I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!

get the actuator and the hold down off something in a junk yard that has a
remote electric trunk lid.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!

wrote:
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!


Again, I think you should go with an electric motor.. three-phase would
be ideal because you can reverse the motor (for opening and closing, or
closing and opening, depending on how you wired it). It'd probably be
hard to find a three-phase plug everywhere you go so a phase convertor
would be in order. Google for that, there's heaps of info on phase
convertors that's been put here.

John

One idea would be make the cover in several folding pieces, maybe 18" wide,
garage door opener style. The door could run on rails mounted just inside
the top of the bed. I visualize a 12 volt motor running either a screw or
cable to operate the fold-up door.

Bob Swinney
wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!

JohnM wrote:

Again, I think you should go with an electric motor.. three-phase would
be ideal because you can reverse the motor

Wouldn't be a two stroke better? It can be reversed too and hasn't 3
wires that can be easily confused. :-)


Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de

Nick Müller wrote:
JohnM wrote:

Again, I think you should go with an electric motor..
three-phase would be ideal because you can reverse the motor

Wouldn't be a two stroke better? It can be reversed too and
hasn't 3 wires that can be easily confused. :-)

Why have a motor at all? Just use a 5'x8' piece of 1/2"
steel for the lid, and above it rig one of those large
magnets like they use on the cranes at junkyards. Turn
on the magnet to raise the lid, turn it off to lower it ...
what could be simpler?

-jiw

In article ,
James Waldby wrote:

Nick Müller wrote:
JohnM wrote:

Again, I think you should go with an electric motor..
three-phase would be ideal because you can reverse the motor

Wouldn't be a two stroke better? It can be reversed too and
hasn't 3 wires that can be easily confused. :-)

Why have a motor at all? Just use a 5'x8' piece of 1/2"
steel for the lid, and above it rig one of those large
magnets like they use on the cranes at junkyards. Turn
on the magnet to raise the lid, turn it off to lower it ...
what could be simpler?

-jiw

Much simpler to use propane. Let a bit in under the cover, strike a
match when you want it to go UP. Automatically lowers itself.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

You could buy a couple of air cylinders and use a 12 volt air compressor (
tyre inflator) to supply the air.


wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!

Tom Miller wrote:

You could buy a couple of air cylinders and use a 12 volt air compressor (
tyre inflator) to supply the air.

Even better if he connects the rear tyres to the cylinders. If he opens
the valve, the cover goes up and the back (deflated tyres) goes down
which eases loading. By closing the cover, the rear tyres are inflated
again.

Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de

Tom Miller wrote:

You could buy a couple of air cylinders and use a 12 volt air compressor (
tyre inflator) to supply the air.

Even better if he connects the rear tyres to the cylinders. If he opens
the valve, the cover goes up and the back (deflated tyres) goes down
which eases loading. By closing the cover, the rear tyres are inflated
again.

Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de
I LOVE IT !!!! I'll keep this technical tidbit on file for when I
need to do something like this.... Just like the busses in the city
picking up passengers.... lower, load, raise.... G
Ken.

Actually I thought of that. Are the compressors to run those expensive?
AM I going overboard here? I mean, shoudl I just use some sort of
manual lift arms? I just thought it sounded like a neat idea,
especially when I go to the grocery and have my hands full with the
kids etc.
Tom Miller wrote:
You could buy a couple of air cylinders and use a 12 volt air compressor (
tyre inflator) to supply the air.


wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!

Did you cover it yourself? Was it hard? How did you do it?
Ignoramus25888 wrote:
On 14 Sep 2005 05:31:31 -0700, wrote:
Actually I thought of that. Are the compressors to run those expensive?
AM I going overboard here? I mean, shoudl I just use some sort of
manual lift arms? I just thought it sounded like a neat idea,
especially when I go to the grocery and have my hands full with the
kids etc.

The best solution is to make a tonneau cover that lets you open the
tailgate without lifting the cover. I did just that and grocery
shopping is never a problem.

i

http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bedcap1.html
JR
Dweller in the cellar

wrote:
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

wrote in message
oups.com...
| I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
| my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
| store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
| hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
| something? Can you help me find where the parts are?
|
| Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!

Air cylinders in all shapes and sizes exist out there to do the work of
lifting. You can use an electric or engine driven air pump, but the
electric is likely the simplest to work with and easier to install. A ten
or so gallon air tank fits fine anywhere under the body and will store the
volume of air you need to lift the lid at a rate you like. You'll be doing
a bit of math unless you like trial and error.
You can also, with proper counterweighting or air springs, use electric
motors such as ones used for window winders. These things are strong as
hell but don't run so fast.

Folks who will likely have useful information and/or equipment will be
shops that do RV's, semi trucks, and those low rider shops, since they do a
good bit of that stuff, including pneumatics in addition to their usual work
with hydraulics.

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 10:39:38 +0200, Nick Müller wrote:

Tom Miller wrote:

You could buy a couple of air cylinders and use a 12 volt air compressor (
tyre inflator) to supply the air.

Even better if he connects the rear tyres to the cylinders. If he opens
the valve, the cover goes up and the back (deflated tyres) goes down
which eases loading. By closing the cover, the rear tyres are inflated
again.

Is it any wonder why the rest of the world admires German engineering
such as this so much?

Hold on though; isn't this system used in Citroen's suspensions?
Perhaps its not German engineering after all!

http://www.citroen.mb.ca/citroenet/html/h/hydro.html

I liked that. I was thinking of putting the over inside the bed rather
than coverign the upper bedrails. Would this work as well? How did you
over the corners? What type of vyinly did you use? did you use
something with padding underneath?
jasonrnorth wrote:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bedcap1.html
JR
Dweller in the cellar

wrote:
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

http://www.autoloc.com/

or ebay: linear actuator... you'll need a 12V unit

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!


Power seat motors or power bed motors from a conversion van would work
good. 12 volt. screw drives with remote motors.



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Artemia Salina wrote:

Is it any wonder why the rest of the world admires German engineering
such as this so much?

vbg OK, i'm not one of them. If this is an excuse. :-))
So don't admire me, please!


Hold on though; isn't this system used in Citroen's suspensions?
Perhaps its not German engineering after all!

French cars? German cars? Is there a difference? From the near as well
as from the far. I _hope_!

My dad had a Citroen DS 21 (D Super 5 looks the same). I could tell you
some stories. But 2 are enough:

#1 - Removing the front fender:
Ha!, just some screws and then ... and then I gave up after 2 hours
searching. But the rear fender is just one screw. Because you could not
change the tyre without removing the fender.

#2: Belt for the water pump:
My brother in law had the same Citroen, and he asked me to change the
beld. OK, I, no problem. Come here, gimme $10. Ummm. Bloody nuckles. Did
you know that you have to remove the clutch cable (it goes through the
belt) to ... OK, bad deal! Realy bad deal!


Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de

carl mciver wrote:

A ten or so gallon air tank fits fine anywhere under the body and will
store the volume of air you need to lift the lid at a rate you like.

Funny! A picture of Evil Knevil just popped up in my head ...

Nick
--
Motor Modelle // Engine Models
http://www.motor-manufaktur.de

Nick Müller wrote:

Hold on though; isn't this system used in Citroen's suspensions?
Perhaps its not German engineering after all!


French cars? German cars? Is there a difference? From the near as well
as from the far. I _hope_!

My dad had a Citroen DS 21 (D Super 5 looks the same). I could tell you
some stories. But 2 are enough:

#1 - Removing the front fender:
Ha!, just some screws and then ... and then I gave up after 2 hours
searching. But the rear fender is just one screw. Because you could not
change the tyre without removing the fender.

#2: Belt for the water pump:
My brother in law had the same Citroen, and he asked me to change the
beld. OK, I, no problem. Come here, gimme $10. Ummm. Bloody nuckles. Did
you know that you have to remove the clutch cable (it goes through the
belt) to ... OK, bad deal! Realy bad deal!

Nick

I've had 2 Citroens, The first in 1958 an ID 19 sedan then later, I
think about 61 0r 2 an ID 19 station wagon (break) picked up in France
and shiped home after driving around in western europe some. Put
quite a few miles on both of them.
...lew...

You need a new keyboard....
How you do YOURS is up to you. The corners are a little hard,; some
careful tucking and trimming worked for me.The vinyl is a heavyweight
cloth-backed style; 54" bolt size. About $4.00 a linear yard at better
fabric shops.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

wrote:
I liked that. I was thinking of putting the over inside the bed rather
than coverign the upper bedrails. Would this work as well? How did you
over the corners? What type of vyinly did you use? did you use
something with padding underneath?
jasonrnorth wrote:

http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/bedcap1.html
JR
Dweller in the cellar

wrote:

I am thinking of building a bed cover made out of wood and covered for
my bed of my truck. It would have a hinge so it would open and I could
store things like groceries, etc. It there a way to make it so the
hinged part could be opened automatically by a button or remote or
something? Can you help me find where the parts are?

Just thinking right now. Any helpful ideas are appreciated!



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."




--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."