Has anyone ever used a stairlift to make a linear track? Picked this one up on ebay for £50… Great solid track 4 meters long and a 24v 250w geared motor driving a rack and pinion. The stairlift is capable of lifting a 175kg weigh up an incline so I don’t think torque is a problem
Hi, John… It’s extremely well made… Perfect for my project which is basically a vertically mounted table 4000mm by 1500mm…more than enough grunt to move the y carriage
Maybe speed could be a problem. And it is chain driven. The idea is good. I can see 24 teeth on the gear and a huge 24 Volts DC-Motor with a gearbox. In combination with the chain the resolution and speed is probably low (for a cnc - not for a grandma). With a huge stepper motor the resolution would be better - but steppers in this size are really expensive…
Hi Jan, the motor turns at 18rpm so with that cog it should travel at 6000mm per minute along the rack which is just about quick enough for my needs
Interesting idea!
Sounds kind of like hackin’ up a wheelchair to make a go kart. Maybe consider selling the thing to someone who needs it. Use the cash to buy normal parts. Would be a whole lot easier, faster and better…
@John_s_Engineering_L Safe n sound where it always is… Did my reply above read as a criticism?
Hi matt, I have priced up a 4 meter linear track and your looking at £1000 plus including a motor…with this stairlift it’s just a case of bolting in the rail, add an encoder and a motor driver and it’s done. It’s has even got limit contacts either end of the axis… It’s more than capable of moving a 175kg mass…and not complaining at £50…
I wonder what the flatness spec is. Is it Al or Steel?
@Sandblastcity_Blackp Have you price out the lift? I don’t know, but I’m betting it’s worth quiet a bit…
Hi Brad, it’s extruded Ali… Just putting a picture up on here…Going to make some changes to the bearings… At the moment they slide along the ali with no rotation which must cause alot of friction… At the end of the day these things go cheap on ebay and should make great linear tracks… Buying just the rack and pinion here in the UK would cost over £200 nevermind supported bar, motor, linear bearings etc…
About £1250 plus for a new one, ebay…could of bought 2 in the last week for less than £150