Alternative power source for power-tool enhancement design project?

Hi this is my first post here :-)

I'm a Design student in London currently researching power-tools.

I've made this really crude prototype of a system that looks at enhancing the vibration of a power-drill by vibrating the user as they pull the trigger on the power-drill.

It consists of a 12v 55AH car battery running through a 300watt 12v to 230v inverter which in turn powers a cheap 135watt 230volt orbital sander. It's all mounted to a British Army paratrooper clansman radio pack frame and has a very crude wooden arm with a temp on/off toggle switch mounted inside a vitamin c bottle :-) and tapped with gaffa tape, very much bricolage....

I used what I had to hand and what was cheap, i know it's not safe (yet) but i'd like some opinions on alternative smaller and lighter power sources?

I know I could just use cordless sanders but there expensive and i need multiple units 2-3 and as this is only a small part of what I'm doing so cost is an issue.

I'm considering looking at cheap 12v battery packs from cordless drills but don't fancy using lithium and blowing myself up?

All suggestions and opinions appreciated!

Thanks

James

Comments

[mpilchfamily]

Why a sander? Why not a vibrating motor? A 12V DC motor with an offset weight attached to it. Get 2 of them and attach 1 to each arm.

[le_bricoleur]

Thanks, that's a really good idea and relatively inexpensive and will run off a smaller battery

[steveastrouk]

Since highly vibrating tools are illegal to operate, I wouldn't enhance this one. There are a LOT of people, particularly miners, suffering from V W F who would think this a particularly sick joke.

I am involved in a project to improve the usage of a power tool, which can only, legally, be used by one user for 7 minutes per day, before the vibration limits mean it has to be shut off.

[canucksgirl]

So, why exactly do you want to "enhance the vibration of a power-drill"?

Is this a gag? or do you see this as an improvement?

[Burf]

Seeing that second picture makes me think he is building some sort of levitating device. A very painful device, from the look on his face.

[le_bricoleur]

I do have one with a smile lol

[canucksgirl]

hehe.. ya, I saw that. Precisely the reason I had to ask why he'd want to increase (or in his word "enhance") the vibration.

Generally the goal is to reduce power tool vibration, since over time it makes your arms sore. :-\

The keywords he used didn't help much either...

[le_bricoleur]

Thanks for the replies. I was a bit vague with my reasoning.

I guess you could say it's a gag.

I'm making a series of 'enhancements' based around the 5 senses that over exaggerate the immersive qualities of power-tools, for example i've got another one that makes tools stupidly loud. The idea is to make the experience more akin to a child holding a drill, which means i should probably relocate the sander to the arm more so than the back.

When I say this is a design project, it's more conceptual design than say product design...

[frollard]

this is your second post :P

[le_bricoleur]

Well spotted :-)

[canucksgirl]

touché