Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: davids3511 on January 21, 2012, 06:41:36 pm
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Inspired by discount and his electric reel I spent a few hours over the christmas welding and so on. I have mounted the reel in the van, cut a hole in the back door and put in a roller. I was without iot yesterday because I forgot to charge my drill battery and really missed it. To anyone thinking of doing it, go for it, I think it speeds me up and I am less tired in the evening.
Going to get it painted up tomorrow and will post a photo if anyone is interested?
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PICTURES THEN , LET US SEE IT !
rich
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yes I want one in my van :)
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ok, will take a few tomorrow to show off my wonky welding.
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I've seen it. Dave is selling himself short. He not only has an electric reel, but a fogwash too!! People like that make me sick ;)
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yes I want one in my van :)
It's quite easy really, all I did was to cut two lenghts of angle iron about 8 inches long and weld them to the sides of my van, like little shelves. Then I ran two more longer lengths of angle iron accross the van, sitting on the 'shelves' at either end. Then I welded the longer lengths to the shorter lengths which finished the frame for the reel and drill mount.
I mounted the hose reel to the frame using large jubliee clips so i could easily get the reel out if I needed to. I was concerend they might move or not be strong enough but they havent moved in a month. Then I made the drill mount which I need to show in a photo cause it is hard to describe. All in all it took me about 4 hours to do.
I did have to improvis a bit with the fittings as BnQ didn't stock ubolts and as it was over christmas I had to run with whatever I had in the garrage.
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I've seen it. Dave is selling himself short. He not only has an electric reel, but a fogwash too!! People like that make me sick ;)
Aww, shucks
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Actually , i do not wish to see it , i think its DARN LAZY , i love it when my shoulders ache ! ;D
Cant wait really David .
Rich
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Next job should be to make it remote lol
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could you put a small motor on the end instead of a drill and wire it to a flick switch? or is the drill an easier method
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could you put a small motor on the end instead of a drill and wire it to a flick switch? or is the drill an easier method
The drill is easier really. I was thinking of a motor from an electric trike or somethink like that but the drill is very simple. You do need a support for the drill because if the hose snags the drill will twist quite voilently. The support stops the drill twisting.
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Next job should be to make it remote lol
You would need some way of layering the hose on the reel for that, otherwise it would tangle on the reel because it would all reel on in the one spot.
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Something similar to the guide on the enclosed hoselock reel that slides from side to side?
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Something similar to the guide on the enclosed hoselock reel that slides from side to side?
Yeah, something like that to layer it properly.
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Inspired by discount and his electric reel I spent a few hours over the christmas welding and so on. I have mounted the reel in the van, cut a hole in the back door and put in a roller. I was without iot yesterday because I forgot to charge my drill battery and really missed it. To anyone thinking of doing it, go for it, I think it speeds me up and I am less tired in the evening.
Going to get it painted up tomorrow and will post a photo if anyone is interested?
I put mine in before Christmas - bodge mounted on wooden frames while I iron out the problems, when I'll have some frames welded up. They worked fantastically well, speeded things up significantly and reduced my levels of knackeredness greatly,
The biggest problem that I have is that long before the batteries run out of juice they stop producing enough torque to wind the reels. That realisation coincided with the battery charger giving up the ghost, so I needed to fix another way.
The solution (which I'm hoping to work on tomorrow) is going to be to fit the two 12v batteries I recently had replaced on the van in series and run the drills off those. They'll be holding 84 or so amp hours (even though the batteries are slightly ropey). The drills are 18v but all my research suggests they'll run fine on 24v (I guess I'll prove that over the next few weeks).
Well worth a punt IMHO.
Vin
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could you put a small motor on the end instead of a drill and wire it to a flick switch? or is the drill an easier method
The drill is easier really. I was thinking of a motor from an electric trike or somethink like that but the drill is very simple. You do need a support for the drill because if the hose snags the drill will twist quite voilently. The support stops the drill twisting.
Drills are also good because they are pretty cheap for what you're getting because they are mass produced. It also means you can get replacements when they eventually break.
Vin
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used to have a electric reel on fire engine useless whent back to manual
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Next job should be to make it remote lol
You would need some way of layering the hose on the reel for that, otherwise it would tangle on the reel because it would all reel on in the one spot.
Cloth in hand for layering. Remote in other hand? Would work I would imagine.
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sounds like alot of hassel to me now we dont do much ladders and fitness has gone slightly we gotta have somthing to keep us a little fit lol reel in those hoses by hand lol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Just more things to go wrong!!!!!! Is it reallly that hard to wind a hose in.......who holds your pole for you whilst your cleaning, surely you don't its far too heavey!
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It speeds up every clean by about 30 seconds. At about 25 cleans a day in summer (two of us) that's 12/13 mins saved a day, which takes us halfway to doing one more clean a day (or spending another quarter of an hour at home).
We're also noticeably less knackered at the end of a day. Me, at 48, you might understand, but my Joey (19 on Friday) also feels less tired.
But you could be right; keeping the job slower and harder than it has to be might be the way forward.
As for
who holds your pole for you whilst your cleaning, surely you don't its far too heavey!
the antidote to your sarcasm is to ask you in return, why don't you tie a brick to the end of your pole, surely it's too light?
Vin
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What do you do with your extra 12 mins......mess about with putting drill batteries on charge and making sure you've got on ready for the next day!
Maybe you could take it it turns to wind up the hose, do you think you'd still be all worn out after only winding it iin 12 times?
Tell me this is a wind up!
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What do you do with your extra 12 mins......mess about with putting drill batteries on charge and making sure you've got on ready for the next day!
Nope, about 30 seconds for that bit - you'd have to be seriously weird to spend 12 minutes putting a battery on charge - so we spend the time fitting in an occasional extra clean, earning us more money. Other times we get home quarter of an hour earlier. If you consider that a waste, fine with me.
You remind me why I post so much less these days; all you get in return for any advice is derision from people trying to prove themselves. Tie a brick on your pole and people will think you're a real man. Meanwhile, I'll be doing more jobs and working less hard, making me gay.
Vin
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Sounds like you need to get someone who can wind a reel then, think how much more work you could do then, you clearly cantcos you seem to think your doing it 30 seconds quicker, what did it take you before.....10 mins!!!!!!
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If your gonna post such crap, then maybe that's a good idea, now your starting to talk sense!
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Sounds like you need to get someone who can wind a reel then, think how much more work you could do then, you clearly cantcos you seem to think your doing it 30 seconds quicker, what did it take you before.....10 mins!!!!!!
Employ someone to wind a reel in? That would cost for more than the time and effort I'd save and....
Oh, hang on, that's sarcasm isn't it?
Well done. Very droll.
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Not just a pretty face then are you!
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Sounds like you need to get someone who can wind a reel then, think how much more work you could do then, you clearly cantcos you seem to think your doing it 30 seconds quicker, what did it take you before.....10 mins!!!!!!
Employ someone to wind a reel in? That would cost for more than the time and effort I'd save and....
Oh, hang on, that's sarcasm isn't it?
Well done. Very droll.
Just ignore him, he's obviously a cock bored on a Sunday afternoon.
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While the empty-headed idiot is off on another thread boasting about his wedding-tackle-replacement Ferrari, here's a point for anyone looking to do this.
NiCad batteries really don't hold enough charge for this purpose, so a solution is to wire them to a 24v vehicle battery (OK for a 24v or 18v drill). I have two just past their best 12v van batteries, so that's the next stage. Then I'll have about two weeks from a battery charge if pushed. I'll put pics up when I've sorted the battery bit out.
Vin
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were do you plug it in . do you use the custys electric , or do you carry a genny about with ya ???
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Nice going, reminds me I need to revive my own plans for this.
ps. Electric reels are the way forward, ignore people that say otherwise, if it was for some of them we would still be stuck with whippy Tucker poles and brick on a stick Vikans. No point in holding back progress and is a shame to see this still happening.
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While the empty-headed idiot is off on another thread boasting about his wedding-tackle-replacement Ferrari, here's a point for anyone looking to do this.
NiCad batteries really don't hold enough charge for this purpose, so a solution is to wire them to a 24v vehicle battery (OK for a 24v or 18v drill). I have two just past their best 12v van batteries, so that's the next stage. Then I'll have about two weeks from a battery charge if pushed. I'll put pics up when I've sorted the battery bit out.
Vin
I got my Site drill from Screwfix about a year ago. It came with 3 batteries and once charged up they last me about 2 weeks (the 3 of them) but they are nearly new so will probable degrade with time.
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While the empty-headed idiot is off on another thread boasting about his wedding-tackle-replacement Ferrari, here's a point for anyone looking to do this.
NiCad batteries really don't hold enough charge for this purpose, so a solution is to wire them to a 24v vehicle battery (OK for a 24v or 18v drill). I have two just past their best 12v van batteries, so that's the next stage. Then I'll have about two weeks from a battery charge if pushed. I'll put pics up when I've sorted the battery bit out.
Vin
I got my Site drill from Screwfix about a year ago. It came with 3 batteries and once charged up they last me about 2 weeks (the 3 of them) but they are nearly new so will probable degrade with time.
Which drill did you get? If the 24v solution fails, I may be looking again.
Thanks,
Vin
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each to their own.i wouldnt bother with drills myself but thats my choice.good luck lads!!saying that if someone designed a proper professional electric reel i might be tempted to get one! ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
best wishes
dazmond
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each to their own.i wouldnt bother with drills myself but thats my choice.good luck lads!!saying that if someone designed a proper professional electric reel i might be tempted to get one! ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D
best wishes
dazmond
same here but only because im useless with diy
Anything that makes life quicker / easier is fine by me
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While the empty-headed idiot is off on another thread boasting about his wedding-tackle-replacement Ferrari, here's a point for anyone looking to do this.
NiCad batteries really don't hold enough charge for this purpose, so a solution is to wire them to a 24v vehicle battery (OK for a 24v or 18v drill). I have two just past their best 12v van batteries, so that's the next stage. Then I'll have about two weeks from a battery charge if pushed. I'll put pics up when I've sorted the battery bit out.
Vin
Wouldn't "LION" batteries be better?
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While the empty-headed idiot is off on another thread boasting about his wedding-tackle-replacement Ferrari, here's a point for anyone looking to do this.
NiCad batteries really don't hold enough charge for this purpose, so a solution is to wire them to a 24v vehicle battery (OK for a 24v or 18v drill). I have two just past their best 12v van batteries, so that's the next stage. Then I'll have about two weeks from a battery charge if pushed. I'll put pics up when I've sorted the battery bit out.
Vin
For an 18v drill you only need a 12v battery, BUT you need a drill with 2 speed settings, and set it to the slower speed, the battery has enough power to run it on the slower speed and it's more controllable, I have been running a drill from an old 85ah battery for 18 months now, it has to do 2 reels, and the battery last roughly 3 days before it needs charging.
Why anyone would knock this idea is beyond me, it may only save a few minutes, but it makes life so much easier, why make your life harder by winding them in by hand???
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Li-ion would certainly be better than NiCad.
The research I've done suggests that lead acid batteries are the best for running motors. SOmething to do with how they react to current being drawn. The others, whether NiCad/NiMH/Li-ion are compromised but that's offset by their size and weight. Since I have a couple of 12v van batteries spare, I decided to give them a try...should have about 46Ah against NiCad at 2Ah, so should get a LONG time out of them.
If it doesn't work, I'll be back to drill batteries.
Vin
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For an 18v drill you only need a 12v battery, BUT you need a drill with 2 speed settings, and set it to the slower speed, the battery has enough power to run it on the slower speed and it's more controllable, I have been running a drill from an old 85ah battery for 18 months now, it has to do 2 reels, and the battery last roughly 3 days before it needs charging.
Why anyone would knock this idea is beyond me, it may only save a few minutes, but it makes life so much easier, why make your life harder by winding them in by hand???
I'll try it on 12v as well. If that works, it'll be perfect as I'll just wire it to the van batteries (my pumps are wired so) and forget the charging. Great idea!
V
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Which drill did you get? If the 24v solution fails, I may be looking again.
Thanks,
Vin
It's a Site SMB810. I think I got a great deal with it. It has metal gears, made by Makita and comes with 3 batteries for £49.99.
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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Site-SMB810-18V-/280812208540?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item4161b6419c
At £20.00 right now.
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Well, I tried it on 12v and it simply didn't have the torque to get the reel moving. If you have a decent length of hose out you need a surprising amount of oomph to get it moving.
So, I moved on to 24v. I'll be putting a more detailed guide but basically I've wired a couple of van batteries through empty battery packs into the drills.
Did it work? Well, here's a demo - as I said before, this is a wooden bodge mounting to prove the concept works before I get something made in steel (though knowing me it'll be the same in a couple of years).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpA8qXcgSJg
Vin
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i like it ;D ;D
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thats a wined up ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Very cool video, I think someone should build a proper unit. It would sell....
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Well done perfect windows, thanks for the video. What I can't understand is people who knock everything, maybe its because they don't come up with the ideas themselves.
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How good a drill would be needed?
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nice video mate. I'd be bit pushed for space in my vw caddy with 2 reels, plus mine are fixed.
bit confused, where are the kinks and twists? never seen hose in such good condition! :-\
love the idea of it.
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Impressed with that! Nice one ;0)
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nice video mate. I'd be bit pushed for space in my vw caddy with 2 reels, plus mine are fixed.
bit confused, where are the kinks and twists? never seen hose in such good condition! :-\
love the idea of it.
One of those hoses is nine months old, the other just under two years. I must be doing something right.
One of the things I do like is that while that vid shows speed of winding, just as important is that it has the torque to pull round corners.
We went for a little while without them just after Christmas and it appears to be one of those things you don't miss until it's gone. We were a great deal more knackered at the end of a day without the drills. Now I'm an unfit old duffer so that might be expected but my Joey is 19, fit as a fiddle and says the same thing.
I'll be putting a step-by-step guide up at some point ref wiring the drill to batteries rather than their own rechargeables. You can get good results with the drill's own batteries if you buy good drills but my view is that as they are on display a lot of the time, someday someone's going to lift a drill, so I want it to be cheap.
Vin
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Blimey u lazy gits dont take that long to wind it up ,i woudnt bother with all that hassle.
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Blimey u lazy gits dont take that long to wind it up ,i woudnt bother with all that hassle.
Don't then. But thanks for keeping us informed.
Vin
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Don't you take the end of the hose back to the van?
I would find that the tap on the end of the hose would be knackered after a few of those high speed wind up's!!
Certainly winds it in quick though!
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iv foand the perfect thing for an electric hose real :) i have one in my shed and am gunna start on it soon
i know the address is long but take a look at this is a rc model plane 12v starter moror has enuff power to start a strimmer engine up im guessing it will be to fast so i am going to use a belt driven gear system to slow it down large gear on the reel and small on the motor. all of it will run of your system battery :)
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=airplane+starter+motor&hl=en&biw=1360&bih=589&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=uGGtNZ_BqrshLM:&imgrefurl=http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2011/06/16/behind-the-prop-starter-safety-first/&docid=dNm3xfpKEIUo0M&imgurl=http://c204131.r31.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/start1.jpg&w=520&h=390&ei=JfU3T5DrEYfI0QWb06G_Ag&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=823&vpy=282&dur=2154&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=104&ty=118&sig=101280532993316021737&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=177&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0
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Don't you take the end of the hose back to the van?
I would find that the tap on the end of the hose would be knackered after a few of those high speed wind up's!!
Certainly winds it in quick though!
We only did that for the purposes of the video - yep, it's knacker them.
Another reason for bringing the ends back is to stop the Joey taking the skin off the back of my leg with the metal head like he did the second time he used it.
Vin
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Not just a pretty face then are you!
this guys giving u crap his name is easyclean hahaha if u dont like what hes saying why bother reading it and just leave it for the people who are interested
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You've made up my mind perfect windows I have to have one now. Thanks
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Very good demo and a great alternative to shop bought electric powered reel as these can cost well over £500. Some good imaginative minds on this forum!
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I've got one of those in my shed,.. not powerful enough.
:'( :'(
iv foand the perfect thing for an electric hose real :) i have one in my shed and am gunna start on it soon
i know the address is long but take a look at this is a rc model plane 12v starter moror has enuff power to start a strimmer engine up im guessing it will be to fast so i am going to use a belt driven gear system to slow it down large gear on the reel and small on the motor. all of it will run of your system battery :)
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=airplane+starter+motor&hl=en&biw=1360&bih=589&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=uGGtNZ_BqrshLM:&imgrefurl=http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2011/06/16/behind-the-prop-starter-safety-first/&docid=dNm3xfpKEIUo0M&imgurl=http://c204131.r31.cf1.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/start1.jpg&w=520&h=390&ei=JfU3T5DrEYfI0QWb06G_Ag&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=823&vpy=282&dur=2154&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=104&ty=118&sig=101280532993316021737&page=1&tbnh=127&tbnw=177&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0
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I think some of you guys are trying to over engineer it. I use a drill and 22mm socket and it works a dream. Can't see how it could be bettered.
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Winfding the reel in is pretty good aerobic exercise though. In my case it is 1/2 inch hose, so I feels it each time I have a long wind in.
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how did you wire up the drill to the battery? did you do it from the small battery pack terminals? a small guide on this would be great if you can? Thanks Dean
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The best way to wire the drill in to a car battery is if you don't mind gutting the drills battery pack, then soilder to wire directly on to the connectors in the battery pack. This is how I have mine and it works a treat.
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Years ago as a kid I remember on Blue Peter once, they were all zooming around the studio on bar stools mounted on wheels.
They were simply powered by a 12v car battery mounted on a base plate and the motor was simply a cars starter motor! They went like poop off a shovel.
Surely someone with basic engineering skills or mechanic skills could mount one under a hose reel and link with a simple fan belt system, motor to reel..... I don't know but the idea is simple............
What do you think??? Anybody got the skills???
The power drill idea is a good one but seems a lot of space and time and a very expensive drill???
Found this on you tube, surely it could be done on a hose reel????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ8EIZZef6M (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ8EIZZef6M)
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Years ago as a kid I remember on Blue Peter once, they were all zooming around the studio on bar stools mounted on wheels.
They were simply powered by a 12v car battery mounted on a base plate and the motor was simply a cars starter motor! They went like poop off a shovel.
Surely someone with basic engineering skills or mechanic skills could mount one under a hose reel and link with a simple fan belt system, motor to reel..... I don't know but the idea is simple............
What do you think??? Anybody got the skills???
The power drill idea is a good one but seems a lot of space and time and a very expensive drill???
Found this on you tube, surely it could be done on a hose reel????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ8EIZZef6M (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ8EIZZef6M)
The reasons for the drill rather than anything else:
These were cheap - they were end-of-line and on sale, so I bought three. Each had two batteries - I've sold the three spares on ebay and I'm left with drills that basically cost me about £12 each.
They are immediately replaceable. If a drill gave up tomorrow, then (a) I have a spare - see above (b) if the spare gives up then any 18v drill will do - I'm not restricted to identical equipment, so I can always go for an item on sale.
I can run the two reels with one drill if I need to - just spin the drill round - takes a couple of ticks.
It's simple - every single component in there is purchased rather than made or modified to do the job (barring the connection via the battery pack)
Vin