Barn door opener followup

[jmc]

This is in followup to the barn door opener thread about using an overhead garage door opener to open a double sliding polebarn door. Originally, I vowed to use a separate opener for each door to avoid getting sucked in to a complicated project of making one opener do both doors. Well, I did get sucked into the one opener design but it worked out well so it wasn't so bad afterall.


Basically you buy an opener and throw away their track and trolley. Then you make your own track and trolleys, extend their chain with bicycle chain, and get some extra 3/32 cable. The setup is described in the other thread where the chain/cable makes a loop near the top of the door. One door is attached to the top of the loop and the other door to the loop's bottom so that the doors move in opposite directions.

This first of three pictures shows the left door fully open and the power unit. Since the chain sags, you have to look hard to see the top of the loop. With this setup, I lose about 6 inches of opening/door on an 18 foot opening. Also in this picture you can see that the connection between the track shaft and door is two pieces that can be disconnected in case of power failure. The two piece design also accomodates vertical and in/out misalignment of the tolley track and door track.

 

[jmc]

This second picture is of the doors almost closed.

 

[jmc]

This last picture is of the other door (right) fully open. My neighbor gave me that idler pulley off an old garage door opener, made from solid steel and a ball bearing. The Sears pulley was solid plastic. I'm happy with the way it works. It opens twice as fast a an overhead door since there is two doors moving at the overhead door speed. And it seems kind of dramatic as it opens, like stage curtains!

John

 

[jmc]

oops. Wrong picture. Try this.

 

[bgott]

Are you running limit switches or do you just watch for it to open and close all the way and then let off the button?

 

[GerardC]

Looks like you got it done. Great imagination the way you did it. Another problem solved by a TBN'er /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Cheers. G

 

[RobS]

Very slick John, thanks for posting /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[jmc]

Gerard and Rob,

Thanks for the compliments.


Brad,

The Sears power unit has built in limit switches for both up and down. One screwdriver turn equals three inches of door travel. Its very convenient.

John

 

[joshg]

John, Not sure if you are still active here. Any long term impact of mounting the door operner sidedways? Does your track have just pipe on pipe or some type of bushing/bearing to eliminate friction?

This is great.

 

[jejennings]

Does anyone know if the built in limit switches on the latest Sears 3/4 HP opener can be adjusted for a 16 foot door. I'm considering following John's idea to make an opener for at least one of the five 16' x 16' doors on my new barn?