Explain It To Me Like I'm 4 Years Old

[NoviceNerd]

Sooooo......... I'm not sure where to start, or even if this is the right place to ask, but here goes.

I've been curious about hobby motors and their uses for a while now. I've made a few delves into the internet to get the basics and a place to start. Unfortunately, even the most rudimentary articles that claim to be for "beginners" are filled with terminology and abbreviations that mean nothing to me.

If anyone could throw me a bone and give me the most basic info, I would appreciate it. Or maybe point me to some articles that aren't crammed full of undefined terminology.

The hobby looks very interesting. I just need a place to start from.

In particular, I want to learn about bi-directional motors (motors that go forward and backwards). I want motors that can be plugged into an AC current, either directly or through a converter of some sort. I want to be able to control them from just a few feet away, either through a remote or wired connection. And I would like to be able to work two or more motors in unison.

I'm not even sure if what I want is totally unreasonable, or if it is the rudimentary basics of the hobby.

Any info would be appreciated.

[OV10]

Hello NN and welcome to the Squawk.
First and foremost you're looking down the wrong current path regarding RC electric model airplanes propulsion.
The motors are a Direct Current (DC) device
How rudimentary are you looking for on info regarding the tech of this hobby?
Regards,

[NoviceNerd]

Actually, I am not looking for RC airplane stuff. I have considered small hobby motors for various projects in the past, but currently I want them for a gaming table.

This is part of the reason I was unsure if I should post here, but there are no forums for integrating small electric motors into a gaming table.

My primary hobby is table top gaming. After years of looking for the perfect gaming table, I decided to build my own. The first one had a 42 inch tv built into the surface. The next table I built entirely from scratch. That one incorporate a video projector and mirrors to project a 3' x 4' game board onto the surface of the table. The table has also been wired for AC to provide power to the projector and for 4 outlets built into the sides if the table.

Most recently I built a frame to hold a 55 inch tv that sits almost a foot above the table, lying flat and facing upwards. My next project is to build a system that will raise and lower the TV. That's what I need the motors for.

It turns out, that while I am generally handy, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing when it comes to small electric motors.

[NoviceNerd]

Thanks for responding .

I think to start, if someone could point me to basic diagrams of the most common small motors. Something that described all the parts and what they are used for. What wire does what and what they need to be attached to. Something like that. It seams like something that should be easy to find, but I have been coming up snake eyes.

[MrVoyagerx]

Welcome aboard my friend, hey, not to steer you away, but there are better forums related to your question. I included a few below as a starting point.

good luck

https://www.robotshop.com/community/forum/

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-r...us-robots-490/

https://sdrobots.com/forums/

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[NoviceNerd]

Thanks! Those look promising.

I should have thought of at least some of those options. Basic robotics is much closer to what I'm looking for. Thanks for helping a noob lost in the wilderness of the Interwebs.

[Alpha]

NoviceNerd Welcome to Hobby Squawk, I always respect someone who is seeking knowledge, we can all learn something new every day! There's enough of us on here to get you started with your quest.

In addition to what others have said, I'd also suggest you look into stepper motors. Stepper motors are a type of DC motor that are very precise, and may be well suited to repeated positioning of your TV/board in a consistent location. Stepper motors are available in a range of sizes, strengths, speeds. They're often used in CNC machines and 3D printers, and can be controlled with very cheap controllers like an Arduino board, or even something as simple as a power source to start the motor and a limit switch on either end of the travel to stop the motor when the motor reaches it.

[NoviceNerd]

I followed most of that. Off to the Interwebs I go! Searching for the potentially rewarding quarry of "step motors". From your description, that may be what I am looking for.