Travelling the US in a motorhome-- with a carvewright?

[Digitalwoodshop]

Wonderful Idea..... I retired from San Diego in 95.... Sadly I saw the 32nd Street Naval Station Wood Hobby Shop closed in about 92 and turned into big offices for the Moral Welfare Recreation Staff.... Big Bummer in MY book.... They needed more room for the BLOATED TOP STAFF and AXED the Wood Shop.... Norfolk, VA Naval Station had a GREAT Wood Shop in the 80's...

OK.. NOISE... Being a Resourceful guy like yourself.... I think I would start with the CUT MOTOR.... Penn State Industries sells THIS....

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/TCLVSKIT.html Don't even know the RPM of the Current Cut Motor.. This maxes out at 4400 RPM.

Hopefully the Firmware Lord will chime in on this off the wall idea.... I would rig THIS motor above the machine in line with the X Axis and have the business end of the motor with an appropriate shaft coupling to attach to the flex shaft. The Flex would just drape down in the center of the X Axis far enough aft to allow the flex to easily move left and right in Y and up and down in Z. I am "Guessing" that this motor will be much quieter than the current cut motor.....

The "Trick" is to fool the Computer... I believe that even with the Cut Motor Magnet moved to the Shaft Connection Area, that the Computer will give you a CCM or Check Cut Motor "IF" the Cut Motor SPEED Monitored is not what the Computer is expecting.... This is where the Firmware Lord could point us in the correct direction.... Because I also believe that the X Termination Board and the Q1 Circuit on that board along with the Optical Isolator Chips has some limited speed control over the Cut Motor Speed... Hence we do see a speed variation in some cut operations... IF the Cut Motor were replaced with a RELAY and that RELAY turned on the Variable Speed Quieter Cut Motor.... It "Might Work".... IF we got a CCM in the past, I believe that the Cut Motor just went into a "Programmed Speed" based on a value placed by the Firmware Lord and Company. This usually made the Cut Motor run at a high speed with NO Cut Motor Feedback via the Magnet... I believe if the machine was cutting some Text and detected the Motor bogging down that it "Might" speed up the RPM.... OR that effect could just be my over active imagination or just a pre programmed speed based on the Text Scheduled to carve....


SO with ALL that.... It just might work... The Variable Speed would be useful as before you changed to this system you would buy a portable reflection Tachometer and measure the Shaft Speed for various operations and you could use the Variable Speed to be sure you had enough RPM's to properly cut the project....


Another option..... A Poor Option... AIR DRIVE Motor... But based on my experience with a Air Operated DRILL.... Very Noisey....


Another option.... A FLUID PUMP.... for a Cut Motor.... A Hydraulic MOTOR....


With a future move to the other side of the POND.... THIS research could be very useful....


Another more expensive option.... Convert a Spindle Motor.... The Exact name is slipping me at the moment... but a Variable Speed Drive Motor that a Shop Bot and the Big Boys use.... But a smaller version... The PLUS for them is LESS NOISE....

I have mentioned this idea in the past and the mention of replacing the Cut Motor for a RELAY got a Thumbs DOWN from LHR.... I think it is the speed issue... A Solid State Relay would be an option.... Stay away from the Mercury Wet Relays as tipping the unit can cause the Relay to activate.... Scientific Atlanta a Antenna Positioner Company made a controller to move antennas in a Test Range setup. I worked for this company in San Diego called Microwave Specialty Company. The day I was hired the Boss said he had a project for me... Change out the smaller Antenna Positioner on the Roof of the building with a heavier unit that also had Tachometer Feedback. I had to make all the connection Boxes and wire a 3rd Axis that was being added... I did it as seen by this picture below... The New Controller had Mercury Relays and a warning sign on the front... One day a Engineer went to move the control box with the power on.... Tilting the control unit caused the relays to activate making his antenna as seen on the TV Camera MOVE.... He was not happy.... Then HE saw the Sticker... So stay away from Mercury Power Relays.....

Picture: The new heavier Scientific Atlanta Positioner I wired for the Roof of the Building. This building sat along RT 78 near I 15 in San Marcos, CA. And for years working still at the NAVY, I would drive by this place always looking to see what NEW Antenna was on the Roof... Being a Navy Radar and Computer Tech... One day 2 years before Retirement I walked in on a Saturday Morning and was Hired on the SPOT... Worked 2 years as the Calibration Tech nights and weekends...


GOOD LUCK !!!!


AL

[lawrence]

thanks a TON guys--after further research and looking at RVs the last few days- here's where we are

1- we're getting a Class-A. We will be between 6 months and a full year on this trip... we simply need the space for 4 of us
2- we're searching for 07-11 class A's with bunk beds for our boys- know anyone selling one? Something like this would be perfect (except this one is in York PA)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2007-...item2ec26eacfd
3- we're going to sell our vehicles and buy a small "toad" (see below)

Now for another thing I need input on... what do you think about this idea-- we're planning to sell our current vehicles and get a small manual transmission suv to use as a dingy (I'm leaning towards a jeep patriot) With the back folded down I 'should' be able to do sign carving with everything closed up. I could put my festool dust collector back there and use extension cables from the RV generator to the dc and carvewright. I've also considered adding foam around the unit (spray foam inside, sheet foam shell outside) to deaden the sound even more. I could use a small wireless camera to monitor things.

I'm curious what y'all think about this and whether it sounds at all feasible.... also, to those of you that have spent time on RV campgrounds, do you think this setup would be so loud as to disturb the neighbors? I'm curious as to how quiet I can get this thing to be without going to a different cut motor.

I can't help but think that I could make a few bucks selling trailer signs/nameplates/carved sink cutting board covers etc. while we are on our journey.

Thanks again for all the input y'all have given so far- please keep it coming.

Lawrence

[ibewiggin]

I absolutely love our class A motorhome. They have so much storage now too. What ever vehicle you tow behind it, I would get a protective bra for the front of it. They have clear stick on ones that work very well. Otherwise the rock chips get really bad. The two things I love to use that most people always say " why didn't I think of that" are binoculars and walkie talkies. Nice for seeing signs sooner, and comunicate while manuevering tight areas. We keep them in the center.consule area. Can't wait till we start using ours for traveling instead of camping. Hope to see you during your trip.

[badbert]

I think it is an ingenious idea. If the patriot is 4 wheel drive, make sure it can be flat-towed. And remember if you use a bumper hitch, you can not back up! The negative camber will turn the wheel and rip the front-end out. A good option is a tow dolly. Buy something front wheel only, Like a minivan, drive it up on the dolly and strap it down. Rear wheels are free to roll forward and back. And they have BRAKES!! As far as the walky-talky to backup. Don't even think about not getting a backup camera! I truly believe any vehicle over 24 feet, should be required to have one. You can get them with built in microphones. So you can hear the Moan-backs! They usually work in two modes, auto; which only comes on in reverse. And Manual bypass; which lets it work like a rear-view mirror. Nice ones even have Night mode. With a little practice you won't need any help backing up! Another option you will want is power leveling jacks. Maintenance and repair are much easier when you can jack it up yourself by the push of a button. A few slabs of wood and you can get the tires off the ground! Nothing worse than sleeping on a bed that isn't level.

[johnsonswamp]

You could look for a an enclosed trailer just big enough to fit the jeep or a car in, when you want to carve just back the vehicle out. Only downfall is that would be 4 extra tires and bearings to worry about.

[SteveEJ]

For power issues, ie: Generator or shore power, I would have a dedicated UPS for the CW. Good battery backed up computer model should work!

[pkunk]

The onboard generator will be fine for running the CW without a UPS. Commercial campgrounds (most) will not allow any kind of selling, nevermind the noise. I gave up on that idea long ago.

[pkunk]

I just re-read your first post. Key west-be prepared for $100-$150 a night RV space and make reservation a year in advance. MHs are too big for the town so only the toad will fit the streets.

[ibewiggin]

Back up cameras are nice, and the leveling jacks a must. I would still strongly suggest the walkie talkies. They always seem to be used one way or another. When the pesky hot water heater won't light, etc. On our first motorhome something always seemed to go wrong or break. So, tools are a must.

[lawrence]

Well, thanks so very much again all- We've ended up buying (it's gonna take a few days to sort the paperwork out) a 2004 Damon Challenger 327 - it's a 34 foot Gas with 50K miles and is clean as a whistle in and out. The tires are good but I'll probably still replace them as they are 4 years old. The same is true about the house batteries. We got it cheap enough that we are still going to be under low NADA after my estimated maintenance





Also thrown in is a grill, a blue ox towbar, and a brake arrester for our toad.

I plan to take out the wardrobe to put in bunks for our 2 boys- a curtain will separate the bunks from the main bed area.

Person-to-person sale, so no sales tax here in Arizona, and as I'm active duty, my registration for the year will cost me $7... I feel very fortunate.

We're excited and looking forward to learning about our new home on wheels.

Now to figure out how to quietly run my Carvewright in it....

V/r
Lawrence