Thread: Garage door opener - ideas?

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My buddy who designed and built my pirate ship for me picked up a discarded garage door opener - motor and long bar with chain. Sorry, I don't own a garage, much less a garage door opener, so I'm not sure how to describe it. Anyhow, we figured it must be a fairly decent motor. Haven't played with it yet, but Kenny's sure he can rig it up to work. Are these things noisy or is it just they seem that way because they normally are actually opening a garage door?
Any ideas about how to use this in a display? I'll be doing pirates one last time and am thinking of something big for this last year. Sea monster attacking my 20-foot ship, lifting pirates into the air, pulling down the mast and sails. Would be great to have some animation in the scene. At a minimum we're thinking to replace the oscillating fan in the crow's nest that moved the lookout skellie from side to side since it crapped out last year. But bigger would be better!

Maybe need to do a tutorial on this since the garage door opener gets asked so much. Here are the points to remember.

1.
This is a motor designed to put out a lot of power on occasion. They aren't meant to be used constantly. Even installing and testing them we would occasionaly get one that would overheat and have to let it cool. I can't speak for all, but most have a heat sensor. The motor gets hot at all and they shut down till they cool.

2. I would suggest using this as part of an animation that your going to trigger every 15 minutes or more. Since they do have some decent power use it to move the sails say once in a while. They aren't fast by any means so it is really bad at a pop up or pop out type scare.

3. The suggestion was made to install a small fan, like one used in a computer to help keep the motor cool. I don't see where this would be a problem to do and would help extend it's life and the cool night air migh enable you to trigger things a little more often. I have not tried this yet to see.

4. The motors are generally fairly quiet and if you run one on the ground it's not very loud. The vibration transfered to the door and the ceiling it's mounted to are what produce the noise. take your cell phone and set it to vibrate and listen to the noise it makes. Then set it off again but against a window or a hollow object and notice the difference. Door opener does the same thing. You can do like we did and help quiet it by placing rubber spacers between the mounting surface and unit. It helps some.


5. They make a grease, but any decent weight grease would be good for the rail. It keeps things running smooth and avoids chattering and lessens strain on the motor. Make sure all bolts are tight and if it's chain drive grease that too. If belt driven check to make sure the belt isn't ready to fall apart.

6. Does it have a light ? you might be able to screw in one of those screw in adapater that makes the light socket a place to plug in something that draws a small amount of power to trigger as well. Something comparable to a 100w bulb and probably no more.

7. Make sure the rail has adequte support so it doesn't bend.

8. The average garage door can weigh 80lbs and a lot more. The opener doesn't take on this weight itself. Remember the door still has srpings to assist pulling it up, so don't ask the motor to lift 50lbs by itself. you'll deffinately kill it. Think of the amount of force you need to manually open a garage door and have the otor move something comporable in weight. of course the lighter the better.

all i can think of for now

Impressive, 'neck. Most impressive.

tha's what the ladies say

All the stuff Redneck said.

Especially keeping the bar strait. I always need to take time to get everything just right to prevent the carrier from sticking and chain falling off. Once tweaked it does work fine.

Another point to consider is that garage door openers are slow.

To speed things up.

I replaced the drive sprocket on a 1/2 hp unit with the front sprocket from a bicycle and extended the chain. [fabrication and welding involved] This will significantly reduce torque, but it had enough to move a standing, full sized mummy made entirely of foam rubber. Never weighed it, I guess at least eight pounds.

Triggered from a sensor, it does move really fast from a dark area right up to the walking path [with sound and lights] then retracts.

I have an old garage door opener similar to what you've said you have. I plan on using it to make a pair of dragon wings open and rise. Hopefully I'll get this going soon and let you know how it worked out...

Garage door opener powering an escapee in a lifeboat (would row away from ship in open mode) and then a tentacle "pulls it back" as it closes?

OK..... now iI have to talk the little lady into going to garage sales this weekend. Hummmm.
These sound great I would like to see some pictures and drawings for your designs vmori1 and Spider Web and njwilk