DIY Auto Rotating Flash?

[Gilligan]

A DC gear motor with a clevis arm, two limit switches, power supply for the motor preferably adjustable to set the motor speed, tie rod to connect the clevis to the flash, adjustable timing relay, a latching relay and some creative engineering. Or make it chain drive and replace the clevis arm and tie rod with something like Morse #20 or #30 double roller chain and sprockets.

We had two M&R Acomas that worked nice, currently running two Vastex. One with the auto rotate modified so when you rotate the carousel it automatically rotates over the pallet (not using the foot pedal), the other has a long handle on it to swing it over the pallet.

That's basically how my Antec is.  Hopefully I'll never have to take it apart again, but if I do, I will take pictures.

Mine works with an off set circle that hits the switch.  When the switch is hit it turns on a timer, then after the timer is done it continues on until the switch is not pressed any longer.  That is how it knows where to park itself.  It's also the way to make it one directional as it just keeps rotating and the shaft is connected to that off set disc as well... so it works like a crank shaft and piston rod essentially.

[ScreenFoo]

A DC gear motor with a clevis arm, two limit switches, power supply for the motor preferably adjustable to set the motor speed, tie rod to connect the clevis to the flash, adjustable timing relay, a latching relay and some creative engineering. Or make it chain drive and replace the clevis arm and tie rod with something like Morse #20 or #30 double roller chain and sprockets.

We had two M&R Acomas that worked nice, currently running two Vastex. One with the auto rotate modified so when you rotate the carousel it automatically rotates over the pallet (not using the foot pedal), the other has a long handle on it to swing it over the pallet.

Thanks for the great post Bink.  I was just going to mention a stepper motor is way more money, the control electronics are way WAY more money, and a DC motor, two limit switches, and circuitry to support it is within the reach of all but the least experienced electronics hobbyists.

Before I scored an AL-53 I was going to make a shutter for a DIY exposure unit the same way, but with a lead screw.

[mimosatexas]

Yea the motor/limit switches idea is probably the way I will end up going.  I'll have to look into it a bit more, but being a one man operation, having an auto flash is pretty much crucial for efficiency right now, especially when setting up jobs.  Having to monitor the flash so much right now and actually physically move it on occasion is slowing me down more than it should...

[ebscreen]

If you have air, a sliding flash ala the OmniFlash is a lot easier to cobble together, and likely much more robust.
One valve controlling an air cylinder.

But seriously, quartz is so much simpler if you have the juice.

[mooseman]

think a little bit out of the box in as much as the flash does not have to swing away as much as it needs to move away OR BACK away.
A quality pair of full extension cabinet slides would allow you to move the flash in a linear motion fore and aft movement.
here is a real low cost example of a full extension  slide rated for 100LBS cantilevered load.
http://www.wwhardware.com/kv-tt100-economy-100-lb-full-extension-drawer-slide-kvtt100

The motive force to move this forward and back would be very very  little as the slides work quite effortless even under heavy load.
How you would actually motivate the unit has endless possibilities ...... a trained monkey could work for just bananas.
Rube Mooseberg

[mimosatexas]

I do like the idea of the slide.  I'm pretty close to figuring out the end result.  I'll be sure to document and post when I have it completed.  I should be able to build it over the Christmas break.

[screenxpress]

haha your comment about the long handle got me thinking.  I could probably do something with some kind of line and pull system, and just pull one way or the other when I want to move the flash, and have build it stops for each position.  would probably cost like 10 dollars.  Of course it would probably look insane...

I was thinking some kind of reversible gear motor with a chain would be the simplest.  I know some cheap rotisserie motors switch direction with every power cycle and have relatively high torque.  Great ideas so far!

I can see this now.  One string tied to left belt loop and another to the right belt loop.  Hey, you could even get your exercise while printing, lol.

[Mark @ Hurricane Printing]

I have a black body flash and i think they sell that extension arm so you can manually swing flash from your printing station. I think they sell an auto box too....i totally forgot about all of those options..i may look into it...maybe an end of year Christmas gift to myself.

[mooseman]

here is another homemade flash auto rotater idea from RubeMooseberg....
never built this as I can easily reach the flash from my print station which is smack between the flash and dryer...hotter than hell but we been working it this way for years now .

[Gilligan]

Moose, just fire off both cylinders with one foot pedal... No matter which position just smash the button.

[screenxpress]

here is another homemade flash auto rotater idea from RubeMooseberg....
never built this as I can easily reach the flash from my print station which is smack between the flash and dryer...hotter than hell but we been working it this way for years now .

Interesting concept but I don't think that would work well, or long..... 

Looks like the pistons would activate to (rapidly) push each direction so you would have a clunk when they hit (annoying at best) and eventually incomplete pushes leaving flash hanging mid-stream or from the constant banging, eventual failure of one of the pistons or the bracket. 

imo.

[mooseman]

Moose, just fire off both cylinders with one foot pedal... No matter which position just smash the button.

BRILLIANT........I seem to always to cut two holes in the door one for the big dog and one for the little dag only to find the little dog uses the big dog door
rube.....

[Northland]

or..... use one cylinder.  Extended to flash, retracted to idle position.
You'd need swivel mounts on the both ends of the cylinder to allow it operate in an arc fashion.