One time, years ago, I used a pipe cutter to trip a potentiometer handle. Potentiometer handles are often aluminum (aluminium) so they’re soft metal. It worked but it was time-consuming. My hacksaw was in my car trunk and I didn’t want to run out into the cold so I thought I would use the old trick.
A pipe cutter was not the correct tool. It put unnecessary stress on the potentiometer, which didn’t break, and it was a waste of time. If the potentiometer shaft was clamped into a drill and spun it may have been a good time-gamble but that was not an option. After making my hand very sore I conceded that I had lost the time-gamble and went to my car trunk. There I discovered that the hacksaw was not in my trunk, it was in a storage box a couple feet from my pipe cutter. I should have used the correct tool the first time.
A 2” (50mm) bolt was purchased to replace the needlessly long bolt acting as the gear shaft. The only reason for a shorter bolt was to reduce the clearance from the gear board. The printed adapter was threaded onto the shaft by twisting it on the threads. This was photographed. The potentiometer was pushed into the adapter and bolted in place.
An animation showing the changing resistance and gear position was taken. Ideally, the animation would have used an analog meter display but a DMM with numerals and segments along the bottom was available. The potentiometer was logarithmic so the resistance climbed exponentially. This may require an exponential/logarithmic conversion in the programming.
Downloads:
The rest of the posts for this project have been arranged by date.
First time here?
Completed projects from year 1.
Completed projects from year 2.
Completed projects from year 3.
Disclaimer for http://24hourengineer.blogspot.com/
This disclaimer must be intact and whole. This disclaimer must be included if a project is distributed.
All information in this blog, or linked by this blog, are not to be taken as advice or solicitation. Anyone attempting to replicate, in whole or in part, is responsible for the outcome and procedure. Any loss of functionality, money, property or similar, is the responsibility of those involved in the replication.
All digital communication regarding the email address 24hourengineer@gmail.com becomes the intellectual property of Brian McEvoy. Any information contained within these messages may be distributed or retained at the discretion of Brian McEvoy. Any email sent to this address, or any email account owned by Brian McEvoy, cannot be used to claim property or assets.
Comments to the blog may be utilized or erased at the discretion of the owner. No one posting may claim property or assets based on their post.
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
2016-12-08 (Th)
Using a pipe cutter on the potentiometer shaft
A pipe cutter was not the correct tool. It put unnecessary stress on the potentiometer, which didn’t break, and it was a waste of time. If the potentiometer shaft was clamped into a drill and spun it may have been a good time-gamble but that was not an option. After making my hand very sore I conceded that I had lost the time-gamble and went to my car trunk. There I discovered that the hacksaw was not in my trunk, it was in a storage box a couple feet from my pipe cutter. I should have used the correct tool the first time.
Using a hacksaw on the potentiometer shaft
A 2” (50mm) bolt was purchased to replace the needlessly long bolt acting as the gear shaft. The only reason for a shorter bolt was to reduce the clearance from the gear board. The printed adapter was threaded onto the shaft by twisting it on the threads. This was photographed. The potentiometer was pushed into the adapter and bolted in place.
Adapter on the gear shaft
An animation showing the changing resistance and gear position was taken. Ideally, the animation would have used an analog meter display but a DMM with numerals and segments along the bottom was available. The potentiometer was logarithmic so the resistance climbed exponentially. This may require an exponential/logarithmic conversion in the programming.
Changing resistance and gear position
Downloads:
- Gears
- Panel layout PDF or DWG
- S Symbol Plate OpenSCAD source or STL model
- Ultrasonic flush-mount source or STL
- Internal ring gear
- Spring hub includes source and STL for metric and imperial
- Slow ramping Arduino sketch
- 1 Small Arduino Micro
- 2 Stereo potentiometers (10K)
- 4 Multi-turn potentiometers (10K)
- 2 Twelve volt DC motors
- 1 Dual H-bridge
- 2 Ultrasonic distance sensors
- 1 Sine wave generator or the Amazon version
- 1 Voltage Regulator
- 1 Twelve volt three amp power supply
The rest of the posts for this project have been arranged by date.
First time here?
Completed projects from year 1.
Completed projects from year 2.
Completed projects from year 3.
Disclaimer for http://24hourengineer.blogspot.com/
This disclaimer must be intact and whole. This disclaimer must be included if a project is distributed.
All information in this blog, or linked by this blog, are not to be taken as advice or solicitation. Anyone attempting to replicate, in whole or in part, is responsible for the outcome and procedure. Any loss of functionality, money, property or similar, is the responsibility of those involved in the replication.
All digital communication regarding the email address 24hourengineer@gmail.com becomes the intellectual property of Brian McEvoy. Any information contained within these messages may be distributed or retained at the discretion of Brian McEvoy. Any email sent to this address, or any email account owned by Brian McEvoy, cannot be used to claim property or assets.
Comments to the blog may be utilized or erased at the discretion of the owner. No one posting may claim property or assets based on their post.
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
2016-12-08 (Th)
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