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I need to buy or fabricate a strong crankshaft for a strandbeest-like glass robot.
I'm making a walking robot out of glass based on Theo Jansen's strandbeest leg design. Fabricating the crankshaft has proven an odious challenge. I'm looking for a source where I can buy either a complete crankshaft to my specs or parts from which to fabricate my own. It needs to be about 30" long, with 6 crank arms (offset 120°, therefore 2 at each angle), throw on the crank to be 1". My original design was for a 1/2" diameter shaft, which is necessary if it's going to be glass, but if metal the shaft diameter could probably be smaller. The video here shows the crankshaft I made, but I don't really trust it.http://instagram.com/p/x8xcPeyn-1/?modal=true
The prototype leg: http://instagram.com/p/wewqr1yn6a/?modal=true
Discussions
3 years ago
We are manufacturer of Crankshafts.We are manufactiring all of models.
www.hdeparts.com
info@hdeparts.com
whatsapp contact number:+905304229889
5 years ago
Where do you need it sending ? We have a full scientific glass blowing shop at work, I can always ask if one of our guys is up for a bit of a challenge. They are VERY good at what they do. Does it need to be solid, or could it be made of tube ?
Answer 5 years ago
Thanks. I'm in Arizona. I'm leaning toward another material besides glass, but if someone there wants to check out those videos attached to my question and give me a quote, I'd consider it. They ought to be able to make it out of rod, which will be stronger.
Answer 5 years ago
Let me have a drawing - send me a link in a PM and I'll ask.
The guys in the shop were intrigued.
5 years ago
SS does souns kinda kewl >>
5 years ago
Thats some serious glass skillz you got there. If you feel the glass crank is a bit dodgy, perhaps a shiny stainless steel one would do the trick without spoiling the glass look too much.
Answer 5 years ago
Thanks. Know where I could get one made at a reasonable cost?
Answer 5 years ago
If you don't have a propane/mapp torch and dont fancy banging red hot metal in a vise, then probably a small engineering shop might be able to fab it up for you.
5 years ago
You won't just find one, and if you do it will cost a small fortune, If it gets to your door intact... Sorry
You thought of using Poly-Carbonate? still crystal clear and much stronger! To bond it you only need a special glue that fuses it together. sounds a bit safer too lol
Hope to see what your making :D
Answer 5 years ago
Got any clever ideas on jigging it up to keep it all straight?
Answer 5 years ago
Might be easiest to build a few 2-D U-shaped sections, then bond them together, offsetting each section say *90( depending on ur app)
With poly carb you will just need to heat it with a heat gun and it will bend, not sure with glass. Make a form to bend the materiel around. Then you would need to sand the junction between the two sections flat and bond them together
Answer 5 years ago
Poly is a great solution. I came here to say the same thing!
5 years ago
Oh, that is a thing of true beauty!
If you're not going to go with your own glass shaft, I'd second the polycarbonate/acrylic suggestion - a decorator's heat-gun should be able to soften it so that you can bend it at specific points and then let it cool (much like, I am sure, you bend a glass rod with a small blowtorch flame).