Thread: Indash Retractable Keyboard - in progress

Scouse Monkey had suggested using heat shrink tubing or a rubber tube at one point if the torque didn't have to be too high.

Originally Posted by chuckster

Shotgunefx,

Do you have any more info on how you actually connected your motor to the threaded drive rod? I'm trying to figure out a simular thing except I'm using a 12 volt geared motor. The motor shaft is one of those half round tips and not a round tip so this might pose a problem but I think I can use your same approach.

You used the nylon scews and inserted that into the spacer but how did the threaded shaft attach to this spacer? Any more detail on the construction would be awesome.

Thx,
Chuck

Originally I had the nylon anchor on the tip which went into a metal spacer which happened to fit the threaded driveshaft as well. (3/16 or 10/24)

Then I tapped a little 6/32 (IIRC) hole in the spacer and used a little screw to hold the driveshaft in the spacer.

I ended up redoing it. I used what are called tension pins. They look like small metal tubes with a slit in them. I got them at home depot.

They are a PITA to work with. They are meant to go in a hole and never come out. (As I found out when trying to use a hole in my vice to keep it steady while I opened it. )

So I basically opened it up a little bit and slid it over the driveshaft. Then I used a larger tension pin that fit into the spacer and jammed the smaller tension pin into that. On the plus side, it's never coming off without a tremendous fight. Minus is it was incredibly hard to get it together and having two pins added an inch to the assembly.

I've been figuring out lately what's going where so I haven't yet put much time into refining this til I know what the constraints are going to be.

If your using one of those motors with a flattened edge (I'll call it a d-shaft), I'd go for a spacer to attach it with a set screw. Fill the spacer with an epoxy or somthing similar (I'd try raycrete , it's not an expoy but bonds to everything and is non-toxic, plus you have a chance in hell of getting it apart again) and jam the d-shaft into it. So the spacer will now fit perfectly onto the driveshaft of the motor. (Need to take care that it's balanced when you set this up)

Then you just have to worry about front to back motion. The side of the spacer with the flat part of the d-shaft is where I'd tap a hole for the setscrew. You might need to tap it before filling it. I know when I tried this method, the expoy crumbled from being tapped. So once you got a setscrew in there, you should be good.

FYI, I'm only marginally awake as I write this, if anything's unclear let me know and I'll try and clarify later.

Originally Posted by chuckster

Thanks a lot for the reply's.

I measured the "D" shaft on the motor using a drill bit hole sizer and it is 1/4". This might work in my favor as I could possibly get the same size threaded shaft.

Did you find the spacers at HD as well? I live about 40 min driving time from Boston and would love to see your setup if at all possible.

Thx,
Chuck

Hi Chuck,
Got them at HD too. They had draws in the fastener isle that had all that stuff. As far as showing off the setup, when all is said and done, I'd be glad too. Right now everything is half done and fully annoying.

this thread amazes me - I was thinking about doing the exact same thing to drop my screen and have a dvd player behind it, but I gave up because my brain started to hurt too much.

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That is one cool idea, how is it coming along

Originally Posted by 2FastMR2

That is one cool idea, how is it coming along

It's on hold. Ultimately my lcd is going to replace my gauges (actually I'm going to have both analog gauges and the lcd in a flipout unit), until then, I put the lilliput in the doubledin which leaves no room for the keyboard. So it's on hold until I move the lcd out of there.