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Cool things to do with pneumatic cylinders?

Hi all,
Yesterday I scrounged some pneumatic cylinders free. I don't have a
compressor yet, but I'm planning to get one, so can anyone think of
anything cool to build with them? The cylinders are off mechanised
factory doors and are approximately 2" bore by 12" stroke. I've got four
and they appear to be in good condition with some pipework and an oiler.
Any fun ideas?
Best wishes,
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
Loading thread data ...
How are they mounted? Want to sell one? - GWE
Reply to
Grant Erwin
Build an compressor out of them? OK, with that bore/stroke ratio, it will be a ultra long stroke and also needs to be a oscillating arangement. But it will be the coolest looking compressor in town.
Nick
Reply to
Nick Müller
Hi Grant,
I'd be quite tempted to sell one, but I suspect the shipping from England to the USA would break the bank! You're in the USA, aren't you? These things are probably 6-7 kg each. Mounting is by drilling two holes in a plate for the brass air fittings, which emerge from the sides of the cylinder, and then securing the cylinder using two nuts around the air fittings. Probably not the most convenient mounting method for most purposes. Here's a picture of the cylinders, along with a bit of other stuff from my scrounging trip:
formatting link
Best wishes,
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
Nice thought. Do you think the piston seals would stand up to that kind of use?
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
Why not? If you know for what pressure the cylinders are rated for, you know what pressure you will get out of them without problems. I also would have a (drip) oiler on the intake side.
I just saw that hey are double acting.
Nick
Reply to
Nick Müller
Get a tank, and a dump valve, to make a can CRUSHER. Add a weight to the end of the rod, so that when it hits the can, it gets the point across! And energize BOTH the front and the back of the air cylender, so that it flies out even faster.... Since the air trapped in the front of the cylender will then apply to the back side, effectivly making the cylender act as if it has a piston only as big as the rod. IOW always keep the front half conected to the air supply, and have a big ball valve to connect that to the rear of the cylender...That will also automatically retract it too. Pete
Reply to
3t3d
There isn't a name or data plate on the cylinders, but I know that the factory door manufacturer is still in business and still use these cylinders, so I could give them a call and ask about ratings. I think these things actually "fire" the door shut, i.e., they shove it hard and momentum carries it the rest of the way, so I imagine they're pretty rugged. I just wondered if the seals would stand up to so many cycles so quickly, as would be needed in a compressor.
They are indeed double acting.
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
Interesting. I had wondered about making one of those cricket ball launchers, but that was my only idea so far.
Best wishes,
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
Ah, hell, just build a big trebuchet and find someone with a bunch of extra pianos.
Probably not many extra pianos left after that last guy though..
John
Reply to
JohnM
Actually, I believe the first guy to build a car-throwing trebuchet lived very close to me here in Shropshire, England. I believe he was a farmer in the '70s or '80s. Apparently he made an advert for a TV company in which he threw a Rolls-Royce, and Rolls-Royce subsequently sued everyone imaginable over it!
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
That's funny! What was the cause of action? Unless I am mistaken this guy made the record books throwing pianos.
Reply to
J. R. Carroll
I'm struggling to remember where I read the story. There might be some mention of it online somewhere. I believe it is the same man who was keen on piano throwing. The cause of the legal action was something along the lines of it "defamed" RR. I do remember that the legal action failed.
Chris
Reply to
Christopher Tidy
Unless you run very slowly, the heat resulting from compressing the air is what will kill the seals. 10 million cycles would be pretty good life for a typical air cylinder used as intended (decompressing air) in industrial automation.
Ned Simmons
Reply to
Ned Simmons
Chris, Our PBS broadcast a show over here that had been filmed in the UK ( Channel 4?) about him. They had film footage of his earliest through the then present day machine. The pianos made quite a racket when they impacted.
Reply to
J. R. Carroll
I'd hump that trebuchet's leg if I was there to see that, I'd look like Mini-Me with the giant "Laser"..
John
Reply to
JohnM
Lessee ... pi R squared, R = 1 inch, that's about 270 lbs of force from a 90 psi supply. You could make an elevator and lift yourself 12 inches.
Reply to
Richard J Kinch
Do you get into doing Halloween (UK = All Hallows Eve) decorations? You can do a bit of animation with a few large cylinders, like have a 'corpse in a casket' that opens the lid, sits up, and moves it's arms on cue...
Combine that with a few sheets of plate glass to build a "Peppers Ghost" effect on the way to the front door - like a 'condemned man' seated in an electric chair that flashes into a smoking skeleton as the chair is activated - and you'll have them running for their lives...
formatting link
look at the "Lady Into Gorilla" effect.
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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman
Gads Grant...I offered you your choice of the gazillion I have floating around when you were here last...and now you want to BUY one?
LOL
Gunner
"Considering the events of recent years, the world has a long way to go to regain its credibility and reputation with the US." unknown
Reply to
Gunner

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