Making a mini-gun and looking for help

[Praxis]

I am making a small mini-gun from scratch, and have run into a little snag.

Since I need only the barrels to spin. I've made the barrel assembly out of 1/2" CPVC (Barrel) and cut spacers out of Acrylic sheet. I also have a center support / bearing made of 3/8" PEX tubing slid over a 5/16 threaded rod (sorta like a sheath) that attaches to a spacer and travels through the barrel base into the drive train area.

I was able to re-purpose a 12v (RS-385SA) motor out of an appliance. It has a 10-point gear which looks to me, to be press fit to the motor shaft. A quick Google search mention that the RPM is about 14500-17500 RPM. I tried a wooden pulley rubber band system, by having a 2 1/2" pulley and a 1 1/2" wooden pulley press fitted on the 10 point gear. It worked with very limited success, dislodging the rubber band within a few turns.

I think a mate for the 10 point gear might be the best way to go. Does anyone know where I might be able to find a 2 - 3 inch plastic gear or something.

If you have any information, ideas, comments, or suggestions I would look forward to hearing them.

Thx

 

[robstyle]

Seems those RPM's are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to high. Look into a cordless drill. You should be able to retrofit it rather simply and even retrofit the activation button to the grip. Better yet is you should have a high and low gear on the drill. To help spin the barrels, you want the torque behind it and ive had great luck with 14.4v Dewalts when making miniature helicopter blades spin.

 

[eltee]

I do alot of minigun work, and the range I co-own rents out a real minigun to people for photo ops, filming, etc. Here are a couple of prop guns. What I have seen alot of with replicas is the use of RC car motors, batteries, gears, etc. The weight of the barrel assembly requires alot of torque, so you have to gear down and use hardened or metal gears (standard nylon / plastic gears tend to strip). The use of an electric drill may work well, and is cost effective. Some people like to use AC powered BBQ rotis motors as they can run all day long and use a 1/4" square shaft which makes it easy to adapt to gears or a toothed belt drive. Even though they are low RPM, you get the torque you need and can gear up to get the RPM you need at the barrels.

 

[Praxis]

Sweet! Thanks for some of the good ideas.