Hopefully this is (can) be as simple as I initially planned, and even built non-permanently.
I am a decent woodworker, I mean that I count that as my top maker skill, but I tinker around with a lot. If I don’t understand it, I want to. I am also disabled an in a power wheelchair.
What I’d like to do is build a semi permanent shower chair that moves in 3 axes. I envision(ed) this thing as basically a bench that could change elevation and also the seat would move me on the X-axis from just outside the shower into the middle of the shower (at least). As I started thinking about it again recently I realized that moving toward and away from the shower head would be beneficial as well.
My problem is that I don’t know much at all about electricity or even motors. I built a lightweight version from three slow actuators to give to my handyman to make a real one and he couldn’t help. I just had two six inch actuators for height (so I am always going down when I transfer), an 18 inch actuator for X travel, they had two switches all together, 2 12 V wheelchair batteries waterproofed underneath going to an XLR wheelchair battery charger port. The seat was a boat seat sitting on plywood mounted over/in between a pair of those SS rods that bearings fit over. So if was pulled on that by the larger actuator.
I am hoping y’all can help me with better motor selections.
From trying to make things easier for myself around the house and also just playing I have accumulated quite a few things that could help.
I have a Shapeoko XXL that I build a couple of years ago, a DOF Reality H3(a gaming chair used for car racing powered by three what look like wheelchair motors. Those two things are just to show that I have some experience with this type of thing. A ‘gate closer’ which in spite of it being the lightest model is just a large actuator (maybe 30”) with a 500 pound capacity when pushing sideways i.e. closing a gate with a control board that accepts wireless key fobs and many other peripherals. A powerful standing desk that I can take apart but the actuators are also 30 inches which seems a bit long except for the Y travel., But then again I don’t really understand how to hook them up well for X travel unless it is going straight in and out. Lots of aluminum extrusion and endless wood. Power wheelchairs with motors and some with actuators. Two pieces of 5 foot long gate track and the casters that ride on them. I don’t even on the gate with these two separate gate things. I was thinking these could keel the bench straight and one wheelchair motor with wheel could bed mounted in the bottom middle and ride on skateboard grip tape glued to the floor. Possibly having a separate foot section with the same set up. The X axis actuator isn’t a good solution. The verticals work but having little experience makes me think there is an easier way that could be simpler. I was imagining a wheelchair motor with a cog instead of a wheel gowing up a “ladder“. I don’t know anything about this, I already sad.
I really know even less about controlling these things other than DPDT switch. I would like for them somehow to work together. I don’t know the code for an old wheelchair but the joystick could work?.
Wheelchair motors are 24 volt.
Any help with motor selection (all parts. In the past, i have just used what I had. I am super willing to pay for new stuff for this though), driver stuff etc. would be really, really helpful.