Hey Friends,

Right from the Lab of Dr. Frankendon. The prototype controller for the Animated Tak Commander works. Surprized? I was........

Like I said this is just the test version. I am making up some PCBs and will refine the base so it will all fit. I made this tall version to test the stress on the rotating shaft.

When I get some assistance from one of the kids Iwill shoot some video. One hand to hold the power One handto give it the jolt to start the thig running left no camera hand.

Don

Awesome Don! Looks easy enough... NOT! [:@]

Here is a picture of the final configuration ofthe motor and base for the working tank commanders.

The 58:1 gear head motor is held in place by a brass clamp made from brass strip. For the base I used a beadboard from Radio Shack. The two small white bits are tube styrene I threaded to connect the motor to the base.Threaded brass rod supports ca be seen also.

At the top you can see howthe figure and the motor will be joined. Two Du-Bro collar wheels soldered together. Under the lower collar Iplaced a small bushing made from brass stock. This helps keep the motor centered.

On the collars you can see the rare earth magnet that was CA'd toa small bit of brass rod. A hole was drilled and the rod soldered into the collar. This magnet is used to activate the reed switches. Inthepicture there is only one visible. These switches start the figure moving and then activate a relay that causes the figure to reverse, and finally stop.

Enjoy!

Don

Huh? Don, you are the man! But, to some, this reads like an HL instruction manual! []

That looks pretty cool! What's the cost to piece together the parts?

I know Ern I'm working on itto makeit easier to understand.

The parts to make the entire moving commander are:

Copper PCB Board $4.00 Makes about six boards
Copper Etch $10.00 Makes a lot
IN4004 Diode $2.00 Need 4
220 Ohm 1/4 Watt Resistor $0.99 Makes 5
SPDT 6VDC 8 Pin Relay $1.49 Getting hard to find
1K 1/4 Watt Resistor $3.00 For 100
Round Bead Board $3.00 Used for Base
58:1 Gear Head Motor $11.50
2N2222 Transistor $1.29 Makes 5
Micro Reed Switches $1.20 Need 2
Wire $.060 Average
Solder $.075 Guess but not much needed
Brass $5.50 Various sizes

Wathcing your little TC move Priceless!

Very affordable considering the cost of other tank parts/upgrades. It looks pretty easy to follow, but I can read a schematic even though I'm a bit rusty.

Brothers,

After 5 revisions 13 PCBs 24 diodes 8 resistors and 2 relays. The circuit works. Finally the animated 1/16 tank commander works.

Now some minor adjustments. I re-made the figures so that everything is inside the tank commader which reduces the height. If you build this, the 220 1/4 Watt resistor that slows the action down might have to be increased depending on what figure you are using.

This one is set up for the TIGER commander.

In a nut shell here is what happens. A pulse from the RX-18 Via the IR flash causes a relay to shift. This allows 7.2 volts to the motor which starts rotating. On the shaft of the motor a magnet passes by a reed switch which and reverses the voltage through the relay and causes the motor to reverse. The motor rotates in the opposite direction to the start point, where another reed switch closes and shifts the relay to cut the 7.2 volts and stop the motor.

This will work with Elmod, old and new, RX-18. I am testing to see if the voltage from the Turret MG will operate the system. If it does, then all Heng Long, Tamiya, Matto electronics will make it work.

Pictures and video coming soon!

Don

Don, I am in awe of your grasp on all things electro-mechanical.I don`t know wether you have an excess of patience,or you have a deep insight to things
mechanical,as the latter means that you can visualize parts coming together BEFORE they actually do.This combination is quite a gift you have.And I`m
not a slouch,myself. I think what held me back is when I was a kid,after making something up from soldered brass to entertain the other kids on my block,
my mother would say to me"what good is all that knowledge unless you invent something to make money with?" lol. Keep up the very good work Don.

Charlie

Here is the very basics of making the control board that operates the tank commander. We'll get into it in depth if the interest is there.

Enjoy!

Don

Thanks for the nice words Sailor!

I don't know about it being a gift. It came out of neccessity. I grew up so very poor, in Wva. That I had to make my own toys, had to learn to use the imagination to create stories to keep us all etertained. Then a funny thing happened. The more fortunate kids started to want the toys I built instead of the store bought ones. Folks started asking me to write down my little stories so they could share them. I started getting paid to make things and for writing.

One thing led to another, and well here I am. So Isay to all out there going through this rough time. Use it! Make this roughtime a time to find who and what you really are. You don't have to turn into a novelist...of course it does pay pretty good. But find in yourself the talent that is hidden. Try making your own S-Mine dischargers, make your own track link holders. Design your own recoil system. Share the hobby with young people. You might find teaching is you calling. Dreams cost nothing. Dn't ever let a lack of funds stop you from moving full steam ahead.

Don