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[Ashen Kelborn]

This is my helmet and as you can see its a Boba size lid and quite combersome.
It worked to become OM, but now I feel I need to change the configeration of the ear cap mounted pieces as they keep getting broken off and transport is difficult, so I was hoping someone could help me put a RC servo in the helmet so I can flick a switch on my gauntlet and the RF (that I need to build) drops 90 degrees down.
 




Servo I got hold of and spec



RC cars I've gutted for the RC parts, they go forward and backwards only





Hoping someone can help me/guide me and are these parts of any use?

[Dun'merkin]

Right...looks like he rc cars just have a motor that runs forwards/reverse but it's a bit big to fit in a bucket lol

Servo's have 3 wires...I'VE snipped the plugs off one I have sitting around and hooked it up to a battery.
With red as +ve and black as -ve there is a tiny little twitch from the servo...thats all.  Third wire...the yellow one is a pulse one. This one sends out a Pulse Width Modulation or PWM. This is what 'controls' the amount the servo moves.

That servo you've got operates at 4.8-6.0 ...so pretty much 4xAA. You'll want to run it at the max voltage it can handle to get it running smoothly.

Ok...done a quick bit of research and this...



Is the simplest control circuit I've seen. You'd need to adapt it slightly to have the control you are after....by replacing the R1 with a 50k trim rheostat and adding a 1M rheostat in parallel to P1. P1 is your gauntlet switch via a potentiometer...you'll have to turn a knob and stop turning when you want to stop the servo moving.  You can also limit the range of the servo...that's just a case of tweaking the resistances.

The problem with all that is that the servo is going to have to sit pretty close to your head...the moving parts will be out the way but it will get warm.

[Dun'merkin]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/servo-and-controller-board-kit-n10jg

BOOM! ...servo and controller kit for £20 from maplin. Runs off for AA batteries...so 6V.

All you have to do is build the kit which is pretty straight forward at a guess then put it in place....oh and extend wires obvious.
As you turn the pot the servo moves to match it....so I'd advise you trial run to see how far the pot needs turning for the positions you want then add a block to prevent you turning it any further.

[Dun'merkin]

Right...I've had an hour or so playing with the above kit...It's ready built so all you need to do is solder the wires on to the controller....as long as you require them.

Now...I reckon this is going to be a pain in the shebs at best.
With my head in a standard bucket I can't get the servo in to connect straight onto the pivot of the rf stalk.

This means the servo would need mounting at 90 degrees from the stalk, then something attaching it to the stalk.

Most obvious way of going that is either cog wheels (gears) or a push rod.

Gears = finding or building the cog wheels you need - one that attaches to the servo and one on the stalk. These then meet so as you turn the servo and attached gear the stalk turns too...



Something like that but much smaller and alongside your head.

The other option...which I've explored a bit more is a pushrod system.

Basically the servo comes with arm things called horns.

One horn mounts on the servo. Attach another to the stalk pivot and connect the 2 with a small metal rod (bent paperclip).

The theory is that  at the servo moves it either pulls or pushes on the rod that pulls or pushes the pivot point of the stalk.
This is used pretty heavily in model aircraft...

The push rods move the elevator and rudder flaps but they don't generally do it at 90 degrees.

Either way I think is going to be a pain in the shebs given the room inside the bucket.

If I have any sudden revelations I'll let you know 

[Dresdon Acacin]

What you can do is make the circuit (the schematic) shaugi posted, then connect that to the 2 wires going to the motor on the remote control car(asumingyou have the remote) then do the same thingI described to you over pm about the gauntlet switches, aned make a hole through the helmet for the servoto sit against with the flat part that has the gear to just be sticking out dlush. then attach the servo arm to the rf or whatever it was thatd be spinning, and then screw that to the servo.

middle wire on the servois pulse in btw

[Ashen Kelborn]

What you can do is make the circuit (the schematic) shaugi posted, then connect that to the 2 wires going to the motor on the remote control car(asumingyou have the remote) then do the same thingI described to you over pm about the gauntlet switches, aned make a hole through the helmet for the servoto sit against with the flat part that has the gear to just be sticking out dlush. then attach the servo arm to the rf or whatever it was thatd be spinning, and then screw that to the servo.

middle wire on the servois pulse in btw

Ok, kinda getting the idea from you both, I have both the rc parts in full (bar the bodywork now as shown above) so that shouldn't be a problem, thinking the 90 degree cog or directly sitting outside earcap may be best bet.

A friend of mine has already had this done for his Boba Fett armour, but the guy who did it is unwilling to do it again as its a pain in the shebs apparently, was willing to send pictures though
Helmet inside


Gauntlet inside


Do either of these confirm what your saying to do?

[Dresdon Acacin]

Vasically....albeit that seems more complicated than something I'd make... :x

[Conner Adenn]

Way more complex than mine, but mine is completely custom using 1" x 3" boards

[Ashen Kelborn]

Sorry, forgot to mention, its got blinking lights on rf too if that makes a difference?

[Dun'merkin]

Guy I work with is into rc planes. He says you can get micro servers reasonably cheap that are way smaller then a normal servo....I'll get him to look at my bucket to see if one would fit inside

[Ashen Kelborn]

Have updated the first post to show scale with the stats below if that helps

[Dresdon Acacin]

Im going to see about assembling the microcontroller circuit Shaugi mentioned below-it seems promising-hopefully I can get something easy rigged up that you could then copy over with little difficulty.

[Mandalore the Uniter]

Guy I work with is into rc planes. He says you can get micro servers reasonably cheap that are way smaller then a normal servo....I'll get him to look at my bucket to see if one would fit inside

Make sure they have a good torque to power ratio.  RC planes are made out of balsa wood, which is extremely light.  Not to mention micro servos on RC planes are usually providing a horizontal/vertical rotation and not a lifting arc.  Micro servos may have an issue pulling up anything where the weight outmatches the available torque.

[Ashen Kelborn]

Im going to see about assembling the microcontroller circuit Shaugi mentioned below-it seems promising-hopefully I can get something easy rigged up that you could then copy over with little difficulty.

that would be great, I really gotta learn what all this stuff means 

Make sure they have a good torque to power ratio.  RC planes are made out of balsa wood, which is extremely light.  Not to mention micro servos on RC planes are usually providing a horizontal/vertical rotation and not a lifting arc.  Micro servos may have an issue pulling up anything where the weight outmatches the available torque.

the micro server I got says its 2.2kg torque, I take it thats ok as I'm not looking to make a really heavy RF?

[Dun'merkin]

Make sure they have a good torque to power ratio.  RC planes are made out of balsa wood, which is extremely light.  Not to mention micro servos on RC planes are usually providing a horizontal/vertical rotation and not a lifting arc.  Micro servos may have an issue pulling up anything where the weight outmatches the available torque.

He's been checking a few out on hobbyking website...if I can get their website to actually load up I'll see if I can get a micro servo and get something rigged up with his input and see what gives.