lastlight's 225

[lastlight]

Success!

Movie 1:

http://www.fishbrains.net/images/build/lift_up.html

Movie 2:

http://www.fishbrains.net/images/build/lift_down.html

Here is a shot of the piece of aluminum i bent with great difficulty. It keeps the bracket on the actuator from spining and is also nice and rounded so it doesn't tear into my wood. There is a long piece of aluminum on top of the wooden guide base to allow even smoother sliding. I need to tweak the bends in the 'shoe' however because it's a touch too bulky and the actuator is maybe a few millimeters from fully retracting. This means the built-in limit switch currently doesn't work and the thing grinds to a halt. The limit switch on the fully extended side won't ever be used. Turns out my ceiling clearance is JUST shy of 24" so i'll have to stop the lift myself when it's high enough.



Here are the beefier mounts for the bearings. ZERO sag/bend after I drilled additional screw holes right where the bracket bends 90 degrees. Wasn't fun since all i had was a nail to pound and a standard wood drill bit lol.



I'm letting the lift hang suspended 1 inch above the 2x4s to ensure nothing sags over the next day. Will also run it plenty with the guts exposed. When I'm satisifed I'll attach the decorative bottom.

[fishytime]

Wow Brett, that is soooo cool....great job. So when do you start marketing your lifts? ...I could use one

[Dez]

Brett,

That is pretty neat. Props to you. Just wondering why it's so much louder going up, then coming down. Or is it just the placement of the video camera that makes it appear this way?

[lastlight]

The actuator works it's metal butt off going up. Going down you have the 60+ lbs of the light helping you out. Woke up today and it's still hanging lol.

The metal shoe was seriously my last-ditch effort. All other options somehow stuck and risked tearing my ceiling apart. This is the LAST one I'm building haha!

[mseepman]

Wow, this looks and works great. Your build really leaves nothing out!!