howdy folks,
quick question…i’m wanting to rehang two large (horizontal)sliding garage doors, and i want to make them automated. i want them to slide side to side. this is an old garage and i will most likely rebuild the doors in their original design flavor, except for some modifications to accommodate the garage door opener hardware,etc. the original gondola tracks are warped and will be replaced, provided i find enough feed back that this project will actually fly. so, does anybody have any feedback on using a garage door opener for a slightly different configuration? i’m thinking belt or worm drive, rather than chain, i.e. avoid any problems if the linkage must be installed on its side. if anybody has a clue what i’m rhambling about, shout back, will ya?!
Replies
Cute! I've never seen that done, but it sure seems like it would work.
Am I understanding you right? The doors are like sliding barn doors -- they slide open, and are outside the building both when open and when closed. If so, and if you use a screw-type opener, doesn't the motor have to be outside the building. Most garage door openers are ugly, and not weatherproof. If you used a chain-type opener, perhaps you could put the motor inside, and run the chain around some idler pulleys as it goes through the wall.
Sliding Barn Door harware, while durable, has quite a bit of friction. Hang the doors and use a fish scale to slowly pull them open and closed. That will give you a good idea of the torque required. Do the math to figure out motor torque using the pulley diameters and that will tell you if you need any add'l reductions. (you will:-). WHat ever it takes to keep the door in motion (torque to overcome friction) - double or triple it, that is the torque to overcome "sticktion" and the inertia of the door.
Assuming that they slide apart on the outside of the building--If you can build a "valence" on the outside you can hide all the automation bits.
I tried to cobble a drawing together on how I might try to do it. Use synchronous (timing) belt and pulleys from a place like McMaster-Carr . The front pass of the belt gets one door and the back pass of the belt gets the other. You don't have to directly drive one of the pulleys, you can add another pulley on top and run another loop to get the motor inside. At that point, if you have the room, a right angle gearbox at the correct reduction with a shaft out of the top and a 1hp motor will give you all the torque you need. KB makes a tiny AC drive that converts 115Vac/1ph to 230V/3ph. The drive will allow you have an accel and decel ramp as you move the door. Just "across the line" starting and stopping the motor may create enormous instantaneous loads. Add an open and closed limit switch, and a 3 pos. selector and you should be able to make it work.
Good luck, it sounds cool (post pictures)
Edited 6/29/2002 9:54:44 AM ET by Jim
Here's the pictureSteelkilt Lives!
What ever happend to this one? Is it in progress now?
Just Curious
-Jim