Foot lift Actuator...electric, pneumatic, mechanical?

[sportycliff]

Mitsubishi CU-865 22

Originally (before I owned) had pneumatic lift. Was removed prior to my ownership.

I wouldn't want to deal with a compressor, and mechanical is a no go without some type of pulley re-routing due to the install of a box type speed reducer.

With the original Mitsu servo and controller, there is little room down there.

I'ver been researching 120v high force linear solenoids such as this... but figure I'd ask if anyone had gone this route or any other thoughts? 

[kgg]

4 hours ago, sportycliff said:

I'ver been researching 120v high force linear solenoids such as this... but figure I'd ask if anyone had gone this route or any other thoughts? 

I would keep it simple with a mechanical connection (wire / wire rope or chain) to a foot pedal and do the re-routing. The two problems I see with the linear solenoids are you have to spec the length of stroke and it is an all or nothing movement where with power on you get full stroke. If you need to turn the item like when doing a 90 degree turn you need to be able to lift the presser foot up slightly so you are probably going to have to force the presser foot level up by hand.

A picture of your setup may help to get some suggestions.

kgg

[sportycliff]

2 hours ago, kgg said:

I would keep it simple with a mechanical connection (wire / wire rope or chain) to a foot pedal and do the re-routing. The two problems I see with the linear solenoids are you have to spec the length of stroke and it is an all or nothing movement where with power on you get full stroke. If you need to turn the item like when doing a 90 degree turn you need to be able to lift the presser foot up slightly so you are probably going to have to force the presser foot level up by hand.

A picture of your setup may help to get some suggestions.

kgg

There would have to be a pulley attached alongside the existing chain hole (I'd use small cable for flexibility)

I'd also have to fab up a couple of smaller pedals as there is not enough room even for a single width pedal.

All doable of course, but a solenoid and electric momentary pedal would be easier, you do make a point about the full stroke, but isn't that how the pneumatic setups work as well? I will look into pulleys as well.

[AlZilla]

8 hours ago, sportycliff said:

wouldn't want to deal with a compressor

You don't say why you object to a compressor, so maybe this doesn't help.

A friend of mine runs a couple of portable pancake compressors about 50 feet from his workbench, in a different room.  They're plugged into Smart Outlets and he turns them on and off with a cell phone app.  The outlets are a few dollars on amazon and the compressors are cheap and quiet.