Arduino Controlled Can Crusher With LCD Readout.

Step 3 Part 2: Building the chasis

The chasis is the "frame" that everything is connected to and operates. 
First you will want to make the crusher, this is done by cutting two short section of a 1"x5" (about 12" each) cutting the 3' smooth rod into 4 equal length pieces. I used junk pieces of wood I found. I used the diameter of a aluminum can to make the square in the middle. The square gives you the width of the final part as well as the the distance between the 4 1/4" smooth rods. Towards the outercenter of the boards the actuators will be mounted. I placed the one of the boards on the other to make the holes in line. Drill out the outer holes (actuator mounting holes) to 5/8" in one board and 1/2". Next, place a 1/2" coupler in the 5/8" from the back, and add some epoxy. The inner four holes should be 1/4" for the rods to be mount into on the board with 1/2" holes on the outside (the other should be slightly larger), this will act as a can retainer/guide. The top and bottom portions of the boards should be trimmed to the diameter of a can.

After the epoxy dries you can now run the 1/2" threaded rods through the boards and install the pulleys on the rods. Now place the belt on the pulleys along with the motor, then measure the distance from the bottom of the board to the top of the pulley, on the motor add about an inch and you have the height of the next board you need to cut for the front wall of the "box" the width is 12". Remove the pulleys from the rods and place the board with the 1/2" holes (the can retainer mount [not the one with the couplers in it]) and use it as a template to make holes in the front wall.  Drill it out to 1/2" using the can retainer mount board as a retainer, remove the template then drill the holes to 5/8" so that the sleeves fit in them. Use some epoxy on the sleeves to keep them in the board. This should be flat on the side that meets the can retainer mount and should stick out on the other side (this will work to reduce friction). You can use this board's width and height for the back wall of the box. 

Align the front wall holes with the holes in the can retainer mount, drill 4 well placed 1/8" holes through the back of the front wall into the can retainer mount and then screw them together using the 1/8" pilot holes. Now install the threaded rods with the pulleys, place this on a piece of plywood, then mount the motor and belt, measure the distance from the front of the can retainer mount to the back of where the motor is plus the thickness of the back wall of the box. This will be used to draw an outline of the back part and to make a bottom for box. The outline should be drawn including the front part of the machine as well. This should look similar to the bottom on image 11 and 12. Now cut a square hole wider than the diameter of a can and length slightly smaller than the diameter of the can. 

Add some supports fot the back and side walls to the bottom as shown in image 14. Now place the motor with the pulley on the belt, pull the belt tight and mark the top of the front board. Measure the distance and now make a 1/4" hole in the back wall so the fence pole connector around the motor will hold the pulley up to the measurement on the back board that was taken from the front board. Use the 1/4" threaded rod, lock washers, large OD washers, and nuts to mount the motor to the back wall. Measure the distance from the front and back wall and make top supports, side walls and top. Also be sure to drill a 1/2" hole in the bottom for the wires.