Revolving stand for lit PL Refit

z1pkicker · Post by **z1pkicker** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:04 pm

Hi guys,

I want to build a revolving stand for my (yet to be completed) 1:350th Refit.
The idea I have is to mount the Trekmodeler Refit pole stand

http://www.trekmodeler.com/services/tm_ ... d_1000.jpg

to a 1 RPM mirror ball motor - something like this;

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mirror-Ball-Moto ... 286.c0.m14

The Refit stand has a diameter of 5/8" so that shouldn't be too much of a problem to mount it to the mirror ball base. Where it gets tricky is coming up with a way to get power to the internal lighting system.

What I'm thinking of is two discs sandwiched - the top one with the wires coming from the model connected to some sort of pick up that is in constant contact with the lower disc which will have the positive and negative wires going to the power source.

Has anyone here had any experience with doing something like this?
I've heard about 'brushes' etc, but have no point of reference.

Any help or suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers,

Bruce

photoguy · Post by **photoguy** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:43 pm

I've seen it done, but it is very tricky to set up and get working properly - especially if you want to be able to remove the ship from the base for transporting, examining, zooming around the room, etc.

Probably your best bet would be to use power pick-up brushes from an old slot car model - two little copper brushes mounted on springs to keep pressure on the rails that you need to set up on a disk in the base.

I'll just be happy to get everything hooked up and blinking the way I want it.

Chacal · Post by **Chacal** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:50 pm

You gotta make sure the mirror ball motor can spin the model. Mirror balls are unbelievably light for their size (a big styrofoam ball with mirrors glued onto it), and place almost no load to the motor. The 16" ball probably weighs less than 1/10 of the Big Refit 'E'. I'd suggest finding the motor for the biggest ball available, like this, rated all the way up to a 36" ball, at 0.8 rpm.

belkin321 · Post by **belkin321** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:57 pm

I would mount the support rods for the ship to a turntable made from wood or plastic, and rotate the model on the turntable. Gear the turntable to the motor directly or thru a belt mechanism, then make electrical connections thru a brush system connected to the brass support rod below the turntable.

BrianB · Post by **BrianB** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:42 pm

Hey Bruce:

What you want is a "slip ring". A quick eBay check shows several at what seems to be a more than reasonable price.

BrianB

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 4:44 pm

http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_12_28_03_b.html

http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_5_9_04_b.html
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_5_10_04.html

Note the weight of the model is not being carried by the connector. you will want to do something similar for the Enterprise stand.

Stereo jack if you need 3 connections, mono jack if you only need 2.

TrekFX · Post by **TrekFX** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:31 pm

Some years back, I found a rotating Christmas tree stand on clearance. I don't recall if it was a continuos 360 degree rotation or a back and forth partial rotation. It could hold a pretty heavy tree, and the base was a partial sphere which would lend itself to painting as a planet. It had integrated AC outlets in the rotating section.