BasementPaul My favorite "utility" paint!!!! :-)

Currently I have the wheels set where there is ~6.5" between them. I've run 4&5 size balls at this distance with no issues (lately it's all 5's). Earlier I ran larger spacing, but I found out that if the balls get WET then they tend to slow way down as the wheels slip. By running them closer (more) squeeze doesn't seem to hurt anything and still let us work good if the dew was on the grass.

Patrick Crawford I don't have any wiring schematics - I just followed the SCR manufacture's directions. My wiring directions won't help unless you have the identical controllers

Hi Chelsea, Projects like this are a labor of love, meaning that to do it CHEAP requires a LOT of labor. It would become cost prohibitive pretty quick. However IF you can get resourceful, you could build your own! While I welded this one - you could get some of the bolt together aluminum extrusions often used in industry (McMaster-Carr is helpful). But to really do it cheaply you're gonna need to get your A-1 scavenging skills going.

The motors are just DC motors - nothing special. I actually made the adapters, but you can buy those at the Go-Cart supply places as they use them alot.

​@@RacinJacin392 are the adapters for the wheels? So there is no need for a lathe?

@@ricardo5670 Check with the go-cart people. Last I looked they had "hub adapters" that were identical to what I made. They may also be the right place to get better quality (balanced wheels/rims) as some of those carts REALLY fly.

Hello sir my names Ernesto were you successful in building ball launcher?

I used 2 SCR controllers (each motor separate for individual speed control) 120AC Input. 90VDC motors. Everything was scavenged used or surplus - much from Ebay.

RacinJacin392 thx so much

David DeJoia Yes, I swapped the motor leads so one goes CCW and the other rotates CW.

What kind of motors are these I'm looking to buy some, how much can I look to pay for one of these motors

I think he said 90 v not 19

SCR controllers - 120V in 90DC out

I used those 90VDC motor ONLY because I had them and the 90VDC controllers laying around. For wheel adapters - look to the Go-Cart industry - last time I looked they had Hub Adapters that would work depending on your motor shaft.

@@RacinJacin392 Thanks. For some reason the motor vendors don't tend to mention the axle diameter. I'll keep searching for a 12V DC motor 2500rpm with matching diameter so that I can use a 12V battery for 2 motors, keeping about 1000rpm.

+Michael Meyer I made some adapters (I understand not everyone has lathe access), but I think you can purchase them from the guys who supply parts to build go-carts. - I see they sell hub adapters - I bet you could get them to work. I bought the steel rims and tires off Ebay - having used them for a while now - they are OK , but nothing to get excited about because they do have some runout - and now that my son is 14 we're wanting to crank up the speed so better balanced wheels are my next upgrade - not sure if I will spend $ on some aluminum go cart stuff or just find something I can modify from the surplus store. I hope that helps

David Placke I used USED 90VDC 2500 RPM motors -1/3 HP (IIRC) I bought off Ebay for dirt.

I made hubs, but if you would rather buy them - go to the people who sell Go Cart parts - they sell hub adapters that would work well.

For DC you can find cordless lawnmowers on Craigslist--once the batteries die, people tend to junk the thing instead of buying new batteries. For AC you can find plug-in electric lawnmowers, which include the actuator (turns AC to DC). I suggest lawnmowers only because the motor is easy to access and the RPM is high. Treadmill motors are also high RPM and easy to access--and easy to get cheap or free; the circuit boards and tread begins to slip long before the motor burns out.

Hello I want to make a soccer ball. I need you to provide me with engine information and construction drawings Email: sajadghadari1378@gmail.com

Those contain the SCR motor controllers - one for each motor.

Hi Malik, Sorry for the delayed response, but you caught me during race season! The materials used here are way overkill (I used what I had laying around or what I could get for free). Unfortunately I never made any drawings. The main frame is 3"x3" steel tubing - I'd have used aluminum if I had my choice. The ball "chute" is made from common electrical conduit. The motors are 90VDC 2500RPM (I run much slower) and I used old school SCR controllers because they were free. I made the motor spacing adjustable - extra squeeze is nice for when the balls are wet and doesn't hurt anything when they are dry.

Its totally okay, i'm still in the brainstorming part. And I fully understand about the measurements but where did you get the materials from then? Like, the "conveyor" the ball is following towards the wheels? Was it already welded or did you have to do so? (Sorry, my English is not my first language) thanks for the response!

@@halvkat The ball chute was made from electrical conduit. it's easy to bend, but you need to be very careful welding it as it is galvanized. ALL of the galvanized coating MUST be removed to weld. If you try welding on galvanized metal it will produce nasty gases that are harmful. Crystal clean or don't weld it. You could also skip that hassle and get good clean tubing to start with. I had conduit laying around so I USED what I had.

@@RacinJacin392 ah allright. I have some standard iron/steel tube at my school. Another question though. What connection is there from the engines to the wheels on top? And is it just some ball bearings down by the ground wheels? Thanks so much for answering me it's kind of your machine I'm working out from. Kind regards.

Ryan Dahl It's nothing special - a linear actuator a buddy gave me - I used an old laptop battery charger to run it (you can see the battery charger strapped to the top of the launcher)

Edward Cunningham I never drew up any plans, everything was seat of my pants so to speak. I'll try to grab tape and get you some numbers.

@@RacinJacin392 great machine you made. Have you ever tried ut to see how well it worked? Put up a video if you can.

@@cfomusic73 We used this for several years. As my son got older we just kept increasing the ball speed. Never chrono'd it but they were really moving. It would launch them nearly the length of the field, but that's not how we used it. We did goalie training with it. The only issue I ever had was at the mega high speeds - the wheels needed balanced.

Hey I want to build one. Can u help me with some measurements

Yes I would like to build one as well

I'd love to Amanda, but without product liability insurance I'm afraid I cannot. :-(

TheDRIBBLER2 The original intent was to use it around the yard, but we have brought it to various fields - in those instances I throw a generator in the back of my truck!

TheDRIBBLER2 haters gone hate

There are several tutorials on how to make a cordless lawnmower work off a car battery. I am sure the same would apply here.

312 Woodworking I also want to know how many watts thease motors are.

312 Woodworking IIRC I used 1/3 HP motors, 2500 RPM , 90 VDC w/ SCR controllers - all used off Ebay

+William Ambrose I bought used on Ebay!

thank you I'll keep my eyes out. how fast can it shoot the balls out would you say.

+William Ambrose It'll shoot them out scary fast - the limiting factor for mine right now is the balance on the wheels - they start to vibrate when we turn it up to scary fast range. I was planning on looking into this to see if I couldn't balance them - these particular motors go 2,500 rpm - we've never been full speed yet.

+William Ambrose I have wanted to try getting some solid wheels - figuring I could easily true them up on the lathe, but haven't been down to the surplus store to try and scrounge any. My son plays U14 - this shoots them faster than the 14's kick - that's why I've been a little lazy in solving my balance problem.

Ok thank you. what brand/model number are the motors

So you don't need a lot of torque to spin up the motors, but when shooting quick consecutive shots is when you notice the torque. Under powered motors will drop the speed and your quick follow up shot will be less power. The motors I used were pretty good. Also the motor controller parameters will affect this a well. I fiddled with the parameters some using the OEMs instructions.

were you able to find out ?

These are some old motors - I have bought some of them off Ebay from Industrial Surplus vendors - to buy this exact motor new would likely be expensive. Used off Ebay was cheap. I wouldn't recommend focusing on this exact motor - anything close would be fine. These are 90VDC 2500rpm 1/3 HP IIRC

Sorry this was just a project showing what one could build out of scavenged parts and a welder. Nothing available to sell.

Ole Peitersen Sorry Ole, I'm afraid the labor would kill the deal ;-( But don't let that keep you from building one. To do it cheap you just gotta source some deals and maybe use a favor or two.

Ole Peitersen ur bad at life

Alex Guevara Marulanda Sorrry, just built the one for my son. :-(

TrinityRandy Your English is far better than my German!!!

Selbst wenn man das ins deutsche Übersetzt ist der Satzbau falsch bzw. grammatisch nicht richtig. Naja