Not sure where to start

[dissasembler]

Hello engineer people, I hope I'm on the right place. If there's somewhere better for me please let me know.

I'm not an engineering student, I want to build a mechanism and Im not sure where to start reading.

I want to build an arm mechanism that will move a handheld grinder/wirewheel in regular lines or arcs. Metal cabinets of various sizes I want moving slowly on a straight track so the brush pattern covers the surface with a regular pattern. More regular than I can do by hand.

I'm planning making plywood v-wheels and using a few big reductions to get a nice slow RPM, and then an arm or two on a wheel to get reciprocating motion

I want to get a basic design on paper before I start making sawdust. I have a 1hp motor rated at 1650rpm. I can reduce that to something around 30 rpm(?).

Can someone point me to a a primer on building simple Rube Goldberg contraptions out of belts, wheels, cams, rods, etc, I lack the vocabulary to search for something similar. ....If I do it myself it's going to be way more complicated than it needs to be.

Thanks gentlemen.

 

[raz2]

If you add a picture/sketch of what you want it would help.
How big of an area are you trying to grind?

 

[dissasembler]

I can't make a sketch because I don't know how to design it. Imagine a clockwork machine that holds a pen and draws overlapping loopy loops across a page. That is exactly the mechanism I want. But strictly clockwork parts, no electronics or pneumatics. And I want it all powered by one prime mover, A trusty 1hp motor. Belts, wheels, rods and maybe a cam or two.

I know there is mathematics to make the end of a rod trace whatever pattern you want, using only rods and gears and cams but I don't know what it's called. This is really more of geometry question. Construction shouldn't be a problem i just need the mechanical principles.

Ultimately I'd like to be able to adjust it to trace different patterns. Ideally the arm would complete a pass and then advance and reset like a typewriter for the next line, but I don't mind doing that part by hand.

I think I would need one escapement for the reset/advance bit, but I'll figure that out later. What is the name for this sort of engineering? I'm missing the vocabulary. Thank you thank you.

 

[dvd]

It seems as though you want something similar to a CNC router, but with a grinder installed. You could program whatever path you want.

CNC router - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[mfgenggear]

It seems as though you want something similar to a CNC router, but with a grinder installed. You could program whatever path you want.

CNC router - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I was thinking this as well. DvD beat me to the punch , as to say. It will be most ecomic option.
The question will be the size of geometry of the work. And the table may need modifing.

 

[dgeesaman]

You might want to study the movements of a lapping and polishing machine. Or maybe an orbital automotive polisher.