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Has Anybody Ever...?

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  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: USA
Has Anybody Ever...?
Posted by Mark McGovern on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 10:28 AM

I'm working on a ST:TOS U.S.S. Constellation (battle damaged, of course), and plan to mount it on a Tamiya turntable.  The idea is to show the ship slowly drifting in space.  The problem is, the table rotates about twice as fast as I'd like it to.  So my question is, has anybody here ever found a way to reduce the rate of rotation?  Thanks.

Mark McG. It seemed like a good idea at the time...

McGovern's Models.com

  • Member since
    February 2015
Posted by RRA2 on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 12:37 PM

I'm assuming it's a DC motor. If you can always add resistors in series to the positive side (trial and error) until you achieve the RPMs your looking for.  You could akso add a potentiometer  (similar to a volume control) and it would allow you to control the speed.  Hope that helps.

RA in AZ

  • Member since
    September 2009
Posted by Cobra 427 on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 6:32 PM

Just make your own lazy Susan. You can get bearings from just about anywhere now. It's also easy enough to get a turntable type of device to put a bearing ring in/on? Any way - this would be easy to turn, and it wouldn't cost very much.

 

~ Cobra Chris

Maybe a picture of a squirrel playing a harmonica will make you feel better?

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by Mark McGovern on Friday, April 22, 2016 10:17 PM

Thanks for the input, guys - I've never worked with a motor before, so any help is greatly appreciated. 

RRA2,

Yes, it's a battery-powered unit; that's one of the charms of the thing, that it's compact and self-contained.  A pot won't make the motor burn out, will it?  I'm thinking of the dangers associated with running a home ceiling fan on a dimmer switch.

Mark McG. It seemed like a good idea at the time...

McGovern's Models.com

  • Member since
    February 2015
Posted by RRA2 on Saturday, April 23, 2016 1:52 AM

Mark,

    The maximum a pot can feed the motor is only as high as what voltage you apply. In your case, it will be fine as you long as you don't exceeed the max voltage rating of the motor. 

 

RA in AZ

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: back country of SO-CAL, at the birth place of Naval Aviation
Posted by DUSTER on Saturday, April 23, 2016 1:14 PM

 

OH Boy! U.S.S. Constellation with turning;  what more could one ask for?

 

Steve

Building the perfect model---just not quite yet  Confused

  • Member since
    June 2010
  • From: Australia
Posted by OctaneOrange on Monday, April 25, 2016 3:48 AM

RRA2

I'm assuming it's a DC motor. If you can always add resistors in series to the positive side (trial and error) until you achieve the RPMs your looking for.

this is what i'd do. half the voltage, half the speed.

  • Member since
    September 2009
Posted by Cobra 427 on Friday, April 29, 2016 9:51 AM

You can try to find something like this on youtube, or try a VOLTAGE CONVERTER - to see what you need to do to get the correct voltage to keep your motor from burning up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=HPhxSUlJRQI This should avoid some of the guesswork. I always use mechanical means whenever possible to avoid things like this. However, you can use whatever you feel comfortable with.

 

~ Cobra Chris

Maybe a picture of a squirrel playing a harmonica will make you feel better?

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by Mark McGovern on Friday, May 13, 2016 7:53 AM

RRA2
The maximum a pot can feed the motor is only as high as what voltage you apply. In your case, it will be fine as you long as you don't exceeed the max voltage rating of the motor.

That looks like the answer, RRA2.  I only want to reduce the RPMs, so I'll be reducing the voltage the motor gets.  Much obliged for your input, and everyone else's, too.

Mark McG. It seemed like a good idea at the time...

McGovern's Models.com

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by Mark McGovern on Friday, May 13, 2016 7:55 AM

DUSTER
OH Boy! U.S.S. Constellation with turning;  what more could one ask for?

How about Moebius releasing the 1/35 scale Lost in Space Chariot & Space Pod kits, already?  We're not getting any younger, y'know...

Mark McG. It seemed like a good idea at the time...

McGovern's Models.com

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