Vehicle on Back

Community
1

Hi there. I’ve chosen this category for obvious reasons that will unfold. I am thinking of building something, something that needs wheels.

I’m looking for some kind of design to mix some substrate. It will be in a normal Home Depot bucket that should rotate on some kind of wheel set. I’m thinking inline skate wheels, somehow powered. Something like this:

Concrete Version

  • I need the bucket to be removable simply by picking it up
    • I need this powered by normal residential voltage
    • optimally a slow rotation (~5-15 bucket rpm)
    • quiet operation
    • Simple design and service

I have no 3D printer, and would make this out of wood or welding if I had to. The bucket top would be open, facing an angle so product sits down one side. I might have to insert something to mix the product.

Anybody seen anything like this? Have any ideas? Where best to ask this sort of question? I’m looking forward to any insight.

Cheers

2

ya, don’t get how this is a “vehicle” but I did a google search with “tilted 5gal bucket automatic mixer”
and found a few which should give you ideas. for example: QUIKSTIR® 5GAL BUCKET MIXER™ - QuikSpray Inc.

3

Because wheels. Rotating something on wheels would mean people would have some experience putting power to wheels.

I saw that unit, and it’s too far gone for this application. I’d rather concentrate on inverted wheels for rotating a bucket.

4

You want to make something like a cement mixer, but with a removable bucket?

5

Yes. But with something like inline-skate wheels facing up so that the bucket sits on them and is rotated by some kind of drive mechanism.

6

what are you wanting from the group here? There are lots of examples on the web already and if you have a design in mind what’s the question? How to power the wheels? Maybe build the mount and rollers without motors and try manually turning the wheels or better yet, add an attachment to one wheel so you can connect a drill motor and see how that works.

Personally, I would go for skateboard wheels over inline-skate wheels and there are tons of DIY instructions on the web for powering skateboards/wheels.

7

Just looking for input. I’ve not seen any designs. Yes I’ve looked.

As for manually powering it, that’s what I am trying to avoid. I could just use a stick inside the bucket, but I want it mixed while I’m attending to other tasks.

I was hoping there was an example out there somewhere, but I’ve found none.

Any chance you could point me in the right direction? I’ve not thought of skateboard wheels…was off my radar.

Cheers

8

It was offered the idea of manual operation as a process of building to help with evaluating the system before the final stage of designing and adding the powered setup. Build something with 4 wheels on the bottom to contact the side of the bucket and put one wheel at the back/bottom so there’s no friction as it turns. you MIGHT consider putting a fixed axle through 2 of the wheels and extend it out so you can put a drill motor on it and then temporarily tilt it up at a 45 deg angle and try it. If that works, make the tilt permanent and add a motor to the axle, connect a power source and a switch on a timer. If it’s not working well try another angle, try different speeds, try adding the mixing deflector as you should have noticed in the video link I showed previously.

for the axles, use all-thread with some washers and nuts. Since these skateboard and inline skate wheels have bearings in them, you would need to put something on the allthread to interface with the side of the wheel if you plan on spinning the axle as I mentioned for powering.

9

That was my next question, about how to clutch the wheel.

OK, some good notes. Thank you.

10

You could also go the approach of a dryer. Attach a friction belt to your desired drum, drive with a motor on a couple arms with rollers at whatever desired angle you want. then your torque is relative to the friction of the belt as it wears. :stuck_out_tongue: Your belt becomes part of the clutch interface in a way.

1 Like
11

Ya that’s a good idear. Thanks for that.