USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 I want a tennis ball to drop 58" when the garage door opens 85.5". String attached to door thru a short piece of PVC attached to door opener 90* down so that ball touches windshield when the door is open and is retracted when door closes. How? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 12 minutes ago, USNRET said: I want a tennis ball to drop 58" when the garage door opens 85.5". String attached to door thru a short piece of PVC attached to door opener 90* down so that ball touches windshield when the door is open and is retracted when door closes. How? For those bad at math, I've used 2 Park-Zone devices for years with great success. https://www.ebay.com/p/Park-Zone-Platinum-Edition-Dual-Power-Garage-Parking-Aid-Pz-1500-S5373/16003304064?iid=302306755040&chn=ps&ul_ref=https%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F711-117182-37290-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fp%252FPark-Zone-Platinum-Edition-Dual-Power-Garage-Parking-Aid-Pz-1500-S5373%252F16003304064%253Fiid%253D302306755040%2526chn%253Dps%26itemid%3D302306755040%26targetid%3D474380981224%26device%3Dc%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D9007884%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D1482101415%26adgroupid%3D56517111839%26rlsatarget%3Dpla-474380981224%26abcId%3D1139296%26merchantid%3D113682521%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMIu6zduZTo3AIVjYCfCh0oSw0uEAQYASABEgJonvD_BwE%26srcrot%3D711-117182-37290-0%26rvr_id%3D1629934711343%26rvr_ts%3D2f6eae441650ac1e74b12f42ffeb3be3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1290 Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Why am I having a visual of the "ball drop" on NYE in Times Square? lol Yea, what he said! ^^^^^^^^ lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 Problem is a very deep single car garage with lawn equipment in front of car so no clear path from back wall to car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1290 Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 IF you don't move your car seat when you drive, try the old truck driver's trick... Drive in as close as you want to park, look to the left, pick a spot on the wall and have someone mark that spot. Everytime you drive in and look to the left, ya drive to the spot and stop. I would give myself a few inches (or feet for a female) everytime. FREE! LOL 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 23 minutes ago, USNRET said: I want a tennis ball to drop 58" when the garage door opens 85.5". String attached to door thru a short piece of PVC attached to door opener 90* down so that ball touches windshield when the door is open and is retracted when door closes. How? Why can't you see if the garage door is open or closed? Then you don't have to do the math. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 8 minutes ago, USNRET said: Problem is a very deep single car garage with lawn equipment in front of car so no clear path from back wall to car Ah that makes sense. The one draw back of the Park -Zone is the need for a clear shot from attached wall at bumper height. I applaud your goal of making tennis ball raise and lower over standard, static approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 3 minutes ago, JJkizak said: Why can't you see if the garage door is open or closed? Then you don't have to do the math. JJK ????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 3 minutes ago, JJkizak said: Why can't you see if the garage door is open or closed? Then you don't have to do the math. JJK Right. Start with it opened and put in desired spot. if the distance when shut is too long for the opened length, use a loose spring or other loose stretchy line to add the extra length? I'm not sure I have the full picture of how the rig works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 The torque bar has a circumference of 3.14” but I don’t know how many rotations it makes full travel so don’t know who many wraps of string. I can’t see it to count as door is slowly operated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 I need the ball to travel ~0.67 of the distance of the door travel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 In order for a spring to work the length of spring plus extension would need to be 27.5” plus it would draw the ball up against the pvc elbow and the spring would remain extended when door is closed. The weight of such a spring might droop when door is open and bring the ball up unless weight of ball exceeded weight of spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 as much as I enjoy mechanical solutions... an IR photocell and a relay to a motor to wind up the ball when the vehicle is in place. believe me ... I do like mechanical things. I worked on Brunswick A2 pinsetters. One motor. a bunch of belts, cams and springs. designed a blade control system for R/C helicopters, eliminating half the "standard" linkage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 a motion sensor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 But I want the ball to be up whenever car is not there 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 ball lowers when motion is detected. was thinking about a "foul light" type set up, too.Break the beam, the ball raises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 Must only be car motion not people, mower, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 I see. Thinking again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 If the balls movement is tied to the doors movement (via a direct connection) how are you supposed to get a yield from the ball that is SHORTER than the yield of the door travel? The door can not move 85.5" and the ball move 58"... UNLESS you use some kind of "eccentric" adjustment, such as a pivoting cam. Otherwise the balls movement is linear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillyBob Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 or have the ball lowering engage the ~30 inches after the door starts its travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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