Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: ball lifter request...

  1. #1
    Eye Shooter TilionMtl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Crabtree, Quebec
    Posts
    822
    Thanks
    490
    Thanks Received
    2,241

    Default ball lifter request...

    Hi, sorry I'm not sure if it's the good place to post this request. I'm building a ball lifter, like the orange one available sometime. The path for the balls toward the gear, the motor, the vertical tube, everything work fine.

    My problem is the passage from the tray to the path that goes to the gear. Since the path is just large enough for one ball (two cannot be side by side in the path), the hole in the tray is large just for one ball too. This cause a problem because two balls may align themselve over the hole, side by side, and prevent each one from falling in the hole.

    If someone have a minute, and the orange ball lifter, could you take a picture of the tray near the path entrance that goes to the gear, so I can see what I can do to prevent two balls from aligning themselve side by side over the hole?

    Thank-you very much.

  2. #2
    Kungishi fronzdan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    1,546
    Thanks
    954
    Thanks Received
    1,165

    Default Re: ball lifter request...

    Cool. Just so you know, there's probably a decent market on here for inexpensive ball lifters if you ever wanted to make up a bunch and sell them.

    Not having a lifter myself, the only thing I can think of is inserting a tapered interface. If the taper is smooth and long enough it shouldn't jam.

  3. The following user says "Thanks" to fronzdan


  4. #3
    Eye Shooter TilionMtl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Crabtree, Quebec
    Posts
    822
    Thanks
    490
    Thanks Received
    2,241

    Default Re: ball lifter request...

    I've work a week on the ball lifter, is not pretty, but it work.. I can't have access to other motor, that is the big problem I think. I don't think I would have the patience to handcraft them one at a time.

    But I will post some pics, and a resumé of the problems encountered, since everything have been made by hand, with a jigsaw, a drill and a dremel to make the gear.

  5. The following 4 users say "Thanks" to TilionMtl


  6. #4
    Master Inventor daverob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Brighton, UK
    Posts
    1,365
    Thanks
    1,961
    Thanks Received
    7,101

    Default Re: ball lifter request...

    Quote Originally Posted by TilionMtl View Post
    could you take a picture of the tray near the path entrance that goes to the gear, so I can see what I can do to prevent two balls from aligning themselve side by side over the hole?
    I'm almost too embarrassed to show this picture of my dirty and rusty old ball lifter :disappoin, but I suppose it's for the greater good . This one's been semi-retired for the moment, as I'm working on a slightly different ball lifting concept for my main cabinets.

    lifter.jpg

    As you should be able to see, the entrance from the tray part to the path that leads to the gear, is a long slot, just a little wider than the balls themselves. So there's no chance of a ball jam here.

    From the point where the ball tray covers the top of the path down to the gear, the path is always at least three balls high, so and balls will build up two or three high against the gear itself, but this isn't any problem as the rotation of the gear will keep everything moving.

    Hope this helps.

  7. The following 17 users say "Thanks" to daverob


  8. #5
    Eye Shooter TilionMtl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Crabtree, Quebec
    Posts
    822
    Thanks
    490
    Thanks Received
    2,241

    Default Re: ball lifter request...

    hehehe, thank you very much daverob

    well unfortunately, the access to the gear for my ball lifter is one ball at a time.. I will have to find an other way to restrict the entrance without blocking everything..

    I think The idea is two have atleast two ball large, so I'm sure the balls don't get stuck in the entrance, then find a way to join the two balls to a single row...

    I will let know if I find something.

  9. #6
    Closet Okie Meathead's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Foresthill, California
    Posts
    2,718
    Thanks
    2,332
    Thanks Received
    6,304

    Default Re: ball lifter request...

    Take a look at the way the balls align on the front tray of your machine and design it similarly.
    A Hardy har har...

  10. The following 3 users say "Thanks" to Meathead


  11. #7
    Eye Shooter TilionMtl's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Crabtree, Quebec
    Posts
    822
    Thanks
    490
    Thanks Received
    2,241

    Default Re: ball lifter request...

    That's not a bad idea, but all my machines, when their front tray are full, they all jam at some point.

Similar Threads

  1. Ball Lifter!!
    By MrGneiss in forum eBay - General Auction listings
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 09-15-2010, 04:35 PM
  2. Ball Lifter
    By Drunkenclam in forum Yahoo Japan - Auction Area
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 07-17-2010, 10:52 PM
  3. Ball Lifter
    By sakwilla in forum Ball Lifters/Ball Management
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 03-08-2009, 06:05 AM
  4. Ball lifter!!!
    By TNTahan in forum Ball Lifters/Ball Management
    Replies: 128
    Last Post: 03-04-2009, 07:54 AM
  5. new here, ball lifter
    By ironworkerdalton in forum Ball Lifters/Ball Management
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 01-24-2008, 11:19 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •