Thread: Screendoor closer test.

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This is my test of my screen door cylinder I got yesterday.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDZwkM9bN3A]YouTube - pneumatic cylinder / screen door closer test[/ame]

"an error occured, please try again later".

You know you can find real air cylinders that size online for $30.00 or less. High pressure air can be very dangerous, not just to you, but to your audience if something fails. Those screen door cylinders are thin aluminum. Real air cylinders are made of thicker stainless steel. Whatever you do with that, DO NOT exceed 30 PSI or it could get ugly. Not trying to bust on your idea, but just be safe.

Bill Ehrsam

I'm with themindshaft. The first few props I built used screen door closers, but I was always worried about safety, and reliability. Now, all of my props have steel frames, and use industrial pneumatics.

This is my test and im building it and then thinking about buying a real air pistion.

Good start. I'd recommend getting a double-acting cylinder and a 5-way valve so you can automatically reset the prop pneumatically. The double-acting cylinder will be able to both push and pull the armature.

I too started with screendoor closers when I first got into pneumatics, but I was always concerned about safety, so I upgraded to commercial cylinders, and now I only use them. Three pneumatics and counting!

-DGM

You might consider using an electric linear actuator like this one. It will not "snap" like a pneumatic system but I'm not sure what it is you are trying to do with your prop so it might work just as well. Depending on what you are trying to do and how you mount the thing you may be able to get enough speed out of it. That unit in the link can support 40lbs and they have some that are even stronger. One nice thing about these is they have limit switches built in - when it gets to either end it stops by itself so you don't have to put sensors and your own limit switches in if you don't want to.