I made a similar design but with a power output to the motor and each transfer track zone be optionally isolated. This way when i want something lined up i can turn the table until it hits the isolated section then stops. It’s an easy addition to this already pretty easy setup
Nice video. Last year I joined the local model railroad club and the first task they asked of me was to get the turntable operational. It was a mix and match of different turntables with no decent method of controlling it. So I took on the project and 3D printed a stepper motor mount to fit to the turntable which, by the way, has 13 tracks leading up to it; most going to the round house. I also used an arduino to control everything but the control panel had 13 buttons for the tracks, one for 180 degree turn and a reset. So if you are on track 5 and you want to go to track 9, you just push button 9. If you wanted to go to track 3 but also wanted to turn the loco around, you push 180 turn followed by track 3. The program calculates the direction and distance to travel. This works fine but the guys want a simpler control panel so I am currently making one with an LED numeric display and a rotary switch. When complete you will just dial in the track number you want and push the button. Last month I promised I would have it done by Christmas... good thing I didn't say what year.
Roy, I'm curious. How did you make it work by track number instead of just moving by a number of say degrees or stepper pulses? It sounds like you are doing what I have wanted to do with my TT but have not been able write a sketch that worked correctly.
@@davidrt9999 First off, the tracks were not evenly spaced. Some were 10 degrees, some at 15 while others were at 22. Basically, just all over the place. So I calculated the distance between track 1 and track 2, then from track 2 to track 3, and so forth. I then wrote out a set of truth tables which held all this information. Now let's say you are starting at track 3. The variable CurrentTrackNumber holds that value. Now you want to go to track 7 so the program look at the truth tables and finds the corresponding entry. It then takes the value of 3 to 4 plus 4 to 5 plus 5 to 6 plus 6 to 7. These are added up and the turntable turns that specific number of steps. Now 7 is written to the variable CurrentTrackNumber. And it is ready for the next entry. That is the basics of it. And of course, depending if the new track number is higher or lower determines the direction. There is also a routine for turning the locomotive 180 degrees at the same time or independently. Lastly, for the odd time the alignment might not be perfect, (It sometimes happens) there are jog buttons to fix that problem. I hope I am clear enough with my explanation.
This is great! I stumbled upon this from a Hackaday article. I'm really glad they posted your video too because it looks like your channel may be exactly what I need to learn what I need to set up a sweet model railroad with my boys the way I have always wanted! Great video! Looking forward to watching the rest 😁
Absolutely amazing video. The only problems I'm having are that my potentiometer is not the best, and my stepper motor needs some help to spin. Those problems can be solved with getting new hardware, and nothing to do with the video. I don't think I've ever even touched a model train, but this video was so helpful. Thanks.
you can use half steps on the arduino and also let it count steps so you can use pushbuttons for each track stopping in a perfect line. Or a horizontal slider pot ( fader ) with a Counting Dial range next to it for each track. so if the slider reads between 65-90 = track 3 , if it reads between 140-165 = track 6 etc. Also there are better handling stepper motor drivers that could be smoother. Good luck with this project
I found your video about Arduino UNO very informative. Where can I learn more about using and writing an Arduino program to operate a more complex turn table. Where one push button was used to start a set up process and several other buttons used to program stop points for head and tail stop points that lined up with the round house spurs. Also to incorporate some sort of relays to reverse the polarity of the turntable track and connect round house spur power. Just need more in depth info where can I fin this info
Hi Jimmy, I've just watched your turntable basic control, and thoroughly enjoyed it, but can't see if you've done anything else about it. I'm using an Arduino and the same stepper motor you used but have problems getting an exact alignment with just 1 on and 1 off track. Have you a similar short film on that too?
Nice video, i only just got my done with two buttons as i could not get another pot to work. Im gonna give yours a try soon once i get the table painted and put together
Great video Jimmy ,very educational, i have watched a few YT videos about steppers and yours has gave me another way of dealing with the turntable,Thank you ,Regards John
Thank you for the Video. Exactly what I was looking for so set up a table for curing my resin prints. Please though, the background noise/music when you are talking is very distracting, at least for this old man with bad hearing. Thanks again
Hi Jimmy, Really like your videos, keep up the good work. Where can I find the sketch for the Arduino turntable step motor control as shown in you video. Mal n gauge from Australia
I agree with those who mentioned using a gearbox to decrease the speed, but I also wonder if that wouldn’t also solve the indexing problem. If you used a 25:1 gearbox, for example, now you’d have 5000 steps in a revolution, correct? Or more for a higher count gearbox. So you’d change that in the code, and at that point once indexed you’d have enough resolution to move a certain number of steps, 576 for example, every time and you’d always line up. Just a thought, really enjoyed your channel over the last few months, have a great 2019!
Aah so that's what that was! I used the stepper.h example and couldn't get the motor to stop. I thought it was because of the pot but in fact it was the motor and all I had to do was change it from 0 to 5! Because I never thought it was the stepper motor I ended up getting this special library and writing code for it to automatically do 180degrees at the push of a button. I'm thinking of going back to the potentiometer code as you get much more precision but keep the button and the button would reverse the rotation direction. If you ever use it on your layout, Jimmy let me know and I'll print you a nice knob for the potentiometer! :)
Hi, I'm a complete novice with this Arduino technology, it's the first time in my life I work with this technology, but I understand the hardware connecting from your video. I'm following your instruction ordered the same components (still have to arrive). But one thing that is not clear to me is the software, is it a freeware or not, and probably only runs on widows not on Mac OS? Can you give me a link where and what to look for, you wold do me a big favor, as this is the only bit I'm struggling with?
Jimmy, is there an updated link for the ardunio parts in this video? The the link for the starter set is no longer valid. Also, clicking on Pierre's link in the video doesn''t do anything.
I am getting ready to install a turntable on my layout, and I have bought a walthers 90 non motorized turntable and the motorizing kit. My question for you, is it possible to use Arduino to control a NON Stepper Motor, and get it to stop correctly at each track?
Just found this video, very simple indeed. Quick question. How would you handle potential short circuits when the turntable reverses the direction of the trian?
Thanks Will! I plan on gearing it atleast and potentially using buttons and fine adjustments. I may index it, but I also want people to be able to do the tutorial line by line. it may end up being multiple videos.
But what about stopping it? Specifically, stopping it at a specific location/angle in order to line up with the exit and entry tracks. Also, and I know diddly squat about turntables, but from what I have seen of them, the rotation speed seems to be too fast.
From what I've read (in the HO class) this is by far the difficult part of a turntable. Getting it to precisely stop at the right spot for the tracks to line up. Most of the DIY turntables I've seen use a stepper motor to drive a worm gear. This slows the speed down greatly (much more prototypical) and allows things to slow and stop precisely. Usually there's a sensor on the swing arm of the table and guides where the tracks are. The best one I saw used bar codes and an IR phototransistor to let the arduino know where the next track is. And then, like an elevator, it could go faster between tracks and slow down and stop when it got to the correct track number. To make the turntable turn the other direction, it's just a reverse of the sequencing. Some of the other example sketches let you determine direction as well.
I gotta save some stuff for future videos right? ;) The speed is adjustable from the potentiometer and can move quite slow. I plan to work on the turntable and improve it. Once I've got it east to understand, then I'll do an update!
Here's where I got the turntable from: www.thingiverse.com/thing:933854 I did not create the model. I found a post from a guy trying it out on Reddit. It's worth mentioning that to get power to the rails you will have to do some custom work to it.
@@GuyMasong1 You can use the components from an Atlas turntable which have the said brass ring. It's essentially spring tensioned contacts attached to the bridge part sliding on a brass ring attached to the base part. To keep things simple I simply coded specific positions and have the turntable reset back to the first position so it never does a complete rotation so you can just use wires directly
@@PierreLucGagnon58 Thank you. Also, do you know if the pivot is supposed to fit in the hole in the well? In this video it looks like it's sitting on top.
