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| miniature aerial tramway | |||
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| Posted by: liverlipsyyz ® 09/26/2007, 13:05:02 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
i am not an engineer and am looking for some help with a project. i don't even know if this is the right place to post a message like this but here goes. i am trying to build a miniature aerial tramway type of device to hang from my office ceiling. the idea is to motivate my sales reps by showing them how we are measuring up to last years sales figures. the bottom line is that i want to move a tram (the "tram" will just be something small, about half the size of a shoebox and very light weight) along wires suspended from the ceiling as our sales grow throughout the year. the position of the tram will reflect where we sit with our current year to date sales. not that any of that matters - the real question i have is what type of hardware do i need to build this? basically, i just want to suspend a wire a few feet from the ceiling that runs along a certain pattern throughout the sales department, and then every week pull the tram along to it's new position (the tram can move manually by me pulling, i don't need it to move via a power source). this would be easy enough if i could figure out how to get the tram to move past whatever i am using to suspend the wires every few feet - so this is where my engineering question comes in. would this work similar to a clothesline? if the tram is hanging from the wire how does it move past whatever devices i am using to hang the wire from the ceiling? and how can i do this on the cheap by purchasing everyday items from a hardware store? thanks for any help you can offer. also, the pattern won't be a simple straight line, the wire pathway will sort of zig zag around the ceiling. |
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Posted by: randykimball ®  09/26/2007, 15:15:03 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
OK, you are in business. For the example I've shown, use 1 x 2 wood for the top and vertical portions. I've drawn both about 3" long. The lower horizontal member is 1 x 1. Cut a slot in the 1 x 1 about 3/8 deep and about 3/8 from the end. Drill yourself a hole as shown so you can screw it to something on the ceiling. I'd attach the two horizontal members to the vertical one (length of your choice) with dry wall screws and glue. Now go to your shipping department and get enough 1" wide banding stock (metal) to make your loop of rail. Drop the banding stock into the sawed slot and you have your CHEAP "mono-rail". If you don't have a shipping department with a pallet bander go to one of your manufacturing friends and call in a marker (this stuff is easy to come by). Make the two hangers from your (shoebox) of a similar concept. (as simple as this is, my stupid brain had to edit it about six times... I guess I need to reboot my brain tonight) Good Luck with your sales staff... (I can't believe I'm helping a sales department... just kidding) ..we NEED each other!!!!
The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Wed, Sep 26, 2007, 15:46:00 |
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| Posted by: liverlipsyyz ® 09/26/2007, 17:27:18 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
now i get it. forget my question about having to be straight, obviously this will work in any pattern i choose as long as the rail i use is flexible yet sturdy, like the banding stock you are recommending, although i don't know what banding stock is. my other question is what are your thoughts as to how far apart each of the devices you describe above should be from each other? the weight of my "tram" or "car" for the mono rail will be very light, probably less than a pound, maybe only a few ounces (i might just cut a design from some 1/2" poster board). |
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| Posted by: randykimball ® 09/26/2007, 23:31:25 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Well, you can experiment to see how far apart, no problem. I would guess about 3 feet or so, if you use the real 1" wide stock you may get as far as 5 feet (make your tram light). Yes any curvy shape within reason. Banding stock is the steel strips that come around pallets of product that must be cut off with a metal shear. You can get a similar material (less durable) at your home repair house. But... I think you should dig around and get the real thing. Most any warehouse or manufacturing facility will have it and it shouldn't be too tough of beg item... you can always offer to purchase some feet. It comes in rolls many, many feet long. ...just a thought but I was thinking that an anamial cracker box would make a good humorus tram car. The "similar concept" hanging points on the tram car could be of glued pop-sickle sticks. I've got another idea... nothing to do with engineering. I was once general manager of a computor (machine tools) board repair house. I created a large interesting trophy that sat on the work bench (desk) of the last person to blow up an electronic device. They loved it and as far as I know still use it to this day. One for the last sales blunder would be a fun tattle-tale... you would be suprised how hard they will work to not "own" that trophy until the next person that blunders takes it away from them. Another for the latest great acheivement would be a counter part. ..edited in...
The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Wed, Sep 26, 2007, 23:48:10 |
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| Posted by: liverlipsyyz ® 09/27/2007, 09:02:27 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
animal cracker box...i love it! i spent some time studying your diagram (again, i'm not an engineer!). i'm wondering if your devices can be made of something other than wood. maybe styrofoam? or would that not offer enough support? probably not. if i have to put these things every 3 to 5 feet i'm going to have to make 20 or more, that's a big hassle with all that wood. thanks for your other idea - but we don't make too many mistakes! also, i'm not quite sure how to support the tram with those devices. |
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| Posted by: liverlipsyyz ® 09/26/2007, 17:20:03 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
wow, that's great! i had to read it a few times myself to understand it - and i'm still trying to work it out. i'll play with it a bit and post any questions i might have. i'm glad i found the right place - i searched for days to find this board! will the "mono-rail" system described work in any pattern i choose or does it have to be straight? the plan is to go back and forth across the ceiling a few times so i can have enough length. here's a picture of our ceiling https://www.flickr.com/photos/9890571@N06/1444695080/
i'm wondering if maybe i can use the sprinkler pipes somehow to hang from. Modified by liverlipsyyz at Wed, Sep 26, 2007, 17:30:45 |
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Posted by: Marky ®  09/26/2007, 14:43:04 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Oh...you've come to the right place alright....hold on to your hat becuz you're gonna get bombarded with ideas from some of the best around. Personally....I'd take the paper airplane route. Good Luck!!! I'll kindly pay you Tuesday..for a hamburger today....Whimpy |
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| Posted by: jboggs ® 09/27/2007, 10:23:39 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
The motivation is in the position of the tram, right? Does it matter how it gets from point C to point D? If not, just suspend it from open-ended hooks rather than closed-end loops. This will allow you to remove it from the suspension wire and re-hang it wherever you want, regardless of intermediate support wires. True, this isn't as "elegant" as the moving approaches, but its dirt simple! |
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| Posted by: Kelly Bramble ® 09/27/2007, 11:03:52 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
That's the first thought I had, except using fishing line (clear) maybe 20 lb test or more and simple ring hooks from the hardware store. One could also use the fishing swivels with the clasps for the suspension. All are available at Walmart, Kmart, or Target stores in the sporting department. Cheap too.. Modified by Kelly Bramble at Thu, Sep 27, 2007, 11:06:07 |
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| Posted by: liverlipsyyz ® 09/27/2007, 14:08:36 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
ya, i thought of that at first. it would be SO much easier, but as you said, not as elegant. |
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| Posted by: liverlipsyyz ® 09/27/2007, 17:05:43 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
thanks for all the help but giving this more thought i think perhaps i will go with the fishing line solution. the tram is only going to move once per week - i'll just lift the thing off the line and move it! |
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