Help Ben Create an Automatic Can Crusher -- Episode 3

Wow, I came into this late so I'm guessing the can crusher project was scrapped. But, just to throw in my 2 cents, I would suggest a windshield wiper motor and an Hbridge high power servo board to actuate and control the can crusher. Car windshield wiper motors are pre built with a worm gear, can operate at 5-12 Vcc, and have (usually) 2 or more connectors to operate at different speeds, plus they have MONSTER torque! This can be made into a hi power servo by linking the motor to an Hbridge circuit from Parallax.com which is around 15 bucks. A wiper motor is about the same price (15 bucks) new, but pulled from grandmas car (she refuses to drive in the rain anyways, right?) you can get it for free. The challenge would be mounting a 5V POT to the rotation shaft of the motor for position feedback to whatever servo controller board you choose. You could even use a remote control model airplane controller to make the servo work, or you could ditch the whole servo idea altogether and take advantage of the parking feature that SOME windshield wiper motors already come with. This means that the wiper motor shaft will return to the original position after one rotation of the shaft and would allow the motor to be actuated with a simple relay. Just a thought.

Wow, I came into this late so I'm guessing the can crusher project was scrapped. But, just to throw in my 2 cents, I would suggest a windshield wiper motor and an Hbridge high power servo board to actuate and control the can crusher. Car windshield wiper motors are pre built with a worm gear, can operate at 5-12 Vcc, and have (usually) 2 or more connectors to operate at different speeds, plus they have MONSTER torque! This can be made into a hi power servo by linking the motor to an Hbridge circuit from Parallax.com which is around 15 bucks. A wiper motor is about the same price (15 bucks) new, but pulled from grandmas car (she refuses to drive in the rain anyways, right?) you can get it for free. The challenge would be mounting a 5V POT to the rotation shaft of the motor for position feedback to whatever servo controller board you choose. You could even use a remote control model airplane controller to make the servo work, or you could ditch the whole servo idea altogether and take advantage of the parking feature that SOME windshield wiper motors already come with. This means that the wiper motor shaft will return to the original position after one rotation of the shaft and would allow the motor to be actuated with a simple relay. Just a thought.