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[TowerTalk] Garage door opener rotator

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Garage door opener rotator
From: k1er@gte.net (John D. Peters)
Date: Wed, 09 Apr 1997 06:10:46 -0700
Roderick M. Fitz-Randolph wrote:
> 
> >Has anyone heard of modifying a garage door opener into a robust
> >rotator?  Cheap, slow and lotsa torque, no brush noise, but more
> >difficult to modify than a prop-pitch for sure. (..and ya got to go
> >to the sun visor in your car to rotate it.)
> >
> >de KD7LS
> ___________________________________________________________________
> 
> Wow, now THIS could start a new thread!!  Ok, all you mechanical
> genii: here's your chance to shine.  One of the worm-drive garage
> door openers that could be modified to operate and stop at a particular
> place would seem to be a great candidate for even tower rotation! 
> Rod, W5HVV


Well, I have used TV antenna rotors, including the big ones like HAM-M, 
T2X.  I have used PropPitch.  I have used, and still use the TelRex 
2140RISX.

I have also installed 4 or 5 garage door openers, screw and chain drive 
types.

I would say all the garage door openers are way too flimsy.  Open the 
cover and look at what they use for a gear box, look at the plastic 
gears, the drive coupling, everything.  They barely manage to open a door 
that a 5 yr old can lift. NOTHING in a garage door opener looks strong 
enough to drive even a small tri-bander in any wind.

If you need a rugged drive, you can build one from scratch more easily 
than you could convert a door opener.  Visit any gear and bearing 
supplier and ask to see the catalog for speed reducers.  You can get one 
with a reversible motor, 1/3 or 1/2 hp, output 2 rpm to a keyed 7/8 in 
shaft. Buy a keyed sprocket drive and heavy industrial drive chain and 
you're ready to turn anything. That's all the TelRex rotors used.

73 John K1ER

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