Newbie to animation, help with motors

1728 Views 16 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Diabolik, Oct 8, 2017

dan0uch

Discussion Starter · Aug 2, 2017

So I'm venturing into animated props this year, which I've never done. I have basically zero experience with motors or electronics of any kind. I'm going with a creepy carnival theme, and I thought I would start with something simple...a big carnival wheel game that spins slowly in my front window. I was hoping I would just be able to google a low RPM motor that I could just plug in and attach a wheel to, but it seems there's more to it than that

The wheel itself will be lightweight, made of foam, probably about 3 feet in diameter. Can someone with more experience with this point me in the right direction on what I should be looking for here? I'm not opposed to attaching various pieces together (motor, power supply, etc), although something ready to plug and go would be great

Thanks guys

Save

1 - 4 of 17 Posts

J-Man

· #4 · Aug 2, 2017

This would work and it's cheap. You'd have to attach a cord with a plug.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STOCK-SYNCH...065846?hash=item1c645f84f6:g:lBsAAOSwS7hW~zAH

Save

Reactions: 1

J-Man

· #8 · Aug 2, 2017

DustinBurgin said:
So this will run off power straight from the wall? wow projects just got alot cheaper!

Yes, this one operates on 110vac. You can get the same type of motor for 12vdc. Search on ebay and there's lots to choose from. They're also available in different rpm's so pay attention to that as well as the voltage when purchasing.

Save

J-Man

· #11 · Aug 3, 2017

dan0uch said:
Bear with me here, like I said I've never played around with electronics. If I were to go this route, would any AC cord work as a power supply? I have tons of old cords laying around, could I just cut and splice one to the motor and then plug it into the wall? Or can you recommend something better to purchase?

Yes, any cord will suffice. Just be sure to insulate the splices well.

Save

J-Man

· #14 · Aug 3, 2017

DustinBurgin said:
OK thanks J-Man! Is there any pros to having it in 12v?

Just depends on the rest of the prop. If there are other parts that run on 12vdc then it's a better choice. Also gives you the option to power the prop with a battery. If it's the only device in the prop that needs power, then the 110vac motor is probably a better choice.

Save

1 - 4 of 17 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month