I finalized my autogate design, and have begun converting all my blast gates to full automatic actuation.
I am just about finished converting all my 6" gates. I added a radius to all edges, a touch of gray paint, and mounted the actuating cylinders to the gate bodies. I am in the process of making new slides, necessitated by the throw of the cylinders. I'll post a complete wrap-up of the process with more pics and parts info, etc. when I get done. With the cylinders and solenoid valves from Ebay and other misc. parts from McMaster-Carr and Lowes, each conversion is running about $20 each.
One gate is already finished and mounted on my jointer. One gate is yet to be modified (the white gate in the front center). The remaining five 6" gates are awaiting installation of new slides.
New slide temporarily attached to the cylinder with new linkage. It still needs an opening cut in one half.
Cylinder to slide attachment detail.
I am just about finished converting all my 6" gates. I added a radius to all edges, a touch of gray paint, and mounted the actuating cylinders to the gate bodies. I am in the process of making new slides, necessitated by the throw of the cylinders. I'll post a complete wrap-up of the process with more pics and parts info, etc. when I get done. With the cylinders and solenoid valves from Ebay and other misc. parts from McMaster-Carr and Lowes, each conversion is running about $20 each.
One gate is already finished and mounted on my jointer. One gate is yet to be modified (the white gate in the front center). The remaining five 6" gates are awaiting installation of new slides.
New slide temporarily attached to the cylinder with new linkage. It still needs an opening cut in one half.
Cylinder to slide attachment detail.