# New Take on the Old Revolve Question



## Rainmaker (Jun 7, 2012)

I'm about to go and post on the new member forum but I wanted to get some input on a design question I'm trying to work through. I've gone through pretty much all of the old threads on revolves and didn't find an answer for what I'm thinking about. I found a series of single wheel drive motors online (for load movers, industrial floor cleaners, etc). My question is whether something like this 

Single Wheel Drives - Chassisdrive 300

Would be suitable to drive a 20' diameter revolve, built in the typical laminated ply, 3 ring/40 caster style? It seems like it would cut down on a lot of the hassle of running a brake motor, gear reducer, and all of the chain to do it via chain drive. But my concern would be how to mount it properly, power it, and I've read from other threads that edge drives can be finicky. I know the chain drive method is reliable and all but I'd like to try something different but spending all of the money to do something different and have it not work is a scary proposition on a small budget! Thanks so much


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## kicknargel (Jun 7, 2012)

That's an interesting find. I've done edge-drive revolves, although never quite that large. I've always used an inflatable tire that can really press into the drive surface. Assuming you've worked out the math on the hp/torque and speed it might work if you have a spring rig to keep it pressed into the edge, kinda like the Creating Conners one:

Theatre Machinery | Revolver | Creative Conners

How much does this puppy cost? Also, what will you use to control it? Most standard motor controls I'm familiar with output 90vDC, rather than 24 or 36.

One more thought: I often use no-slip tape on the drive surface for better friction.


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## iandonahue (Jun 7, 2012)

kicknargel said:


> That's an interesting find. I've done edge-drive revolves, although never quite that large. I've always used an inflatable tire that can really press into the drive surface. Assuming you've worked out the math on the hp/torque and speed it might work if you have a spring rig to keep it pressed into the edge, kinda like the Creating Conners one:
> 
> Theatre Machinery | Revolver | Creative Conners
> 
> ...



Thanks for the shout-out, Kicknargel! Our Revolver unit is specifically designed for edge-driving of revolves in a live entertainment environment. I'm not sure what the programming environment is for the Chassisdrive 300 (if there is one) but our software can handle all of the expected show cueing (links, autofollows, timing or position based cueing, etc.) and has a great user interface. Here's a complete Revolver Kit:

Revolver Starter Kit | Turntable
That has everything you need to run a turntable.

We use a solid rubber tire instead of pneumatic- both can see a some wear, but the solid rubber wheel is smaller and we found that it grips pretty well. 

FYI, we have rental units, too.


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## Footer (Jun 7, 2012)

The only thing I would be concerned about is the torque that thing puts out at very low speeds. After that, the hard wheel will be an issue as Nick pointed out. Running a revolve like this can be one of the biggest PIA's on stage. Go with either a cable drive or a chain drive.


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## iandonahue (Jun 7, 2012)

Footer said:


> The only thing I would be concerned about is the torque that thing puts out at very low speeds. After that, the hard wheel will be an issue as Nick pointed out. Running a revolve like this can be one of the biggest PIA's on stage. Go with either a cable drive or a chain drive.



Kyle, you're right about the torque, and there is slippage sometimes. We use an external wheel (we call it a 'dancer wheel') for encoding the position, so if the drive wheel slips, the position stays true. A cable drive is limited by the capacity of the drum. A chain drive is a great choice for accurate positioning and continuous rotation, but engaging the edge of the turntable with roller chain can be tricky and expensive. As always, it's that old game of trade-offs. But if you're worried about friction drive, here's a video of Indiana Rep's 40 foot dia revolve with 14,000 pounds of scenery on it:

Miracle Worker Turntable Moving - YouTube


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## nquinn2 (Jun 11, 2012)

I can't speak more highly of Creative Conners' Revolver and software setup. We used them for the Illinois High School Theatre Festival 2012 All-State show with a 36' diameter doughnut turntable. Everything shipped easily and worked right out of the box. To mount the motor I just extended the spider frame and lagged to that. The space we were in was going to charge $50 per lag screw into their deck. The friction was no problem with an outer ring of maso (rough side to the drive wheel), and when you're done cutting wood be sure to wipe all the sawdust off.

Cheers,
Nick


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