At long last - my roto-caster is complete. Many thanks to all who helped me develop this contraption, including those on the Lair. I'm no engineer, I don't even play one on T.V., but that's the beauty of having people you can reach out to who do know what to do, once again illustrating the beauty of this place.
Anyway, as some of you know, the roto-caster is the final element needed to be able to produce the long awaited P1 back pack which has been finished for some time now. With the mold weighing in at 50lbs, there was no way in hell I was going to slush cast that thing. In fact, I hate slush casting by hand; those days are over now that I have this baby. Yet another example of perseverance triumphing over despair and time.
I wanted to make a caster that was easy to build from common materials anyone can acquire. Because of that, this was always going to be lumber construction. No welding torches or know-how needed. Weight is the biggest obstacle to overcome, so I need strength without a lot of weight, which is why I chose 2" x 3"s for the most part. The frames are 2" x 3"s, while the inner cage is primarily built from 1" x 3" ferring, reinforced with metal angles and plates. The rest relies on floating bearings, a slip ring connector, and some custom welding of the four axles used. That, and some rudimentary electrical wiring. All in all, it wasn't too bad, it just takes time, like everything else.
The nice thing about my learning curve, is that you won't have to endure it, if you want to build one of these for yourself. I will be providing a detailed set of instructions on how to build your very own roto-caster using my design. It cost me a little over $500, but aside from that, it's a do-able proposition.
In the meantime, take a look at the video of my roto-caster here:
https://vimeo.com/46259753
The best part is, I'm going to try to cast the first backpack this week! Thanks for your patience.
Carl
Anyway, as some of you know, the roto-caster is the final element needed to be able to produce the long awaited P1 back pack which has been finished for some time now. With the mold weighing in at 50lbs, there was no way in hell I was going to slush cast that thing. In fact, I hate slush casting by hand; those days are over now that I have this baby. Yet another example of perseverance triumphing over despair and time.
I wanted to make a caster that was easy to build from common materials anyone can acquire. Because of that, this was always going to be lumber construction. No welding torches or know-how needed. Weight is the biggest obstacle to overcome, so I need strength without a lot of weight, which is why I chose 2" x 3"s for the most part. The frames are 2" x 3"s, while the inner cage is primarily built from 1" x 3" ferring, reinforced with metal angles and plates. The rest relies on floating bearings, a slip ring connector, and some custom welding of the four axles used. That, and some rudimentary electrical wiring. All in all, it wasn't too bad, it just takes time, like everything else.
The nice thing about my learning curve, is that you won't have to endure it, if you want to build one of these for yourself. I will be providing a detailed set of instructions on how to build your very own roto-caster using my design. It cost me a little over $500, but aside from that, it's a do-able proposition.
In the meantime, take a look at the video of my roto-caster here:
https://vimeo.com/46259753
The best part is, I'm going to try to cast the first backpack this week! Thanks for your patience.
Carl