Ok, in my introduction I mentioned a turning table for airbrushing
I have a little time so let us go for the turning table description. I see here and there a trick to hold the model while airbrushing it and it sounds of "deviant " to me. So I figured out how I could manipulate the thing without ever touching or holding it. I went to an electronic shop and bought a kit to control a step motor ( it is of ITC brand and you can find it at http://www.selectronic.fr or http://www.conrad.com among other places) I am neither a complete rookie in electronics nor a real enthusiast but it is very manageable with little care. Then I took a kind of Lazy Susan turn table of approximatively 30 cm of diameter (yes cm, remember I’m French). You have then to set the turn table near the step motor; I used a piece of wood as a base, a big pot knob with emery board cemented around to screw on the motor axle and rubber foam (rather hard kind) around the turn table; so the control of rotation is very simple and very cheap; you can also set the speed on the electronic card. I settled a DB9 (the kind of plug there was on old PC mouses) as to unplug the table system and clean the painting booth for example.
Advantages:
1° I never touch my model while I airbrush it
2° then my hands are very clean (at least the left one as it is controlling the clockwise-counterclockwise motion by means of switches or an on-off-on tumbler, the right one depends if I screwed well the head of the Aztek)
3° the step motor acts as a brake when it is powered and not rotating
4° why a step motor and not a simple motor ? Because it is very slow and therefore under total control
Drawback
I see only one but it is not to neglect : you are more or less condemned to “attack” the model with the same angle if you use a painting booth, that is why I am currently designing a new table which will be able to keep a constant angle while turning (same philosophy of step motors but more complicated)
As a conclusion I would add that just putting the model on the turning table does not seem very wise in my opinion because it should be raised a little , 8 or 10 cm (remember, always cm) because of the paint which goes to the table and tends to bounce . I have my solution but what do you imagine youselves ?
DB9 plug: is this the rectangular (BUS interface) style?
Is the step motor AC or DC? (most are DC)
Step Motors: electric motors with a brake on the shaft or load, they are engerized at all times and rotation is controlled by the brake. This allows for precise positioning of the “load”. DO NOT attempt this with a standard motor it WILL overheat and burn. If a standard motor must be used, allow the shaft to spin at all times and use a clutch to control rotation and a seperate brake for positioning.
DB9 is trapezoidal plug found in old mouses and joysticks/joypads, but you can use whatever you find as far as there a male, a female, and enough connectors as to connect all wires (the current here is not very strong)
the step motor is usually DC and usually 5 or 12 V ; the kits I quoted came with motor which has not to be very very strong as the system I described is very light, even with the model on (next will be heavier, so I found stronger motors)
A little precision: you could use standard motor WITHOUT elctronics but you wouldn’t get the same amount of control nor the brake effect (don’t brake a standard motor, just don’t give it current, but it’s not as comfortable)
Torio: I think this is a great idea and would be easy for people with limited electrical experiance to do. I tossed out a couple questions to clarify some points but I can see exactly how well this would work.
It seems cheaper and more advantageous to not use a motor at all, but rather to use the right hand to paint, and the left hand to control the direction of the lazy susan (switch this if you’re left handed). Maybe it’s just me, but I feel I have more control and dexterity performing the operation manually.
Gip Winecoff
Just try it if you dare
Now seriously, you won’t get the regularity of motoring the device, and it won’t be braked, and this one makes a lot of difference; and don’t forget there is a possibility you paint your left (or right) hand in the process. I am an eye witness as I got a red, a blue and a green hand before I put the motor system (now I have four hands and it’s not bad for modelling)
i like the lazy susan idea…and to keep from having, olive drab, intermediate blue, red and yellow hands, i use the rubber gloves…(inspection type). They are cheap. Can someone give me an idea of what to set the model on, other than just flat on the turntable?
I really have one solution, and I give you one clue: your model has to be raised. So, what do YOU imagine?
Well, I’ll finally show it and I think you’ll be satisfied, but keep thinking.