air-powered star trek style door

8/11/2019 Air-Powered Star Trek Style Door

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entryway for my bedroom.

Edit: Not every detail is included in this Instructable. I did the best I could using pictures I had taken 4

years ago. There are some more details on my blog if you would like to read more:

http://uiproductions.blogspot.com (http://uiproductions.blogspot.com)

To be acceptable as a permanent renovation to our house, I knew the door had to have a normal

appearance, as well as be practical and maintenance free. To reduce the number of moving parts

(and maybe for a little coolness factor) I decided to make the door air-powered. The air would be

supplied by a small compressor and storage tank located in the attic. In order to open and close from

the inside and out, the door needed a little bit of brainpower. I decided to use a small PIC

microcontroller, my platform of choice still to this day. Arduino didn't exist back then.

With a rough plan in my head, I drew a quick CAD model of the door and the brackets that would

connect the pistons to the door halves. I was ready to start purchasing parts.

Step 1: Buy Parts / Tear Out Wall

Related

See More (/tag/type-id/?q=)

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w orkshop/keyw ord-hallow een/)

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Here are some of the parts I used:

- Craftsman 1 Gallon Air Compressor / Tank

- 32" wide, solid wood door from Home Depot (to be cut in half)

- Pocket Door Track from McMaster.com

- Two 16" stroke, 3/4" bore pneumatic pistons from McMaster.com

- A 5-way, 12V solenoid-operated valve from McMaster.com

- Various pneumatic hose, fittings, a regulator, push-on hose connectors, two valves for air supply and

purge

Your parts will vary depending on your door size, your wall configuration, etc.

Start tearing out your wall with a hammer, crowbar, or any other destructive tools you can find laying

around. This is the fun part of the project!

Step 2: Install the track, hang the doors, and patch up one wall.

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I proceeded to cut the solid wood door in half with a circular saw, sanding the edges when done. I

considered using bi-fold doors which are already the right size, but they didn't give the appearance of

a normal door when joined together.

With all of the interfering studs removed from the wall, I held the rear drywall in place with 3/4" thick

wood boards, which would still leave room for the door to travel through the wall. I added a new 2x4

stud on one side to support the pocket door track, and installed the track and a door half using the

included hardware. You can see below how the one half will slide into the wall cavity.

Some strips of drywall, mud, and tr im take care of the hallway with no problem.

Step 3: Fabricate door bracket / install pistons

Next I had to fabricate a bracket to connect the pistons above the door to the actual door. I welded up

a bracket out of some steel flat bar from Home Depot and attached it to the back of the door with aspacer block. I could have really used some more advanced tools at this point, but I had to work with

what I had at the time. You can fabricate this bracket from sheet metal, steel bar, wood, or whatever

you can find.

With the two brackets fabricated and installed, I mounted the two 16" pistons above the door, side by

side. Air supplied to the back of the pistons would open the doors, and air supplied to the front of the

pistons would close the doors, as seen below. I rigged up the valve temporarily to test everything out.

Step 4: Electronics

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For the electronics, a simple on/off switch would have worked. But I wanted to get a little fancier and

control the timing of the doors opening and closing. I made the circuitry from components that are

readily available at Radio Shack and Sparkfun.com. The circuitry just waits for the button to be

pushed then switches the air valve on so the door will open. After a few seconds, the valve switches

back off and the door closes.

I mounted a DIP socket, a relay, and a few other components on a Radio Shack perf board, and

placed the whole thing inside a plastic junction box. I also wired in two AC power switches, onesupplying AC power to the wall adapter for the circuitry, and the other supplying power to the

compressor in the attic. I wanted the whole system to be enabled and disabled from this "control

panel", including the air supply.

Step 5: Test it out / patch up the wall

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After countless cycles of testing and tweaking the door operation with the wall open for a month or two,

I finally felt comfortable closing up the wall. Here you can see some of the new drywall starting to go

back up.

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Air-Powered Star Trek Style Doorby uiproductions (/member/uiproductions/)

+ CollectionDownload (/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?download=pdf) 5 Steps Favorit(/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/)
http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?download=pdfhttp://www.instructables.com/member/uiproductions/http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FRL/PXEQ/GH8A05ZZ/FRLPXEQGH8A05ZZ.LARGE.jpghttp://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FJP/TLXE/GH8A060G/FJPTLXEGH8A060G.LARGE.jpghttp://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FGO/QTN1/GH8A060T/FGOQTN1GH8A060T.LARGE.jpg


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Post Comment

(/member/Kirkthepyro/)

Jul 16, 2013. 7:59 AM Reply (C1II0OAHJ6054U8)

(/member/leovalk/)

Dec 9, 2010. 7:33 AM Reply (CDNXW05GHHILL9R)

1

(/member/uiproductions/)

Dec 9, 2010. 8:23 PM Reply (CKCFU77GHFJWZ80)

(/member/Robnelson/)

Mar 1, 2013. 10:21 AM Reply (CIIBOQAHDOW3KJ0)

2

(/member/Beergnome/)

Dec 9, 2010. 6:14 PM Reply (CK9L065GHI9CHFZ)

From there it was just a matter of painting the wall, and it was back to looking stock. I purchased a

blank white wall plate from Home Depot. I drilled it out for an illuminated pushbutton and a 3-position

keyswitch, both of which I bought from McMaster. I also purchased a plastic hatch door from McMaster

for the control box. Lastly, I added an air conditioning vent above the door. This lets the air venting

noises be heard, and it also provides me access to the valve and pistons should anything go wrong.

After you've tested the door and patched up the wall, that's about it! Good luck with your project and

feel free to post comments and ask questions if I skipped over anything you might need help with.

Thanks for reading!

1-40 of157

Next (http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?&sort=ACTIVE&limit=40&offset=40#DISCUSS)

Kirkthepyro (/member/Kirkthepyro/)says:

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

leovalk (/member/leovalk/)says:

Did you consider adding a movement sensor? B'cause captain Kirk never pushes a button to get in orout.great job, could you come to my place and do one for me :)

uiproductions (/member/uiproductions/)(author) in reply to leovalkhis clip from Star Trek is interestingecause it shows not only thetagehand that opens the door, butlso the button that they push topen the door:ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?=hryWC0P4jDg

Robnelson (/member/Robnelson/)in reply to uiproductions

know your comment is from aouple of years ago, but the youtubelip from Star Trek is marked privateo I can't see it. I tried a couple of

eywords, but no luck on locatingnother copy of it. any ideas?

Beergnome (/member/Beergnome/)in reply to leovalk

lso consider that the doors onnterprise are Script aware.. they willot open or close unless some oneurns to someone else and saysomething dramatic.e dont have this technology here onrf... YET.

ut in the meen time, I would imagineinfra-red motion sensor would be

oo much of a PITA for this scenario,

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(/member/S179276SP/)

Jul 31, 2012. 12:42 PM Reply (C0SBXSNH58P2OMK)

113

(/member/Penolopy+Bulnick/)

Jun 14, 2012. 4:56 PM Reply (CM4QUVAH337L3H2)

(/member/mheron/)

Apr 30, 2012. 8:02 PM Reply (C4EFTDTH1JU51MH)

1

(/member/ChewyCov/)

Mar 21, 2008. 6:05 AM Reply (CPRLPWKH0A2HFUB)

7

(/member/farmerboyk/)

Dec 8, 2011. 10:22 PM Reply (C8X4FCBGVXH7Y7E)

7

(/member/farmerboyk/)

Dec 8, 2011. 10:21 PM Reply (CKZ3DNPGVXH7Y7B)

1(/member/Wo0kiE/)

Nov 1, 2011. 8:46 AM Reply (C4Z4HF0GUGD18FX)

(/member/Cajundweeb/)

Aug 13, 2011. 8:34 PM Reply (CDEGC4OGRAEB141)

(/member/ultralegomaster5096/)

Jun 6, 2011. 3:10 PM Reply (CJGT2X0GOHMB4I3)

owever, a floor mounted pressurewitch could be advantageous.

S179276SP (/member/S179276SP/)says:

OH MY GOSH. I'm doing this to my bedroom door!

Penolopy Bulnick (/member/Penolopy+Bulnick/)says:

Best doors ever !

mheron (/member/mheron/)says:

i know this is late but still.

I just spent the past 10 minutes reading every comment and i have one thing to say to any onecomplaining about saftey first you obviously didnt watch the video but mainly secondly its wood withno centre connection meaning a weak point all you would have to do is simple firm kick to the centreand you have effectivly made a entrance the doors are not that strong.

ps on a side not dr who how many jobs have you done since you must be 250 years old to havemastered everything.

ChewyCov (/member/ChewyCov/)says:

Quite possibly one of the best Instructables I've read! There are heaps and heaps of really cool thingson this site, but this is one of the few that most average people could accomplish! Especially if theyare doing renovating anyway. Unfortunately I am renting right now, but when i'm big and ugly enough, Iam going to have a door like this!

farmerboyk (/member/farmerboyk/)says:

HAHA! no one EVER post comments on steps! XD :P

farmerboyk (/member/farmerboyk/)says:

Awesome! gotta remember this... .

Wo0kiE (/member/Wo0kiE/)says:

I am quite sure I will not see anything else today, or this week for that matter, that will rock near ashard as this...

hank you so much for sharing this one!

Cajundweeb (/member/Cajundweeb/)says:

SWEEET! Now THAT'S how you pimp out aroom. If you could sell kits to do this, you'dmake a killing!

ultralegomaster5096 (/member/ultralegomaster5096/)says:

This. Is. Awesome!

acidbass (/member/acidbass/)says:
http://www.instructables.com/member/acidbass/http://www.instructables.com/member/ultralegomaster5096/http://www.instructables.com/member/Cajundweeb/http://www.instructables.com/member/Wo0kiE/http://www.instructables.com/member/farmerboyk/http://www.instructables.com/member/farmerboyk/http://www.instructables.com/member/ChewyCov/http://www.instructables.com/member/mheron/http://www.instructables.com/member/Penolopy+Bulnick/http://www.instructables.com/member/S179276SP/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CJGT2X0GOHMB4I3http://www.instructables.com/member/ultralegomaster5096/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CDEGC4OGRAEB141http://www.instructables.com/member/Cajundweeb/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C4Z4HF0GUGD18FXhttp://www.instructables.com/member/Wo0kiE/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CKZ3DNPGVXH7Y7Bhttp://www.instructables.com/member/farmerboyk/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C8X4FCBGVXH7Y7Ehttp://www.instructables.com/member/farmerboyk/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CPRLPWKH0A2HFUBhttp://www.instructables.com/member/ChewyCov/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C4EFTDTH1JU51MHhttp://www.instructables.com/member/mheron/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CM4QUVAH337L3H2http://www.instructables.com/member/Penolopy+Bulnick/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C0SBXSNH58P2OMKhttp://www.instructables.com/member/S179276SP/


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(/member/acidbass/)

May 25, 2011. 9:41 PM Reply (C9NR8J8GO502CIY)

(/member/Polarize/)

May 25, 2011. 9:41 AM Reply (CTMJ6IBGO430FOY)

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May 25, 2011. 7:43 AM Reply (CJNQ1NWGO430F73)

3

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May 25, 2011. 5:48 AM Reply (CBQJY2DGO430YD8)

(/member/oRelyTo/)

May 24, 2011. 11:46 AM Reply (CNT0IUUGO14QLSC)

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Mar 4, 2011. 7:30 AM Reply (C6E21YNGKS0RWFK)

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Apr 9, 2011. 9:21 PM Reply (C61FHGMGM9QLFUH)

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Feb 15, 2011. 2:33 PM Reply (C5T1LD4GJQEB0M4)

1

(/member/guitarwizard94/)

Feb 8, 2011. 1:16 PM Reply (CTCZ4BQGJQEGADO)

awesomeP.S. don't mind Dr. who he was bugging me also

Polarize (/member/Polarize/)says:

To cool...

GodOfGreen (/member/GodOfGreen/)says:I love this instructable. I love this project.

hy? because it REALLY took guts, know-how and hard work for a totally selfishlymotivated unique zesty custom doorway!You rock! Nothing but love from here. Icustom designed and built our swimmingpool, my secret laboratory, our bathrooms,and an Arizona room. I'm now building big,heavy robots in my "laboratory", and I runan algal biodiesel plant during the day. Yourcarpentry and compressor set up is wellhought out, durable, and was even finished

like a pro! Solid core wood doors? Yourweren't mess ing around from the s tart!Hats off to all your work :)

geekgrl5000 (/member/geekgrl5000/)says:

OMG that is awesome!

oRelyTo (/member/oRelyTo/)says:

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Yay! This is gonna be fun to make! Very freakingimpressive.

joee zz (/member/joeezz/)says:

LOL all the Supermarkets in the Netherlands has it :-P

agis68 (/member/agis68/)in reply to joeezz

think its not exactly the sameystem! they use motor notressured air

McNoodle (/member/McNoodle/)says:

about how much did this project cost

guitarwizard94 (/member/guitarwiza rd94/)says:

you know what would be great would behooking up an arduino of some sort thatwould allow you to open it using a voicecommand, and I believe also that there is aninstructable on knocking a certain pattern onhe door to make it open. Either way would

be pretty awesome... Great instructable, veryinspiring haha!
http://www.instructables.com/member/guitarwizard94/http://www.instructables.com/member/McNoodle/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#C6E21YNGKS0RWFKhttp://www.instructables.com/member/agis68/http://www.instructables.com/member/joeezz/http://www.instructables.com/member/oRelyTo/http://www.instructables.com/member/geekgrl5000/http://www.instructables.com/member/GodOfGreen/http://www.instructables.com/member/Polarize/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CTCZ4BQGJQEGADOhttp://www.instructables.com/member/guitarwizard94/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C5T1LD4GJQEB0M4http://www.instructables.com/member/McNoodle/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C61FHGMGM9QLFUHhttp://www.instructables.com/member/agis68/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C6E21YNGKS0RWFKhttp://www.instructables.com/member/joeezz/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CNT0IUUGO14QLSChttp://www.instructables.com/member/oRelyTo/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CBQJY2DGO430YD8http://www.instructables.com/member/geekgrl5000/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CJNQ1NWGO430F73http://www.instructables.com/member/GodOfGreen/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CTMJ6IBGO430FOYhttp://www.instructables.com/member/Polarize/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C9NR8J8GO502CIYhttp://www.instructables.com/member/acidbass/


10/14

1

(/member/guitarwizard94/)

Feb 8, 2011. 1:27 PM Reply (CYK3QODGJQEGBU3)

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Jan 2, 2011. 3:42 PM Reply (CYLQMSGGI0TML5C)

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Jan 13, 2011. 3:46 PM Reply (C2P3YBIGITHIUOK)

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Feb 6, 2011. 12:33 AM Reply (C496B0QGJQED52A)

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Jan 20, 2011. 8:34 PM Reply (CGTIA74GJ6E8QJL)

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Jan 19, 2011. 11:08 PM Reply (CH8Q6Z1GJ2837LP)

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Dec 11, 2010. 6:38 PM Reply (CN0HYB4GHFJX6MA)

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Jan 17, 2011. 8:48 PM Reply (C4B3PMJGJ27Z15X)

4

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Dec 13, 2010. 6:40 PM Reply (CA4T9KRGHN8DGSZ)

guitarwizard94 (/member/guitarwiza rd94/)in reply to guitarwizard94

like the original way too don't gete wrong just have a habit of

vercomplicating things lol

rhino21 (/member/rhino21/)says:

you could also put a motion sensor near the door so that it opens automatically like the doors at themall

smtgr14 (/member/smtgr14/)in reply to rhino21e would of but the door is in aallway and a small room, the sensorould trigger when people want toass through the doorway but it wouldlso trigger if someone passed by orhen he goes toward the door with no

ntention of going through theoorway.

thirtyfivefox (/member/thirtyfivefox/)in reply to smtgr14

irectional passive infrared hungrom over head and aimed downould cut down on a TON of false

pens... just a thought...

crfive_0 (/member/crfive_0/)says:

Everyone needs to quit bitching about safety. This is incredible. But more practical for a walk incloset. Imagine typing in a keypad and your closet door opening and turning the light on, of courseyou wouldnt want it closing behind you, but that's an easy thing to work around. Brilliant. I want tobuild one!

javipz (/membe r/javipz/)says:

I'm a huge Star Wars fan but... this project is AWESOME!!! keep being the best trekkie over theworld! ;-)

finbar galdeep (/member/finbar+galdeep/)says:

i needs a speaker so that the door caninform them that it is "its pleasure to openfor them and it is its satisfaction to closeagain with the knowledge of a job well done"

hintss (/member/hintss/)in reply to finbar galdeep

here is that from? it soundsamiliar...

nanio (/member/nanio/)in reply to hintss

he quote is from the hitchhikersuide to the galaxy.

_-MacGyver-_ (/member/_-MacGyver-_/)in reply to finbar galdeep

ude! Thats Brilliant! :D
http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CN0HYB4GHFJX6MAhttp://www.instructables.com/member/_-MacGyver-_/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#C0QMWM9GIWZLPW8http://www.instructables.com/member/nanio/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CN0HYB4GHFJX6MAhttp://www.instructables.com/member/hintss/http://www.instructables.com/member/finbar+galdeep/http://www.instructables.com/member/javipz/http://www.instructables.com/member/crfive_0/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#C2P3YBIGITHIUOKhttp://www.instructables.com/member/thirtyfivefox/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CYLQMSGGI0TML5Chttp://www.instructables.com/member/smtgr14/http://www.instructables.com/member/rhino21/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CTCZ4BQGJQEGADOhttp://www.instructables.com/member/guitarwizard94/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CA4T9KRGHN8DGSZhttp://www.instructables.com/member/_-MacGyver-_/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C4B3PMJGJ27Z15Xhttp://www.instructables.com/member/nanio/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C0QMWM9GIWZLPW8http://www.instructables.com/member/hintss/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CN0HYB4GHFJX6MAhttp://www.instructables.com/member/finbar+galdeep/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CH8Q6Z1GJ2837LPhttp://www.instructables.com/member/javipz/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CGTIA74GJ6E8QJLhttp://www.instructables.com/member/crfive_0/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C496B0QGJQED52Ahttp://www.instructables.com/member/thirtyfivefox/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C2P3YBIGITHIUOKhttp://www.instructables.com/member/smtgr14/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CYLQMSGGI0TML5Chttp://www.instructables.com/member/rhino21/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CYK3QODGJQEGBU3http://www.instructables.com/member/guitarwizard94/


11/14

(/member/RabidAlien/)

Dec 12, 2010. 8:41 AM Reply (CEOTO87GHI9CPWM)

(/member/hintss/)

Dec 12, 2010. 4:30 PM Reply (COYR47AGHI9CSQE)

(/member/-

%3DDr.Who%3D-/)

Dec 9, 2010. 11:16 AM Reply (CCGPOH2GHHILLS6)

RabidAlien (/member/RabidAlien/)in reply to finbar galdeep

OTFLMBO!!! Great idea!!

hintss (/member/hintss/)in reply to RabidAlien

nd make people feel guilty for notoing through*

xkcd reference

-=Dr.Who=- (/member/-%3DDr.Who%3D-/)says:

This is very cool. An automatic door isalways nice. There is a question of safetyhat comes to mind as yoguy121 brought

up. What if the door were to get stuck?hat if you lost power or worse, there was a

fire. If you don't mind some suggestions,his may save your life or your child's.

The "return action" of the Star Trek Turbo-Liftdoors didn't really have a sound to them(until much later in the series that is). So,perhaps the "return spring" method ofclosing isn't such a bad idea.The thing I find dangerous is that you didn'tincorporate any kind of "Manual Override" in

your design. Since you're using compressedair as the actual power for the doorpneumatics you wouldn't need electricalpower in an emergency. Just a bypass valvein one of your access panels or add a newpanel or two. One for both sides of the door,because you never know what side you'regoing to be on when power goes out andyou need to get in (or out) of the room.Also, if you're thinking that a battery backupwill suffice to answer these issues, you'reust begging for problems. Battery poweredUPSs are notorious for having the battery gobad from non-use. Yes I said NON-use. Plushe power that compressor takes at start-up

will just pop the weak little breaker on theUPS leaving you still stuck on one side or

he other. So I wouldn't bet my life or mykids life on a $50 UPS you got at Best Buy.This is a mechanical device and it shouldhave a manual bypass. Seems to me thathis is a no-brainer and all that's needed is a

couple 1/4turn ball valves and a couple anti-reversing valves installed.A "Neat Door" is not worth dying overbecause you cheaped out. In my opinion,here is never a "Good day to die".

This is very cool though. There are still otherhings that you could do to it. Like add an

RFID system or Thumb-print scanner orfreak out your friends with an Ocular orHandprint Scanner to open the door! Howabout Voice operated command system or

ust a simple contact pad (like in the grocerystores) or a short range motion detector toactivate it.Also, there is a "single ram" method to openboth doors that goes hand-in-hand with the"spring return" closure, using a thin cableand a couple small pulley-type wheels.Super simple design uses only 1 air line tohe ram! This would decrease the cost and

complexity of the build by a factor of 4 (don'task, it just sounds good). So, you couldhave done either 2 doors with the parts younow have or just saved youself from buyinghe second ram, the extra hosing and

fittings and the time it took to install all thatextra stuff.If you're interested, PM me and I'll send you

a drawing of the modification.
http://www.instructables.com/member/-%3DDr.Who%3D-/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CEOTO87GHI9CPWMhttp://www.instructables.com/member/hintss/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CN0HYB4GHFJX6MAhttp://www.instructables.com/member/RabidAlien/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CCGPOH2GHHILLS6http://www.instructables.com/member/-%3DDr.Who%3D-/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/COYR47AGHI9CSQEhttp://www.instructables.com/member/hintss/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CEOTO87GHI9CPWMhttp://www.instructables.com/member/RabidAlien/


12/14

(/member/smtgr14/)

Jan 13, 2011. 3:48 PM Reply (CP907DEGITHIUP1)

(/member/yankees3142/)

Dec 15, 2010. 8:18 PM Reply (C5D3ZLYGHFJYCP4)

(/member/-

%3DDr.Who%3D-

/)

Dec 16, 2010. 1:09 AM Reply (C58TFLSGHOX6J15)

1

(/member/uiproductions/)

Dec 9, 2010. 12:27 PM Reply (CFKDGT9GHFJWX3N)

These are just some things to think about.Good job with the instructable. I liked it andso did a bunch of other people!

smtgr14 (/member/smtgr14/)in reply to -=Dr.Who=-

here is a manual override inside theoom where the system can be shutff and the air vented so the door cane opened manually.

yankees3142 (/member/yankees3142/)in reply to -=Dr.Who=-

. How do you figure a factor of 4?

. So you actually made a drawingf a random modification toomeone elses project, yet youecided to skip the video and goight to the instructions for fear ofasting time? lol

-=Dr.Who=- (/member/-%3DDr.Who%3D-/)in reply to yankees3142

. I guess you don't understandatire because I said "don't ask, it

ust sounds good". But if you want

o get technical... There are 3omplete air lines and 1 ram thatou wouldn't have to buy and install.hat's 4 components. So, factor of, per-say.

. I didn't make a drawing. It saysPM me and I'll send you a drawingf the modification". Meaning I couldraw it up, not that I drew a picture

or him.

These are just some things to thinkbout." You must not have read that

ast line...

nd I did watch the video, after I

ead threw it, but all the suggestionsmade are based on first-handxperience with the differentechnologies involved with theontrols and mechanics ofutomated doors.nd as I said, the video wasn't all

hat useful. it just showed the finalroduct in action but it didn't showhe build process. But he had a lotf nice pictures that did. Soatching the video first wouldn't haveiven me the information I was

ooking for.ust because something is at theop of a page, doesn't mean you

AVE to start there. It's jus t auggestion.o thanks for trolling.

uiproductions (/member/uiproductions/)(author) in reply to -=Dr.Who=-

really appreciate all theomments everyone posts, but yourote an awful lot for not readinguch. There is a manual valve right

y the door to release theressure. Check out my site forore details. There are a few

hings that I left out of thenstructable to keep it simple. I

an't tell you exactly how to buildour own door, but I can at least
http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CCGPOH2GHHILLS6http://www.instructables.com/member/uiproductions/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#C5D3ZLYGHFJYCP4http://www.instructables.com/member/-%3DDr.Who%3D-/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CCGPOH2GHHILLS6http://www.instructables.com/member/yankees3142/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/?ALLSTEPS#CCGPOH2GHHILLS6http://www.instructables.com/member/smtgr14/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CFKDGT9GHFJWX3Nhttp://www.instructables.com/member/uiproductions/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C58TFLSGHOX6J15http://www.instructables.com/member/-%3DDr.Who%3D-/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/C5D3ZLYGHFJYCP4http://www.instructables.com/member/yankees3142/http://www.instructables.com/id/Air-Powered-Star-Trek-Style-Door/CP907DEGITHIUP1http://www.instructables.com/member/smtgr14/


13/14

Post Comment

how what I did.

aving two cy linders was theimplest option for me at the time,ot having any fancy tools to

abricate a pulley system. I don'tnderstand how adding twoulleys, a cable, and bracketsould simplify things more. Theyre both equally good options iny opinion.

battery backup is just aonvenience. If the power goes out,he door will still function normally.t doesn't replace the manualverride or the fact that you can

ust force the doors open by hand ifou need to get in or out, which Iave done before. I wouldn't beuying a UPS from best buy, Iould design a PCB for batteryanagement. That's what I do for a

iving now.

obody is dying because Icheaped out". If the power goesut, there is a manual override. Ifhe compressor doesn't run, theines will eventually lose airressure and the doors will be even

asier to open by hand. Andeaven forbid, if the door doesntpen and the room is on fire, justlimb out the window that's two

eet away, don't be stupid.

ut seriously, there are alwaysoing to be more "nice to have"

eatures. I built it to be practicalnd unnoticeable, which it is forhe most part. I don't even live inhe same city anymore, and theoor still works great 4 years after Iuilt it. It saves space, it is easy

or ANYONE to operate, and itooks cool! There are plenty ofther uses for it to, such as in

omes of people with disabilities.

hanks for the const ructiveriticism.

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