DIY Motorized Base

[Steve H]

All,
About one week after getting my Jobo 3010 - my Uniroller crapped out. It seems that there was oxidation on the motor which was causing it to get rather warm. In any event, I think that my setup can be improved upon...So I've been thinking...
If I make a tub with rollers on the bottom, where I can maintain my water bath for the drum. Making a 'bridge' across the top (that would be hinged for drum removal), I will put the wheels from the Uniroller which will be driven via a belt to a 40 rpm motor placed in the base.

Anyone try their hand at this before ?

Thanks,
Steve

[Nathan Potter]

Steve, you've roughly described the drum setup that I use for both prints and film. I sketched and built a square tank about 12 inches wide by 28 inches long and perhaps 8 inches deep out of grey PVC. Screwed together with stainless steel machine screws (didn't bother to glue so the tank drips a bit). 3/8 inch thick PVC cut to size on a table saw. Then I mounted 4 nylon wheels on standoffs in the base of the tank for various sized drums to ride on. Extra holes in the tank base allow spacing adjustment of the wheels for the size tanks I use - 8X10 to 20X24. Then I use a unicolor motor drive on the top of the drum which has been attached to the long side of the tank back piece using a stainless steel hinge. The Unicolor unit is mounted upside down such that the drive wheels contact the drum. Thus the Unicolor drive can be swung out of the way for placement of the drums. The Unicolor drive unit is too heavy on the drum so I use a piece of stainless shim stock about .020 inch thick as a spring force reducer connected from the back of the tank to intercept the Unicolor base reducing its weight. An adjustable height slot at one end of the tank controls the depth of the water in the tank such that it just rises short of entering the spout on the tubes. Nylon wheels, stainless steel parts were obtained from Small Parts Inc. in Florida. The grey PVC obtained from a local plastic supplier in a 4 X 8 foot sheet 3/8 inch thick.

If you are interested I might be able to find the drawings I made for the unit and if so I'd be glad to mail you copies. Send me a PM if you're interested.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[ic-racer]

I would think it easier to start with a busted processor, than build from scratch. A busted Jobo will give you the big water tank and something to set the drum on. Then you can just cobble together a motor, aquarium heater and water pump (which you would have to do anyway with a scratch-built unit) and it can be up and running.

Just a thought...