DIY door Actuator? Need ideas

[jetboat]

I need to be able to rapidly open and close a door on the relative cheap. Also needs to be quick. Size and noise isnt an option.

The idea is to open a "door" on my range to reveal a target. After a few seconds the door needs to be able to shut. Its meant to simulate someone kicking in a door.

[1tonscout]

ok.....

[4wd4ws]

Secondhand industrial air rams. (scrapyard)

Fast, powerful and relatively cheap and quiet

[jetboat]

Originally Posted by 4wd4ws

Secondhand industrial air rams. (scrapyard)

Fast, powerful and relatively cheap and quiet

considered that but, cant find a reasonable priced source.

[Dostradamas]

Originally Posted by jetboat

I need to be able to rapidly open and close a door on the relative cheap. Also needs to be quick. Size and noise isnt an option.

The idea is to open a "door" on my range to reveal a target. After a few seconds the door needs to be able to shut. Its meant to simulate someone kicking in a door.

How big of a "door?" How heavy of a "door?"
How do you want to control the door (manual, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, etc..?)

How quick (or rapid?)

How small & how quiet?

Could you be a little more ambiguous?

How about a mousetrap spring, some string & a stick

[jetboat]

I thought by saying on a range with a target behind it would give an idea...

Manual but remote operation.

30"x7'x1/2" osb "door" not sure what that weighs, maybe 30#

Noise doesnt matter

Think opening a door very quickly or kicking it open.



Looking at surplus center, they do have some pneumatic's that would fit the bill but, by the time you add cylinder, control and lines its getting up there in price.

[1tonscout]

I'd say go to home depot parking lot and find yourself a mexican deaf mute

-Cheap
-Quiet
-Low maintenance

[Burntnuts]

McMaster Car. Two inch stroke spring return air cylinders. With a cantiliver it should open wide and fast. There cheap too. About 10 buck apiece.

[SVEN]

If you want quick opening, maybe a spring loaded (think garage door spring) mechanism. Then use a slow (likely to be cheaper than fast) cylinder or linear actuator system to return the door.

[JasonInAugusta]

Spring-loaded shut, use a cable/pully system operated at the firing line to open it.

Could get a Seiko PS-050.

Seiko UAV Servo PS-050 (PS050) - troybuiltmodels.com

Something we used on the farm was an electronic gate.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_348809-26447...ote&facetInfo=

[jetboat]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Spring-loaded shut, use a cable/pully system operated at the firing line to open it.

That was my original thought. I was hoping to cheaply "high tech" it but, $5 in materials beats the $100 plus I'm looking at for other ways of doing it.

I'm actually starting to consider spring loaded open with a pull latch holding it shut. Ditch the idea of having it automatically shut.