19 replies to this topic

[Sam Miller]

Hello,

 

Sorry for my absence for the past year, been busy with my first year of Vet School!

 

I am however finished for the summer and keen to get back into pyro. After my last show almost pasting my fingers off I am currently building a pasting machine based on the Chinese ones. As you can imagine this is quite a task and i've been fiddling around for almost a year now in the holidays building it! It is slowly getting there though near completion and i'm down to the nitty gritty bits.

 

My current problem is the paper to use for pasting, obviously most people would suggest gummed paper tape but after watching videos of the Chinese machines i'm noticing that they are using normal paper with a white glue type substance as the adhesive.

My plan is to do the same with an alcohol/PVA glue mix and normal paper tape. Problem is I can not locate any normal non-gummed paper tape 25mm.

 

Could I use gummed paper tape and they alcohol/glue mix as well?

 

Or is this really not necessary and should I stick to normal gummed tape?

 

Thanks

 

Sam

[starseeker]

Hi Sam ,

 

Good to hear from you again , i am pretty sure that those with stinger pasting machines use normal gummed tape which gets pulled over a sponge to wet the tape. 

 

BTW, it would be interesting to see some pictures 

[Sam Miller]

Yeah thats what I thought, I was just wondering if a thicker paste would be better as it would make the shell stronger and also less likely to spill all the water while the ring is spinning.

 

Ill get some pictures up tomorrow heres the video i've based it on:

https://www.youtube....h?v=4UgVHU7_yk4

[Arthur Brown]

It's likely that the Chinese will use the cheapest method. Maybe paper tape and separate glue is cheaper for them. It certainly stops any gummed tape rolls blocking up into a solid puck in case of even slight dampness.

[Sam Miller]

That's what I was worried about Arthur, because I wont be using up a roll of gummed tape every day Id have to take it off the machine and seal it to prevent it all sticking together.

 

Here are the pictures:

(dummy shell which is already pasted was used just to test grip)

 

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[JamesB]

That looks awesome! 

 

I'd suspect that using normal gummed paper and water would be quite a bit easier to design, opposed to trying to dispense a much more viscous mixture, to a probably finer tolerance. It might be worth starting out with the easier approach then experimenting with a separate adhesive once the machine is working.

 

Are you planning on using stepper motors for the drive or some kind of geared system? 

[Arthur Brown]

From past experience gummed tape WILL block up if left around for long. I know nowhere in the UK that will supply 12 - 20mm tape, or any tape in big reels. Hobbycraft do supply 2" reels but only small (short ) ones. Gummed tape really does need keeping in a sealed container with a dessicant. 

[cooperman435]

I briefly looked when planning a wasp type machine but found nothing as I wanted plain paper to apply glue to too.

If we wanted lots then I'm sure we could find it pretty easy though

[digger]

TapeKraft will make gummed tape rolls up to your specification any width and length (within reason). There are minimum order quantities as the tape is cut from very wide rolls, hence the minimum number order is determined by roll width ordered.

 

I am sure TapeKraft could make up ungummed rolls also.

[cooperman435]

That was my thought yep, it has to make a decent saving too in quantity and makes storage much easier

[digger]

One question though, how do you reinforce the fuse entry and do you tape the crown in any way?

[Sam Miller]

That looks awesome! 

 

I'd suspect that using normal gummed paper and water would be quite a bit easier to design, opposed to trying to dispense a much more viscous mixture, to a probably finer tolerance. It might be worth starting out with the easier approach then experimenting with a separate adhesive once the machine is working.

 

Are you planning on using stepper motors for the drive or some kind of geared system? 

 

Yeah i'm using steppers they're not in the pics sorry! The wheel is just powered with a DC motor from a drill and set to spin the wheel at a set speed that ill figure out during configuration, i'm thinking 60rpm. The main arms geared because I had a bit of a blonde moment, when designing and testing the motor strength of the arm I did it with the arm separate and not connected to the main frame with bearings so it needed alot more torque, so I decided to gear it. I have however completely forgotten how to wire all the motors up and code them with arduino, that's going to be an afternoon job soon!

 

One question though, how do you reinforce the fuse entry and do you tape the crown in any way?

 

Ill check out TapeKraft thanks! I just put a thick bead of hot glue around the base of the time fuse, It has never failed me! By the crown do you mean the other pole of the shell? If so I dont do anything I just leave it for the 3" and 2" but for 4"+ I'll probably put a bit of hot glue in with it, just to seal it a bit.

[Arthur Brown]

I wonder how much the Chinese factories need to re-enforce the poles? I suspect that one cone of gluey string will seal each fuse tube, and the top pole will contain a screw of string with some glue -as needed to form the hanging loop..

 

Now if you could use two fuse tubes, how little top pole clearance would you need?

[Sam Miller]

Not sure what you mean Arthur

[JamesB]

I'd be slightly careful of using a drill motor, as the speed will fluctuate with torque (which could vary with the amount of tape left on the roll etc. depending on how its dispensed), though if you still want the perfect wrap, you could put some kind of position or speed measurement on the main wheel, and use this to adjust the speed of the stepper motors on the arm and spindle. 

 

Shout if you need a hand with any of the electronics! 

 

Regarding the original issue, I wonder how hard it would be to make a very clean cut off the end of a long roll of kraft paper, though I suspect the length might be too short if done that way.