linear actuators sources

[WindriderNM]

old c band satellite dishes
home hospitals beds, found at thrift stores, estate sales, yard sales, ect. some have 3 actuators
make your own with threaded rods and a motor with a reduction gearbox
does anyone have any other sources for us scroungers

[dave ames]

                                                        us scroungers
 

i'm convinced the "scrounger" trait is a hereditary gene that runs in the family! i'm a big time scrounger so was dad and his dad before him..i discovered a relative after dad passed that i never knew about and guess what? scrounger!

along the threaded rod line of thought, a scissor jack, piano stool, grape press type screw driven at low speed won't take much power.

we can find some good stuff at the marina. outboard motor actuators, trim control actuators and remote rudder controls.

the electric seats in some autos have some nice motorized rails. electric door locks are fun for one shot back and fourth stuff. have looked into the electric antenna idea and that should be fun for moving some little stuff.

i sometimes question if i'm actually saving any money with the find/make/reuse method, but sure is fun!

scrounger at heart, dave

[fabricator]

Do you have any industrial surplus outfits in you area? These guys go to plants going out of business and buy stuff and resell it, they often break large machines down into the component parts, I have two in my area, you can go in a place like this and get just about anything for cents on a dollar.

[Tight Yorky]

Hi WindriderNM,

I agree that linear actuators are so useful. Commercially I have used literally hundreds on penstocks and sluice gates but they are EXPENSIVE. But the reason I've posted is that about 9 years ago I was involved with a project that involved Chlorine Gas and the building had electrically operated ventilation louvres that had to fail closed on power failure (for safety). I was surprised at how cheap the louvre actuators were compared to what we normally used. Curiosity got the better of me and I had to have a look inside to see how they worked.

The mechanism was ever so simple. Just a piece of metal rod pinched between two rubber 'V' rollers. The 'pinching' force was provided by an electric solenoid. Power failure released the 'pinching' force and a spring mounted on the rod pushed the actuator closed. Two adjustable collars on the rod operated limit switches for feedback of the lourve open/closed status. A small motor operated the rubber rollers to move the rod backwards and forwards.

You may find something like this or maybe build something along the same principles.

Just a note. Re phrase 'Scrounger' as 'Recycler'. At the forefront of the Green movement.

Hope the above helps.
Clive.

[zap]

Most of the better treadmills with an incline function use one.

[Norm]

Old Black & Decker electric screwdrivers hooked up to threaded rod.....
Norm

[zap]

Old Black & Decker electric screwdrivers hooked up to threaded rod.....
Norm

Yup... exactly how Woody is shifted!  Works like a charm

[SparWeb]

The motors that turn microwave oven turn-tables are small and light, with enough torque to turn small shafts (not lots though).  They run off 120V.
Some have a strange tendency to turn clockwise when you turn them on once, then counter-clockwise when you turn them on the second time.
Depending on the project this could be a nuisance or a convenient feature.