live in for the winter, but winter is over.

Feel free to "drop everything" and head this way! I know we lock horns, but I'll bet we could get along in a shop environment working on some of the ... 250 ??? projects here that are in some stage of completion. The help I have hired in the past has largely proven to be thieves and scallywags. My expensive tools end up in pawn shops around the county. That is one GREAT things about having these lasers. I can mark EVERYTHING with my LOGO, and most of the pawn shop owners know me, or know OF me, so they would quickly be able to identify stolen tools. I have told all of them, I NEVER sell tools. Once I get the rotary on the fiber laser working, I am going to mark EVERY socket in the tool box!

Joe

[rdj357]

....

Feel free to "drop everything" and head this way! I know we lock horns, but I'll bet we could get along in a shop environment working on some of the ... 250 ??? projects here that are in some stage of completion.

...

Joe

I'm sure we could get along in that environment - possibly... I'm a type-a, take charge and get it done person. Unfortunately I have 3 employees and we are in the beginnings of a hot HVAC season here. It's going to rain the rest of the week so we're out in the shop cleaning, cutting items for the Red Fern Festival here and for a friend in Kansas' show. I have a ton on my plate too so share the pain of trying to get things done. I am also easily distracted but I don't post them all here and I also do try, albeit painfully sometimes, very hard to stay on task. I charge $1,600 /8-hour day for my time when I do contract work out and I fear that isn't nearly enough.

[Joe Jones]

I don't post them all here and I also do try, albeit painfully sometimes, very hard to stay on task.

I used to be a member of the GWRRA, the GoldWing Road Riders Association. A 'YUGE international touring motorcycle rider's association. They had a forum. They had a magazine. They held 'YUGE motorcycle rallies all across America and around the world! ALL people were allowed to talk about was GoldWing motorcycles. NOTHING ELSE. The threads became boring. The chapter meetings became rigid and militant, and everyone got power hungry ... "I'm a Road Captain! ... I have 30 more PINS on my vest that you do! ... I served as Treasurer for THREE YEARS! ..."

The organization is now defunct. GONE. Disbanded, mainly out of BOREDOM. People are all different. If you set up an organization that is restricted to ONLY certain topics, you seal the fate of the organization when everyone has said everything to everyone, and NO ONE can color outside of the lines. I talk about other things happening in my life, so that people see the bigger picture, and not just another stiff standing next to a plasma table cutting out metal art.

The termite people come tomorrow morning to treat the house foundation. My house guests leave Friday morning, and the Vinyl Window people also ARRIVE on Friday morning to replace all of the windows on the home, four days of that. Meanwhile I have to pick up the John Deere from the repair shop, and the second robot mower arrives on May 1st - 7th. I have to see my doctor before he will renew Rx's. More house guests arriving on May 15th, and then a week of that. Meanwhile, my roommate is coming down from Illinois to gather her things to move back to her home, now that winter is over. DesignEdge online training sessions intermingled with all of that, and the lasers and 3D printer are still calling my name ...

I charge $1,600 /8-hour day for my time when I do contract work out and I fear that isn't nearly enough.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Joe

[rdj357]

....

I charge $1,600 /8-hour day for my time when I do contract work out and I fear that isn't nearly enough.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Joe

Thanks, it works pretty well but sometimes still doesn't replace the income I could be generating if I were home. What do you do for a primary source of income for your household?

[Joe Jones]

Thanks, it works pretty well but sometimes still doesn't replace the income I could be generating if I were home. What do you do for a primary source of income for your household?

I do not have an income.

Joe

[rdj357]

I do not have an income.

Joe

Goodness - I wouldn't be able to buy groceries if my household didn't have an income! Business income must be generated to offset expenses and depreciation with something left over for me to eat!

[Joe Jones]

I am Scrooge McDuck

Joe

[rdj357]

I am Scrooge McDuck

Joe

Interesting - Scrooge McDuck was a self-made man, broke at the age of 10, who struck it rich in the Klondike gold rush. I ponder how this metaphor applies.