Thread: AAARRRG! FCG motor!

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So I've been trying to rig my flying crank ghost up with a hacked oscillating fan motor. I stripped the housing, drilled out the governor that was restricting the slow oscillating so it allows a full 360 degree turning radius, and it has plenty of torque and is approximately 5-6 rpm.

So this should work, right?

My linkage/armature that is to attached to the motor on one end and to the FCG rigging on the other just won't stay attached. I've tried screws, lock washers, superglue/screws, cursing, throwing things... nothing works. It pops right off.



You can see the connection point in the pic above. The screw is obviously not very long, but even when I tried a longer screw, it still popped right off.

My FCG weighs maybe half a pound at best - it is all cheesecloth. Even the head is only cheesecloth it can't be the weight of the FCG.

I am not mechanically inclined (well, that should be obvious!) and I can't figure out how to get the arm to stay attached, so my hubby said that we should just scrap the idea that the ghost will fly this year and make her a static display. I'm sooooo heartbroken.

I am going to probably buy a wiper motor that has real connection points and start over, but not this year.

Would this have worked if I actually knew what I was doing and had special magical tools or something? Or maybe another project that this could work with?

I hate to throw out a great motor that has perfect torque/rpm.

Can you disconnect the plastic piece from the motor altogether? Then thread a long bolt into the motor and connect your armature right to that? Several nuts on the bolt will keep things from spinning.

Tim

Originally Posted by DIY Guy

Can you disconnect the plastic piece from the motor altogether? Then thread a long bolt into the motor and connect your armature right to that? Several nuts on the bolt will keep things from spinning.

Tim

Not that I can tell. The plastic piece seems to run all the way through the motor housing and out the other side. I thought about drilling it out, but there would be nothing by smooth metal then.

I'm sure you or one of the other mechanically inclined on this board could figure it out if you had this in front of you, but I'm working blind on this and sadly lacking in the mechanical/technical area.

Absent idea #1, what about using a bolt and nut to connect to the plastic rather than a wood screw?

Tim

I've had good luck with Epoxy. The right Epoxy can be like steel.

JB Weld is one type of Epoxy, although that has not been my favorite. Unfortunately, I've forgot the name of the best Epoxy I've found. I think it was like X-41 or something like that. Not sure though.

Originally Posted by Frankie's Girl

So I've been trying to rig my flying crank ghost up with a hacked oscillating fan motor. I stripped the housing, drilled out the governor that was restricting the slow oscillating so it allows a full 360 degree turning radius, and it has plenty of torque and is approximately 5-6 rpm.

So this should work, right?

My linkage/armature that is to attached to the motor on one end and to the FCG rigging on the other just won't stay attached. I've tried screws, lock washers, superglue/screws, cursing, throwing things... nothing works. It pops right off.



You can see the connection point in the pic above. The screw is obviously not very long, but even when I tried a longer screw, it still popped right off.
My FCG weighs maybe half a pound at best - it is all cheesecloth. Even the head is only cheesecloth it can't be the weight of the FCG.

I am not mechanically inclined (well, that should be obvious!) and I can't figure out how to get the arm to stay attached, so my hubby said that we should just scrap the idea that the ghost will fly this year and make her a static display. I'm sooooo heartbroken.

I am going to probably buy a wiper motor that has real connection points and start over, but not this year.

Would this have worked if I actually knew what I was doing and had special magical tools or something? Or maybe another project that this could work with?

I hate to throw out a great motor that has perfect torque/rpm.

Is the arm separating from the prop or the motor? If it is the prop I would drill a hole through the arm and attachment point on the prop and run a piece of all thread rod through it and put a flat washer on each side and put double nuts on each end of the all thread. Use the outer nut to jam against the inner nut to lock them in place.

I'm not a mechanical expert and this is probably stupid but what about a zip tie?

Attach your arm and take another picture - I'd like to see what you're trying to do. The screw that I see in the first picture is not going to handle much of a load - if any.

Yes, I agree. Send another pic. From what I know from my FCG you are trying to attach a longer piece onto the short white plastic piece, right? First, it looks as if a longer arm would hit the motor or motor support when it spun 360 degrees. (nice use of the mini blind bracket) If you can, send a pic of the thing your trying to attach both on and off the plastic part.

Originally Posted by compoast

Yes, I agree. Send another pic. From what I know from my FCG you are trying to attach a longer piece onto the short white plastic piece, right? First, it looks as if a longer arm would hit the motor or motor support when it spun 360 degrees. (nice use of the mini blind bracket) If you can, send a pic of the thing your trying to attach both on and off the plastic part.

Right; where that brass screw is located is where I am trying to attach the arm. I have it extended down to about an inch from the bottom of the wood support so as to clear everything without hitting.

I'll try to get the armature back on it this weekend.

I went to Lowes AGAIN and spent a few hours looking at various bolts and lock nuts and picked up an aluminum piece to redo the armature. I had to get a drill bit that can go through metal, and I think I may have the right bolts to attach everything... and I got some gorilla glue just in case.

Is there anything special I need to do to bend the aluminum?

(That's too funny that you noticed my makeshift bracket! I was trying lots of odds and ends that would support the motor position that I had in my junk drawer.)

I really appreciate the help so far... I'm amazed I haven't electrocuted myself or drilled through my foot at this point. It's just lovely how a project can make you feel stupid when you can't figure it out.